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A quick query for people with PIO/OCI living in India.

My son (age 14) is a US citizen living in India since 2003 on his PIO. He has an exit permit valid until June 2015. His PIO is valid until May 2018.

We recently renewed his US passport. Now that PIO is same OCI, we are not sure what is the next step. Do we need to renew his exit permit? Being OCI does he need exit permit? What is the next step?

The FRRO website doesn't say anything about this.

You do not need an exit permit with OCI. Suggest you pop into the FRRO. It is located in the same complex as the Shanthinagar Bus Stand

PIO-card holders do not need exit permits either :D

exit permits are weird things that should have no relevance to anyone whose immigration status is ok, haven't lost their passport/visa, don't belong to any particular group that the govt wants to keep special tabs on, or who have not been informed, eg on their visa that they need to get one.

Just about nobody ever needs an exit permit. However, not all officials seem to know this! I have heard from one or two people on Indiamike that they have been told by their local FRO that they have to get one, and have done so when leaving the country.

Being a Brit married to an Indian, I have lived here for past ten years, maybe eight or more on PIO card. I have never needed anything, other than passport and PIO, and RC/RP if stay has exceeded 180 days, which it usually had.

I've had to keep my registration up to date, but now, I intend to take Mr Modi at his word, and never go go near another FRRO! Whheeee... I'm an OCI nowWheeeeee!

Excuse me. I got carried away there.

Actually, I might visit one to get the PIO card actually converted to an OCI.

The doubt is now that they will make that compulsorary, but notwithstanding anything it might say on the USA Indian Embassy site, people who know people say it isn't going to happen.

Upshot is... I don't think that you need to do anything. I don't think I need to do anything. Indiamike is a great source for this stuff: I'm keeping an eye open.

Pretty much agree with ajmat's views here. :thumbs up

Drop into the FRRO.

EDIT: Nick (aka Thad_E_Ginathom) has clarified a lot- In his previous post! :D

Thanks guys. Since the POI does have an expiry date, I guess I have to visit FRRO and find out what I need to do next.

As a PIO, it has an expiry date, but, if I remember correctly, announcement one was PIO cards are now considered to have lifetime validity, and announcement two was PIO Cards are now deemed to be OCI cards.

So it won't actually expire :D

But going by past experience, I know that government officials are not compelled by logic or reason.

They forced my minor PIO child to register and get exit permit even though both were not necessary. Over that, they took many months to transfer his FRRO records from Manipal to Bangalore, then fined me for the delay. When I objected that the delay was caused by them, they had the gall to shrug and claim they are just following rules.

So, if I say PIO won't expire anymore, they will point at the expiry date on the PIO and say it will expire. That is why I wanted to know the experience of somebody with PIO, what did they have to do after the PIO was made same as OCI.

It was quite early in my India experience that I formulated this rule: When dealing with Indian officials, whatever they say is the law, at that time and place, is the law.

So I agree entirely, and also have long-term concerns about this. There was another story, that incoming/outgoing PIOs would have their cards stamped "Life-Time Validity." That would be good, but, if it is happening, it is only happening when and where officers feel like doing it.

I'm wondering if I should "upgrade" to a real OCI card. I'm travelling in July, and also wondering if there is time for me to do that. Maybe after that trip, I'll have a better feel for things: it will be my first out/in of India for 18 months.

I have been toying with the idea of applying for indian citizenship anyway, but, even though I have "done the time" to qualify, and the process can be initiated on-line simply enough, I have a strong hunch that it takes contacts with real political clout to progress the thing. I have no such contacts. I doubt that a Sangita Kalanidhi or two, eminent though they may be in their field, would be enough to swing it.

@samurai - for PIO cards (before the merger with OCI at least)- when your son got a new passport, the new passport # etc needs to be endorsed in the PIO card. The process should be simple (though complicated by multiple copies of multiple useless documents requested by FRRO).

Separate question about merger of OCI/PIO- any details available anywhere? My daughter was not eligible for OCI earlier.

Now Canada consulate is saying that actual conversion of PIO to OCI will be mandatory.

That's Canada, USA, and, rumoured although I can not see it on their site, UK too.

An "American" [citizen] friend of mine has just come back from a work stint in USA. I think his family, wife and daughter, are also American citizens, the daughter having been born there. I should be meeting up with him soon and will ask about his thoughts and experiences.

This is the main thread on IndiaMike about PIO/OCI Merger. Lots of history, it dates back to the days when it was only an idea, so join in the last few pages.

I had asked the same question in post#1 to FRRO, their reply just arrived.

So I have to apply for OCI now.

I think they got their liens and their lieus mixed up. Hope they don't have this problem when going to the loo! Actually, I think that lieu is actually wrong too, but it is the word they are using on their website.

Anyway, "advised" is not "mandatory."

Thanks for update.

If Indian officials are involved in a process and it involves payment of any 'fees' (official or otherwise), those two words are synonyms more often than not.

Frro officials must be the most confused lot of bureaucrats on earth. I have seen them react to three identical issues of extension of X visa with three different solutions. All three were NRIs and people I know personally. As Thad says, the officials are the law, not the politician making speeches at an NRI rally overseas.

Anyone out there who's actually been through the online OCI application process recently? I thought I'd completed the online part last week (generated completed, printable application forms A&B and "File Reference Number", along with "Temporary Application ID Number"), but what actually came back via e-mail was a "thankyou for starting your online registration" and "please complete the registration process" with no additional info or instructions.

Moreover, when I try and use the "Status Enquiry" feature, neither of these generated numbers, nor simply my passport number and date of birth, are being recognized by the system. Neither can I print another copy of the registration using those, which is also a feature on the homepage (https://passport.gov.in/oci/). Everything seems additionally complicated by the fact that some info is on the mha.gov.in website, some on the boi.nic.in website, some in links to pdf's of the Gazette of India.

Is it the case that no enquiry is possible / application is not really "recognized" till physical documents are received by the FRRO New Delhi? Am I supposed to just go ahead and send these, as per instructions attached to the application form? Is there any way at this point to verify whether I've done all I was supposed to in the online section and the "please complete" really means "please send your documents"?

Hard for me to interpret all this (not the first time) :-)

Thanks in advance,
Eric