OCI Card

Our PIO was valid till 2019. So what was the need for Modi government to require PIOs to be converted to OCI and rock the boat? When a document is valid, it must be honored without question until validity. Then, they simply passed the message....oh it's a simple conversion, we don't charge any fees, just submit your PIO and obtain OCI. Screwballs!! It took us 3 days to understand the process (confusing) and prepare a bulk load of papers and copies with photos and multi-step process. Actually no different than applying for fresh OCI. Over 2 months, they ask you to submit passports for match up and not sure when the actual OCI will be sent. Basically you sit on edge at their mercy and not be able to travel, spend easily over $100 in 4 FedEx mailings for one document, notorization, copying, and pictures, AND of-course there is processing and application fee of $20. So it is not free. It is your money and goverment give a damn about it.

They ask for same information over and over in all forms, sign here sign there. Really there is no new information. Just 4-5 pieces of information 10 times.

So the government can't handle anything, so they outsourced it to CKGS to add another layer to communicate with us. They are certainly much better than dealing with government, but not that much. Communication is excessive, but not clear. You always have question (see all forums), and their answers vary.

CONFUSED AND FRUSTRATED LIKE HELL. Not so much CKGS's fault. But Modi government did worse than prior governments in this regard.