What is Pio Card

A PIO Card is a document that is similar to a passport and grants you the same rights as Indian citizens and non-resident Indians (NRIs). The only difference is that you have no voting rights. Non-resident Indians (NRI) are Indians residing outside of India who have themselves been Indian citizens in the past. The PIO-Card can only be used in combination with your current passport.

PIO card Socio-economic benefits.

i.You no longer need a visa when you visit India;

ii.If you visit India for a maximum of 180 days, you no longer need to report to the Immigration Service;

iii.You and your children can enroll in Indian secondary schools and universities;

iv.You can buy real estate in India freely and absolutely legal;

v.You are entitled to participate in various housing programs such as the Life Insurance Corporation of India and other programs of the Government of India;

vi.When checking in at the airport you can use the special PIO Cardholder and Diplomatic Corps entrance, which significantly reduces the waiting time in line;

PIO card Financial benefits.

i.You can open your own non-resident (special) rupee bank account to carry out your financial transactions. You have the same repatriation options as local Indians and also receive an interest payment based on interest rates that also apply to them. If desired, PioCard.org can arrange for you to get your own bank account with the PIO card at Khandwala Securities India, ééone of the largest investment banks in India. After opening your account you will be able to trade Indian stocks through Khandwala Securities and besides opening deposits there are many other options. For more information on Khandwala Securities, see the website http://www.kslindia.com . Also read their procedure for opening an NRI account in India; 

ii.Local Indians and Indian companies are now allowed to pay interest on money deposited by PIO Cardholders from abroad or held in bank accounts in India. However, the interest rate paid on loans may not exceed the bank interest rate plus two percent;

iii.PIO Cardholders may donate their shares of Indian companies as a gift to registered charities under the regulations of the Foreign Regulations Contribution Act 1976;

iv.Investing in airlines;

v.Participation in local, public and private mutual funds or unit trust investments on both a repatriable and non-repatriable basis;

vi.The ability to open non-repatriable deposits with Indian companies including banks;

vii.Investment opportunities in all stock exchanges in India;

viii. The ability to invest in Indian government bonds;

ix.There is no need to apply for licenses for a range of financial transactions and services;

Why apply for the PIO-Card now?

Since the PIO-Card can be applied for by persons whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents came from India, it seems that many Hindustani from Suriname and the Netherlands who belong to the so-called fourth generation are the last generation to use it. The fifth and later generations can no longer do that. So if you belong to the fourth generation, this is your last chance to opt for the Card. If you as a parent receive your PIO Card, your children can also opt for the Card again on the basis of this and the circle is not broken.

Cost of the PIO Card.

The PIO-Card, which will be valid for twenty years, costs US$1000 which currently amounts to approximately Nfl based on the current exchange rate. 2500 ( € 1136). This is the price set by the Indian government. Negotiations on this are therefore not possible.

Although this price may seem high at first glance, it amounts to a twenty-year future investment of only Nfl. 125 ( € 56.80) per year.

India is on the brink of becoming an economic powerhouse. The developments in the IT sector are an example of this. By now a small investment of in fact Nfl. 125 ( € 56.80) per year you can participate as a “person of Indian origin” in the future growth and progress of the country of your ancestors. To illustrate, there are currently nearly 20 million software professionals in India. 

Thanks to the support of the Indian government and superior technical training, India is now ahead of many other countries. Moreover, due to its presence in an ideal time zone, a ‘virtual 24-hour’ English-language support for the rest of the world can be provided. India is fast becoming a software superpower. Access to the Internet for nearly a billion people will create unimaginable future investment opportunities.

PIO card Conditions request.

i.Applying for a PIO Card is simple but laborious. That is why we have taken the initiative to advise every interested party and thus to ensure that the application process runs optimally and efficiently. We believe that it is our moral duty to inform Hindustani in the Netherlands about the PIO-Card and its benefits. The PIO-Card can strengthen many people’s sense of identity and offers the opportunity to restore or intensify cultural ties with India;

ii.You must be able to prove with documents that your ancestors came from India. If you are not able to do this yourself, in most cases we can still achieve this through our contacts;

iii.You must provide two different credentials of individuals residing in India. If you have no contacts in India, we can also find a solution for this;

iv.For an amount of only Nfl.100 ( €4 6) in administration costs, we can take the entire administrative process off your hands. We make sure that you will receive your PIO Card after about six months without complicating factors such as bureaucracy and communication with the Indian Ministry of Interior in New Delhi;

v.The Government of India has the right to reject the application for a PIO Card without further explanation. In that case, the applicant will lose Nfl.750 ( € 341) and the difference (Nfl.2500 ( € 1136) -/- Nfl.750 ( €341 )) Nfl.1750 ( €795 ) will be refunded. The rationale is to protect Indian internal security and counter terrorism. That is why holders of a Pakistani or Bangladeshi passport are not eligible for the PIO Card at all .

Additional bonus.

If you decide to register for a PIO-Card you will receive a FREE CD-ROM with the title: “Hinduism, The Eternal Religion”. This unique multimedia CD-ROM can be used as a reference book to find historical facts and background information about Hinduism and the culture of India (while supplies last).