PIO to OCI card conversion: deadline
Deadline extended again to 12/31/17
Applications for conversion of PIO cards to OCI cards shall be processed without Consular Fees until December 31st, 2017. ICWF Fees & CKGS Service Fees will continue.
https://www.in.ckgs.us/pio/index.shtml
http://www.indianconsulateatlanta.org/cgi.php?id=PIO
Deadline extended again to 6/30/17 for conversion
from PIO cards to OCI cards:
Important Notice for PIO card holders: Applications for conversion of PIO cards to OCI cards shall be processed without Consular Fees until June 30, 2017.
ICWF Fees & CKGS Service Fees will continue.
Until then, PIO cardholders can travel with their PIO card and US Passport.
If you wish to apply for OCI card in Lieu of PIO card, you may visit the following links:
How To Apply https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/how-to-apply
OCI Application – Get Started https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/
Frequently Asked Questions https://www.in.ckgs.us/faq
Source: https://www.in.ckgs.us/news-notices
Posted: Jan 5, 2017
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Previously, from the Atlanta Consulate
6/30 deadline changed to 12/31 for conversion
from PIO cards to OCI cards:
http://www.indianconsulateatlanta.org/cgi.php?id=PIO
The Government of India has published in the Gazette of India (Part-I, Section-I) on 30 September 2014, that a PIO card issued to an applicant shall be valid for his/her lifetime, provided such applicant has a valid Passport.
2. Subsequently, the Government of India has notified on 09 January 2015 that all the existing Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders registered as such under new PIO Card scheme 2002, shall be deemed to be Overseas Citizens of India Cardholders (Merger of PIO & OCI Schemes).
3. In view of the above, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has communicated that all existing valid PIO cardholders(valid as on 30 September 2014, the date of notification of lifelong validity for a PIO card) are expected to apply for an OCI card in lieu of PIO card before 31December, 2016.
4. Accordingly, the procedure to be followed for conversion of existing valid PIO cards into OCI cards for all applicants falling under the consular jurisdiction of CGI Atlanta is as follows:
Applications submitted to M/s CKGS in person:
Applicants must provide the copy of foreign passport and original valid PIO card (and a copy) along with their application and other supporting documents.
Thereafter the application would be submitted to the Consulate by CKGS.
The applicant is expected to monitor the status of the OCI application at the links http://www.in.ckgs.us/trackandtrace/ and http://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury. If the tracking status on either/or both the websites indicate that the OCI document has been received at Atlanta, the applicant must send the original foreign valid passport to CKGS who would then forward the same to the Consulate.
Upon verification of the documents, the original documents (Passport and cancelled PIO card) would be returned along with the OCI card to CKGS for onward dispatch to the applicant.
The following notarized documents required when application submitted through post:
(a) A copy of valid PIO card ( Both Pages)
(b) A copy of current valid Passport
Thereafter the application would be submitted to the Consulate by CKGS.
The applicant is expected to monitor the status of the OCI application at the links http://www.in.ckgs.us/trackandtrace/ and http://passport.gov.in/oci/statusEnqury. If the tracking status on either/or both the websites indicate that the OCI document has been received at Atlanta, the applicant must send the original foreign valid passport and PIO card to CKGS who would then forward the same to the Consulate.
Upon verification of the documents, the original documents (Passport and cancelled PIO card) would be returned along with the OCI card to CKGS for onward dispatch to the applicant.
5. Interim travel to India until the issue of OCI card to existing valid PIO cardholders:
Until applicants are in receipt of an OCI card issued in lieu of PIO card, they could travel to India with their valid foreign passport and valid PIO card .
6. How to apply if an OCI in lieu of PIO:
- Please visit the link: http://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/index.shtml
- Such applications would be registered without payment of any registration fee. However, the applicant will have to pay the service charges for the outsourcing company, postage charges as well as the ICWF fee.
- The applicants may submit the applications for OCI card in lieu of PIO card to the Embassy/Consulates/FRRO concerned within the Consular jurisdiction of his/her place of residence
- Applications for an OCI card in lieu of PIO card are to be submitted along with supporting documents at the M/s CKGS Atlanta service centre.
- The Consulate General of India, Atlanta, does not directly accept OCI applications from applicants, either in person at the consular counter or through mail.
7. In case of queries, applicants/existing cardholders may send an email to the following for clarification:-
Updated information on requirement of registration for OCI in lieu of PIO cards
Updated information on requirement of registration for OCI in lieu of PIO cards
It is hereby informed that the date of submission of online applications by the PIO cardholders with valid PIO card for registration as OCI Card holder has been extended till 31 December 2016.
The applicants may submit the applications for OCI card in lieu of PIO card to the Embassy/Consulates/FRRO concerned within the Consular jurisdiction of his/her place of residence. This is in modification of the earlier instruction that they should apply only at the location where the PIO card was issued.
OCI card is a smart card which will facilitate quicker immigration clearance at the Immigration counters in India. Therefore, PIO cardholders are advised to apply for OCI card in lieu of PIO card before 31 December 2016 at https://passport.gov.in/oci. Process for applying OCI in lieu of PIO card is available at http://in.ckgs.us/oci/oci-categories/oci-in-lieu-of-pio-us-adult.shtml.
While the grant of OCI card in lieu of PIO card will be on gratis basis, the applicants may have to bear only the postage charges and service fee wherever applicable.
PIO cardholder can travel to India on the basis of their valid PIO card and valid foreign passport.
In cases of erstwhile PIO cardholders, the new foreign passport number (when they get a new passport) will be endorsed on the existing PIO card till the person concerned is issued an OCI card in lieu of PIO card.
Tarlok Badhan, Vice Consul, email: passport@indianconsulateatlanta.org
Consulate Contact for OCI (404) 963-7742 /OCI@indianconsulateatlanta.org
CKGS Contact/ Telephone 516-206-1483/ 646-589-0088
Feedback :http://www.in.ckgs.us/feedback/
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Previously, from the Atlanta Consulate
OCI IN LIEU OF PIO
This is to inform that for the purpose of conversion of PIO cards to OCI cards, there is no need to produce all documents as required while applying for a fresh OCI card. The only documents required are
(a) a copy of valid PIO card ( Both pages)
(b) a copy of current valid passport.
If applications are sent by post, the above documents may be notarized and submitted.
2. The deadline for the conversion from PIO cards to OCI cards is June 30, 2016.
3. Until applicants are in receipt of an OCI card issued in lieu of PIO card, they could travel to India with their valid foreign passport and valid PIO Card. Those who have already travelled to India on their PIOs and still in India, they are advised to contact their respective FRROs for latest instructions regarding travelling on their PIO card after June 30, 2016.
No.ATL/302/1/2016
Atlanta June 13, 2016
