Traveling with PIO card and new passport

[ABC_XYZ]

Hello,

My daughter is US citizen. She has PIO Card valid till 2026. She recently received new US passport. We are traveling to India in next 2 weeks. Can she travel to India with valid PIO card and both (OLD and NEW) passports? Is it mandatory to take endorsement in PIO card with new passport number? If yes, can we just walk-in in the Indian consulate (I live in Bay Area)? There are no guidelines regarding this on Indian embassy/consulate website.

I would really appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,

[sunrag1]

Hello,

My daughter is US citizen. She has PIO Card valid till 2026. She recently received new US passport. We are traveling to India in next 2 weeks. Can she travel to India with valid PIO card and both (OLD and NEW) passports? Is it mandatory to take endorsement in PIO card with new passport number? If yes, can we just walk-in in the Indian consulate (I live in Bay Area)? There are no guidelines regarding this on Indian embassy/consulate website.

I would really appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,

I dont want to scare you but this is what I found yday.. I am also looking for such info as I have planned to travel in June. I dont have time to apply for OCI now (changing address / moving to new location shortly)..

[ABC_XYZ]

Thank you! I will apply for tourist visa for my daughter now.

[milli]

Hello,

My daughter is US citizen. She has PIO Card valid till 2026. She recently received new US passport. We are traveling to India in next 2 weeks. Can she travel to India with valid PIO card and both (OLD and NEW) passports? Is it mandatory to take endorsement in PIO card with new passport number? If yes, can we just walk-in in the Indian consulate (I live in Bay Area)? There are no guidelines regarding this on Indian embassy/consulate website.

I would really appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,

As far as I remember PIO did not have the requirement like OCI to re-validate on the new passport.

[proonindiandoc]

Thank you! I will apply for tourist visa for my daughter now.

you don't need a visa. apply oci in lieu of pio asap, you do not submit with PIO card, mean you still have the valid PIO card to travel. OCI now is getting prove faster than usual if have not got pending. once OCI ready then do match up in one week. and I don't think they will stop all the PIO card holders after June 30th.

- - - Updated - - -

As far as I remember PIO did not have the requirement like OCI to re-validate on the new passport.

nope! they are same. endorsement is needed, but there is not more PIO endorsement.

[hoolahoous]

don't worry. As long as you carry original passport with new passport and PIO card you will be fine. No need to have endorsement of new passport on PIO.
Endorsement of new passport was 'recommended' but not 'mandatory'. My kids have travelled like this multiple time with 0 issues.

[gramaswamy]

Hi,

I am in a similar situation. I have a PIO that is valid for the next 5 years and a new US passport. I have to travel in 2 weeks to India (around April 20th) via Abu Dhabi on Etihad. I see a lot of information and wanted to confirm the following, to prevent last minute visa issues:
1) I saw this link - http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/society...h-31-1.1674899. Since I am traveling via Abu Dhabi, will this impact me?
2) Should I still get an Indian eTourist visa (sounds like this is online and does not require going to the visa offices or mailing stuff) just in case? Would it be an issue if I have a PIO card that seems valid (except for links like the above) and an Indian tourist visa which I can use and will show only if the need arises?
3) For the lifetime stamp on the PIO card, is this needed? Instead of #2, should I go to the local Indian Consulate which is Chicago in my case, and get this stamp asap?
4) I am back in the US the first week of May, after my trip, and based on all I that I read, was planning to apply for the OCI then. Is this ok, or should I still trigger this OCI process before I leave?

Please confirm. Thanks for answering my questions in advance.

[hoolahoous]

nope! they are same. endorsement is needed, but there is not more PIO endorsement.

wrong info.. endorsement on PIO was never mandatory. My family has traveled without endorsement.
Official proof here..

http://www.cgidubai.org/person-of-indian/

quoting --
"In the event of change of passport of PIO card holder, he/she can travel to India on the basis of new passport with the valid PIO card and the old passport on which PIO card number is endorsed."

