PIO Card can be applied at:

1. At the Indian Mission (the Embassy of Indian/High Commission of India/Indian Consulate in a foreign country) in the country where the applicant is ordinarily resident.
   
   Indian Consulates in USA
   Indian Consulates Worldwide
   
   
2. Applicants already residing in India on Long Term Visa (more than one year) shall make the application for issue of a PIO Card to the following authorities:-
   1. Those residing in:-
      1. Delhi
         Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Level –II, East Block VIII, R.K. Puram, Sector – I, New Delhi.
      2. Mumbai
         Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Annex II, Commissioner of Police, Craw Ford Market, Mumbai - 400001.
      3. Kolkata
         Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, 237, Acharya Jagdish Kolkata - 700020
      4. Amritsar
         Additional Deputy Director, Bureau of Immigration, B/123, Ranjeet Avenue, Amritsar.
      5. Chennai
         Chief Immigration Officer, Bureau of Immigration, Shastri Bhavan Annex, No.26, Haddows Road, Chennai- 600006.
   2. Those residing in areas other than (A) above:-
      Joint Secretary (Foreigners). Ministry of Home Affairs, 1st floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market New Delhi-110003.

The authority to grant a PIO Card shall be an officer in an Indian Mission notified for the purpose or the Joint Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India or the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar or the Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai.

Process:

1. Application form: Application to be filled in DUPLICATE (TO BE FILLED IN BLOCK LETTERS IN BLUE/BLACK INK ONLY).
   Download Fillable Form. No need to write by hand. Just fill it online and print it.
   Fill an entire form except signature and photograph, make a copy and then put a signature (or thumb impression if the application is unable to sign) and paste a photo on each copy.
   
   
2. Signature: In case of minor if the applicant cannot sign, please obtain Right Hand Thumb impression for female and Left Hand Thump impression for male applicant. Parents should not sign on behalf of minor applicants. Please don't forget to put signature (thump impression if applicant can not sign) in the boxes provided for specimen signature at the end of the application as well as at the end of the application.
   
   
3. Photograph: 5 photographs are required. One to be pasted on each application (first on original and second on the copy) and remaining 3 to be stapled.
   
   Photographs should be 35 mm x 35 mm (without border), preferably in color, with full front view against white/light background and person should be in civil dress.
   Note: If you are applying at Indian consulate in San Francisco, the photo should be 2" x 2".
   
   As long as it meets minimum requirements, digital photographs are OK too.
   
   Polaroid photographs, poor quality photographs and photographs taken in uniform or with dark glasses will be rejected. Indian embassy in Washington DC also has photo both within the building where you can get photographs.
   
   
4. Proof of present citizenship:
   Indian Embassy in Washington DC, Indian consulate in New York:
   Passport from current citizenship (such as US passport) in original, along with a photocopy.
   
   Indian Consulate in Chicago, Houston and San Francisco :
   Notarized copies of first two and last two pages of foreign passport. Notarization not required if application is being submitted in person or passport is enclosed in original.
   Consulate will not bear any responsibility for loss of documents, including passports, after dispatch. To avoid loss of passports while in mail in both directions, notarized copies have been requested. As PIO card comes in a form of separate booklet and not stamped like visa in passport, original passport is not required.
   
   
5. Proof of Indian citizenship: Notarized copies of first three and last three pages of Indian passport (notarization not required if application is being submitted in person or passport is enclosed in original). If Indian passport is still valid, the same may be sent for cancellation.
   
   OR
   
   If parents/grand-parents/great grandparents origin is being claimed as basis for grant of PIO card, following documents may be furnished:
   • Notarized copies of first two and last two pages of BOTH parents passports OR copies of their domicile certificates issued by the competent authorities
   • Evidence of relationship with the applicant
   
   Other acceptable forms of proof are revenue records, domicile certificate/school or college leaving certificates, US naturalization certificate, Indian Birth certificate of the applicant and that of parents or grand parents of the applicant etc., nationality certificate of the applicant and of the parents or grand parents.
   
   
6. Other documents: In respect of children born in USA: a. Notarized copy of Parents Indian Passports [First 3 and Last 3 pages only]
   b. Notarized copy of the Child's US Passport [First 3 and Last 3 pages only]
   c. Photocopy of birth certificate in case of applicants under 18 years. (Embassy in Washington DC asks for original birth certificate.)
   
   Those applying as spouses of persons of Indian original must submit original Indian passport or PIO card (whichever is applicable) of the spouse and original marriage certificate. To be eligible, the marriage must have taken place more than a year before the date of application.
   
   
7. Address in India: if the address indicated in the passport of the applicant/parents/grand parents/great grand parents is no longer valid, provide a verifiable address of a close relative. (For San Francisco: If there has been a change of address from the address in Indian passport, submit a signed statement about change of address.)
   
   
8. Local address: Photocopy of 2 documents as a proof of current US address (for example: Driver's License/Telephone bill/Utility bill/lease agreement etc.)
   
   If the applicant is not a US passport holder, submit proof of residence for more than a year (such as Green Card) in the area of the Consulate's jurisdiction.
   
   
9. Birth certificate: If applicant is born abroad, notarized copy of birth certificate.
   Photocopy of birth certificate in case of applicants under 18 years along with PIO Card application.
   
   
10. Fees: As described in the fees section.
    
    
11. Mail back charges: Also enclose payment for express mail/priority mail/certified mail by cashiers check or money order so they can return your passport back to you. There is no need to send any return address envelope. Application fee and mail back charge can be paid in one cashier's check or money order.
    Express mail reduces time in both directions. However, applications are processed in the order of their receipt in the Consulate irrespective of class of mail.
    
    Please don't send pre-paid envelopes such as Fed Ex, UPS, DHL, AirBorne etc., as consulates don't return documents through these services.
    
    Following rates are applicable assuming documents for multiple applicants are being returned to the same address.
    Express Mail: Accepted at Washington DC, Chicago, New York. Houston. $20 for up to 4 applications.
    Certified Mail: Accepted at Chicago, New York. $6 plus $1 for each additional application.
    Priority Mail: Accepted at Washington DC, New York. $10 for up to 4 applications.
    
    
12. Previous Indian Passport: All persons of Indian origin who have acquired US citizenship are advised to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian mission for cancellation and return. The cancelled Indian passport is needed at the time of applying for Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card or Indian visa for the first time on a US passport.
    

The approximate processing time for PIO Card application from the date of receipt at the Embassy/Consulate varies.
Embassy in Washington DC 15 working days.
San Francisco 30 days.
Chicago 20 working days.
New York 2 to 4 weeks.
Houston 2 weeks if application submitted in person or 4 weeks if application submitted by mail.

For those mailing the applications, add reasonable amount of mailing timing in addition to the processing timings listed above. When sending by mail, only notarized copies of the documents that are required to be submitted with the application may be enclosed. Please don't send original document unless it is specifically mentioned.

It may take much longer such as 3-4 months if further processing is necessary for any reason. There is no need to visit embassy/consulate in person. You can simply mail the documents.

At this time, there is no emergency service for PIO card.

Applications not fulfilling requirements stated above will be returned at applicant's cost without any notice. Application forms should be filled in fully, legibly (in BLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS) and accurately. It is an offense to give false information in the Application. PIO card facilities can be denied/withdrawn on grounds of misuse, suppression of factual information, misrepresentation of the facts, submission of false particulars, and for making unauthorized changes in the PIO cards.