No. 26011/MISC/71/2018-0CI
Government of India
Ministry of Home Affairs
(Foreigners Division)
****
1st. Floor, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium,
India Gate Circle, New Delhi-110002.
Dated, the 18th September, 2020.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Extension of timeline for handwritten travel documents (PIO cards) beyond 30.09.2020- regarding.
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Ministry's O.M. of even No. dated 13.02.2020 thereby clarifying that the PIO card will be accepted as valid travel documents till 30.09.2020 along with valid foreign passport and if in the meantime any deadline is notified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) thereby making hand-written PIO card invalid, then PIO card holders may have to obtain appropriate visa from Indian Missions, if they have not already converted their PIO cards to OCI cards. It was also clarified therein that Indian Immigration Check Post{s) will continue to consider all PIO cards as valid documents alongwith valid foreign passports till 31st March, 2020.
2. The matter has been reviewed and it has been decided, with the approval of the competent authority, that the Bureau of Immigration (Bol) will accept PIO cards as valid travel document till 31.12.2021 alongwith valid foreign passport and the Indian Immigration Check Post(s) will continue to consider all PIO cards valid for exit / entry into India till 31.12.2021. This extension of timeline is subject to the condition that if in the meantime any deadline is notified by the ICAO thereby making hand written PIO cards invalid, then PIO cardholders may have to obtain appropriate visa from India Missions/ Posts.
3. In this regard, Indian Mission Posts abroad may again be requested to advise all the PIO cardholders with valid PIO cards as on 09.01.2015 to apply for conversion of PIO card to OCI card as per the guidelines mentioned in this Ministry's various letters No. 26011/06/2015-0CI dated 16.0 7.2015, 10.03.2016 and 01·10.2018.
(Gopal Jha)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India
