PIO/OCI card eligibility for Non-Indian spouse.

[asifikrame]

Hi ,

Myself Indian passport holder. My wife is Non-Indian (foreign national of other country holding passport of other country). We both are staying in US on a Non-Immigrant visa. My wife is currently having Indian Family visa valid for 1 year which she applied and got from her home country.

My question is as I am indian and my wife is non-indian :-

1) Is she eligible for PIO card or OCI card. (she has no Indian grandparents.)
2)OR she always have to visit India with a visa. Or is there any long term family visa for 10-15 years ?
3) if we decide to settle down in India later on. Would she require a VISA to stay there or any other way ?

Thanks

[curtdfw]

She is eligible for PIO, not OCI. This assumes she is not from Pakistan, China or other states not permitted to hold PIO.

[asifikrame]

None of my wife's grandparents are Indian or holding Indian passport.

Will she get PIO only on the basis of her Indian husband i..e. myself holding indian passport ?

Just wanted to re-confirm as many people said that she wont be getting PIO card and she need to get Family VISA to stay in india.

[sk4ih]

according to the link below, yes, she is eligible.

https://New

[asifikrame]

Thanks so much for your quick reply. I really appreciate that. One more query please.

Does she need to apply PIO in her home country ? or she can apply here in US embassy.

Also just to mention our marriage was solemnised in her Home country( not in india nor USA) and we have certificate translated to english and ALSO we attested those marriage certificate in Indian Embassy of her country so that Indian officials would recognize it as legal marriage certificate.

Will Indian Embassy in US create any problems in recognizing the authencity of Marriage Certificate ? this was the reason we attested the copies and also took stamps on Indian Embassy of her country on original marriage certificate as well.

[raniraja]

she can apply here in u.s for pio. can i have one question. if u tell which country ur wife belong means we can easily tell u whether she is eligible or not.

[asifikrame]

she is from Morroco.She is currently holding Indian Family Visa till november2010. Can I apply For PIO before that .

OR they would not issue PIO till her visa gets expired?

[curtdfw]

OR they would not issue PIO till her visa gets expired?

Eligibility through marriage is based on the time married, not on the state of any visa. She can apply after one year of marriage.