[hoolahoous]

Hi,

I am in a similar situation. I have a PIO that is valid for the next 5 years and a new US passport. I have to travel in 2 weeks to India (around April 20th) via Abu Dhabi on Etihad. I see a lot of information and wanted to confirm the following, to prevent last minute visa issues:
1) I saw this link - http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/society...h-31-1.1674899. Since I am traveling via Abu Dhabi, will this impact me?
2) Should I still get an Indian eTourist visa (sounds like this is online and does not require going to the visa offices or mailing stuff) just in case? Would it be an issue if I have a PIO card that seems valid (except for links like the above) and an Indian tourist visa which I can use and will show only if the need arises?
3) For the lifetime stamp on the PIO card, is this needed? Instead of #2, should I go to the local Indian Consulate which is Chicago in my case, and get this stamp asap?
4) I am back in the US the first week of May, after my trip, and based on all I that I read, was planning to apply for the OCI then. Is this ok, or should I still trigger this OCI process before I leave?

Please confirm. Thanks for answering my questions in advance.

don't freakout..

1) that seems isolated/misunderstood/misreported issue.. You yourself can check the quoted consulate's website at http://www.cgidubai.org/ . There is nothing there which indicates that PIO will not be valid
2) if you have PIO card, just use it. Take this printout from San Francisco consulate's website - http://www.cgisf.org/page/display/30/231
3) lifetime stamp is not mandatory. you can get it at port of entry. Reference - http://www.cgisf.org/page/display/30/231 . Quoting " All the immigration offices have duly been informed by the Government of India that they should affix a ‘Lifelong’ stamp as and when the holder of a 15 year validity card enters/exits any Indian Airport. If the Immigration Officer does not affix the stamp you should ask for stamping “Lifelong” stamp on the PIO Card. Until new rules are in place endorsement on PIO cards continues."
4) if you apply before leaving, you might not have access to your documents while your application is pending. so consider that with your travel plan.

[proonindiandoc]

wrong info.. endorsement on PIO was never mandatory. My family has traveled without endorsement.
Official proof here..

http://www.cgidubai.org/person-of-indian/

quoting --
"In the event of change of passport of PIO card holder, he/she can travel to India on the basis of new passport with the valid PIO card and the old passport on which PIO card number is endorsed."

OCI endorsement is never mandatory as well. my information is nothing wrong, and cannot be wrong

[hoolahoous]

OCI endorsement is never mandatory as well. my information is nothing wrong, and cannot be wrong

I was just alluding to your previous comment where you said "endorsement is needed", to which I said no it is not 'needed'. just 'recommended'.

[sskap80]

don't worry. As long as you carry original passport with new passport and PIO card you will be fine. No need to have endorsement of new passport on PIO.
Endorsement of new passport was 'recommended' but not 'mandatory'. My kids have travelled like this multiple time with 0 issues.

US wont allow to keep the old passports. My son is 9 and we got his PIO done in Oct 2007. We had to renew his passport in August 2013, never updated my PIO card. I did think about this before.

Traveled to Hyderabad August 2014, without any endorsement to PIO. No one even noticed. But recently with the OCI changes i read a lot on this and now i am totally confused.

I am planning to get the endorsement done, just to be on the safer side. Specially the picture in the PIO card ( is when my son was infant) now he is 9 years old and it does not looks right.

They have every right to stop up, because there is no Passport match and the picture is totally different.

I am planning to get the endorsement done just for my satisfaction. Will let you all know how it goes.

[milli]

US wont allow to keep the old passports.

FYI they punch the old passport and return it back to you.

[starone]

In India w/ PIO returning after 6/30

I am in India with my valid PIO and US Passport. My return flight is on July 10th. Will the Indian immigration create problems as PIO is valid till 6/30. I had applied for my OCI and left for India before the matchup process. I did take the CKGS OCI application printouts with me.

[proonindiandoc]

I am in India with my valid PIO and US Passport. My return flight is on July 10th. Will the Indian immigration create problems as PIO is valid till 6/30. I had applied for my OCI and left for India before the matchup process. I did take the CKGS OCI application printouts with me.

no worry, PIO card is not going to deactivate. PIO is still valid no matter what! people please don't get freaked out