{"id":5323,"date":"2024-02-24T08:50:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-24T08:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/documitra.com\/blog\/?p=5323"},"modified":"2025-07-28T17:45:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T17:45:17","slug":"pio-to-oci-conversion-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/documitra.com\/blog\/pio-to-oci-conversion-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"PIO to OCI Conversion"},"content":{"rendered":"
PERSON OF INDIAN ORIGIN (PIO) CARD?<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

A Person of Indian Origin (PIO) means a foreign citizen (except a national of Pakistan, Afghanistan Bangladesh, China, Iran, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal)<\/span><\/p>\n

Who at any time held an Indian passport<\/span><\/p>\n

Or<\/span><\/p>\n

who or either of their parents\/ grand parents\/ great grandparents was born and permanently resident in India as defined in 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 above);\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Or<\/span><\/p>\n

Who is a spouse of a citizen of India or a PIO<\/span><\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/b> The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme was introduced by the Indian government in 2005. When OCI cards were issued, the Indian government began phasing out the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card scheme, introduced in 2002. PIO cardholders were given the option to convert their PIO cards to OCI cards. This transition process started around 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of a PIO Card:-<\/span><\/p>\n