The Scheme for issuance of Person of Indian Origin Card (PIO Card) Amendment Scheme, 2014 amended the (PIO Card) Scheme, 2002 by extending vailidity of PIO card to a lifetime of the applicant. The amendment issued on Sept 30th ,2014 states that a PIO Card issued to an applicant shall be valid for his life time from the date of its issue provided that such applicant has a valid passport.

Any person :

• Who at any time held an Indian Passport; or

• He/she or either of his/her parents or grandparents or great grandparents was born in an 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 any time a citizen of any country as may be specified by Central Government from time to time; or

• Who is a spouse of a citizen of India or a Person of Indian Origin as mentioned above.

The scheme is broad-based, covers up to four generations and also the foreign spouse of a citizen of India or a PIO.

The Home Ministry has also changed rules that earlier stipulated that PIO card holders spending more than 180 days in India were required to register themselves with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer / Foreigners Registration Officer (FRRO/FRO) here. The new rules stipulate that no PIO card holder needs to register with the FRRO irrespective of the duration of his stay in India.

All PIOs including PIO Card holders shall enjoy parity with NRIs in respect of all facilities in the matter of acquisition, holding, transfer and disposal of immovable properties in India, except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural/plantation properties.