PIO Card to OCI Card Conversion PIO Card to OCI Card Conversion

Washingon DC
November 21, 2017

From October 2018, International Civil Aviation Organisation will accept only machine readable travel documents. It would be necessary for PIO card holders to obtain machine readable OCI Cards, in lieu of the existing hand-written PIO cards. The date for submission of applications for registration as OCI cardholder in lieu of PIO card online has been extended till  December 31,2017. No further extension of the current deadline ie  December 31, 2017 for the conversion of PIO Cards to OCI cards will be approved. It is made clear to PIO card holders that those travelling on the strength of their PIO (Handwritten) after International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines with respect to the machine readable travel documents coming to effect from October/November 2018 will be refused entry at the Indian Immigration Counters and will be send back. It is also informed to the existing PIO holders that any request for conversion of PIO card to OCI card after the expiry of the current deadline date of December 31, 2017 will attract a fee of $275 which is the same as charged for issuance of a fresh OCI Card.