Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Card Scheme     (Service being provided at the Consulate)

In deference to the sentiments of persons of Indian origin to reconnect with their roots, as well as respecting their desire to participate in the development of the country of their origin, the Government of India had announced a scheme for issuance of a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card with effect from 31 March 1999.
With effect from 15th September 2002, the Government of India has announced a new PIO Card Scheme-2002. The salient features of the new Scheme are as follows:

1. "Person of Indian Origin" means a foreign citizen (not being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries as may be specified by the Central Government from  time to time) if
   i) he/she at any time held an Indian Passport;          or
   ii) he/she or either of his/her parents or grand parents or great grand parents was born in and permanently resident in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 and other territories that became part of India thereafter provided neither was at any time a citizen of any of the aforesaid countries (as referred to in (1) above;              or
   iii) he/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under (i) or (ii) above.

2. Form of application for issue/renewal of a PIO Card.
   An application for issue/renewal of a PIO Card shall be made in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by documentary evidence to show that the applicant is a person of Indian origin as defined. Application should be accompanied by the current passport (which should be valid for minimum 6 months) and, the Landing Paper of the applicant and a copy of each of these documents.  Applications for children born to Indian parents in Canada must be accompanied by
   (i)   The child’s Canadian passport;
   (ii)   Original birth certificate mentioning the names of the parents and
   (iii)  Both parent’s Indian passports and PR Cards/Landing Papers and a copy of all these documents.

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