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If you don’t convert your PIO card to an OCI card, you don’t have any rights, you have to obtain a visa or you can apply for an OCI card from the official website of VFS Global online.
After the 31st of December, 2025, your PIO card will no longer be considered a valid travel document to enter and exit from India. Hence, you will have to apply for a regular visa if you want to travel to India.
My cousin recently applied for admission in India, but some universities rejected her application because the PIO card's future validity was uncertain. They strongly advised her to apply for OCI to avoid complications with her admission. She ended up applying for PIO to OCI conversion, which added a lot of stress. It is better to get your PIO card converted asap.
If you don't convert your PIO to OCI before the deadline, which is 31st December, 2025, then the PIO card will be considered invalid for traveling to or from India.
If you are a PIO cardholder, you need to get it converted to an OCI card. There is no other option for you. I had a PIO card for years, and I kept procrastinating the conversion process. Although it is still valid but I was planning a last-minute trip and at the airport, the staff questioned my PIO card's validity. They told me the rules were getting strict, and I might face issues at immigration if I didn't get it converted. Thankfully, after a few arguments, they let me board the plane. I immediately applied for PIO to OCI conversion as soon as I landed.
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Yes, you will need to update your new Indian passport details in your OCI card if you are under the age of 20 and have issued a new passport. If...
Yes, you can travel to India with an OCI card if you have a valid passport. Foreign citizens holding an OCI card must possess a valid passport with at least...
To apply for an OCI card, according to Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Here are some of the eligibility criteria given below. If a person is an Indian...
Yes, as an OCI cardholder, you can buy commercial and residential properties in India. These are the official guidelines, which are issued by the Reserve Bank of India. However, if...
I have submitted some of the essential documents for my OCI card application, which include a fully printed OCI application form, two passport-sized photographs, a copy of my foreign passport,...
I have recently obtained an OCI card, which I applied for through the online OCI services from the official website by filling out an online application and entering all the...
Yes, I have applied for an Indian Citizenship as an OCI cardholder. According to the indian citizenship under section 5(1) (g) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, I am allowed to...
Here is the simple application process to convert a PIO to an OCI card. First, you need to visit the OCI services website, then choose the registration option of an...
To check your OCI application status, first, you need to go to the official OCI Services website, select the option for OCI inquiry, and then select OCI card application status....
The some of the recent changes for the OCI cardholders in 2025 which is the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has tightened OCI card cancellation rules, which include that if...
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One of my friends faced issues with property transactions in India because their PIO card was not up-to-date. PIO does offer parity with NRIs, but the OCI card generally offers more rights in financial and economic matters. If you have any kind of financial dealings in India, then converting your PIO card to an OCI is much more convenient.