India’s Bureau of Immigration (BoI) has officially discontinued the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card as a valid travel document, according to a policy brief circulated on 5 March and summarised by Crown World Mobility. Border officials will no longer permit entry or exit on a PIO card, even when accompanied by a matching foreign passport. Holders must either convert to an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card or obtain an entry visa before travelling. BoI statistics indicate roughly 240,000 PIO cards—many issued before the OCI scheme launched in 2005—remain in circulation. The government had extended multiple deadlines for conversion, but security agencies argued that the legacy booklet is prone to tampering and lacks biometric compatibility with e-gates now installed at major airports. Conversion to OCI requires an online application (Form Part A & B), a current foreign passport, two photographs and the original PIO card, followed by physical submission to the nearest Indian mission or FRRO. Processing fees vary by jurisdiction (USD 275 in the United States; GBP 223 in the UK), and processing times average four to six weeks. For global mobility teams the change is urgent: any employee or dependent still holding a PIO card will be denied boarding by airlines under the Advance Passenger Information System. Companies should audit traveller profiles immediately and budget for expedited OCI processing or, where departure is imminent, arrange an Entry X-Visa. Note that dependants resident in India who fail to convert must apply for a new visa through the e-FRRO portal before their next international trip. Longer term, the move streamlines India’s status hierarchy—OCI, visa-required foreigner, or citizen—making it easier for border automation projects and for banks to confirm KYC compliance.
