PIO questions: Chicago

[mmdude 1]

Hello.

I am applying for PIO for my wife at Chicago Travisa; who became a US citizen in May 2011. (She was an Indian citizen from her birth in 1984 till May 2011). I am still Indian citizen with US green card. I need help with questions below:

1. Question # 14 (Permanent address in India) verifiable: Can I provide my address in India? Will my Indian passport which has my address listed be a valid document for them to verify?

2. Question # 25, Proof of residence etc.: Again, can I provide my address in India? Will my Indian passport which has my address listed be a valid document for them to verify?

3. Question # 23(a) Whether the applicant or his/her parents or grandparents or great grandparents held an Indian passport at any

time, if so details thereof: (enclose photocopy of relevant documents): The applicant (my wife) held Indian passport from her birth (1984) till May 2011 (US citizen by naturalization), do I still need to include details of parents and grand parents?

4. Question # 24(a) Whether the applicant or his/her parents or grandparents or great grandparents was born and was permanently resident in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 * at any time {please see instruction (1) }. If so, following details may be indicated: : the applicant (my wife) was born in India, do I still need to include details of parents and grand parents's birth?

5. Question # 28(a) and 28(b): Name and complete address of person (1) and (2) known to applicant living in India or USA with telephone number: : Can I provide address and telephone number of both my In-Laws living in the Chicagoland area?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[catknit 144]

Questions 1 and 2 - yes to both.

Questions 3 and 4 - reference back to both her passport and birth certificate [should have D/O references that further establish her former citizenship].

Question 5 - yes, your inlaws are fine for that list but I can honestly say literally anyone you know will work on that list from what I've seen with friends/family getting PIOs.

Here's the fun part to know/research:

#1 Did you send in the Indian Renunciation certificate [and fee] or are you doing that with the PIO paperwork?

#2 Is there some special reason you are going for PIO and not OCI? OCI given the limited information provided would make more sense, it provides slightly more benefit [no 15 year renewal needed if memory serves]and she is eligible being a former citizen.

[TimeTravel 78]

Why dont you apply for OCI card? It has one time fee for LIFE-TIME, while PIO card is valid for 15 yrs only. OCI card has alot of advantage.

[mmdude 1]

Questions 1 and 2 - yes to both.

Questions 3 and 4 - reference back to both her passport and birth certificate [should have D/O references that further establish her former citizenship].

Question 5 - yes, your inlaws are fine for that list but I can honestly say literally anyone you know will work on that list from what I've seen with friends/family getting PIOs.

Here's the fun part to know/research:

#1 Did you send in the Indian Renunciation certificate [and fee] or are you doing that with the PIO paperwork?

#2 Is there some special reason you are going for PIO and not OCI? OCI given the limited information provided would make more sense, it provides slightly more benefit [no 15 year renewal needed if memory serves]and she is eligible being a former citizen.

Thanks you very much catknit.

In reference to your answer above, I had two more questions.

1. What are D/O references?

2. I do not have her Birth Certificate. Will her US passport (or Indian passport that I am going to surrender with the PIO application) be good enough to prove her Date of Birth and Nationality both?

To answer your second question, we will surrender her Indian passport with the PIO application.

(She had a passport that was valid when she got the US citizenship through naturalization in May 2011. There is another old passport which is not invalid as it has an invalid stamp and has expired. should I submit both her passports or just the latest one?)

We are thinking of travelling in 3-4 months and need it urgently. I have to get tickets soon within 2-4 weeks. So the OCI will not work out.

Once again thanks catknit.

Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

[catknit 144]

The infamous d/o designation! Took me like a year to figure it out - some areas use this as shorthand for "daughter of". Some passports, some birth certificates, some school records list it as a built-in legal family designation tool. Also used are "w/o" or "s/o" meaning "wife of" or "son of". Typically, I've seen this out of smaller areas and not the metros. But, it happens and strangely is recognized as legally defining. [My american-bias says - ummm, how is that not potentially bogus and easy to fake...but, again, in some areas this is the notation used to establish legal family bonds].

Her Indian passport is the ace in the hole about proving she can get the OCI [really - go with the OCI, it's the better deal]. Make sure you include a cover letter describing in detail what you are providing and why.

[mmdude 1]

The infamous d/o designation! Took me like a year to figure it out - some areas use this as shorthand for "daughter of". Some passports, some birth certificates, some school records list it as a built-in legal family designation tool. Also used are "w/o" or "s/o" meaning "wife of" or "son of". Typically, I've seen this out of smaller areas and not the metros. But, it happens and strangely is recognized as legally defining. [My american-bias says - ummm, how is that not potentially bogus and easy to fake...but, again, in some areas this is the notation used to establish legal family bonds].

Her Indian passport is the ace in the hole about proving she can get the OCI [really - go with the OCI, it's the better deal]. Make sure you include a cover letter describing in detail what you are providing and why.

Thanks for the clarification catknit. Can you also shed some light on the issues mentioned below?

1. I do not have her Birth Certificate or any documents with d/o or w/o references.

The list of documents mentions Birth Certificate.

Will her US passport (and/or Indian passport that I am going to surrender with the PIO application) work in place of Birth Certificate?

2. She had a valid Indian passport when she got the US citizenship through naturalization in May 2011. There is another old passport which was "cancelled" when she got her latest Indian passport. Should I submit both her passports or just the latest one?)

[Deep2009 18]

mmdude.... Why PIO not OCI (like iwaiting is suggesting)...

[mmdude 1]

Hello All, thanks for your suggestions.

I was planning to go for OCI but I need to travel to India in Feb 2013 and I have to get my tickets next month.

I have read that process time for OCI is 3-6 months. So I do not have enough time for OCI.

If I get the PIO now and they apply for OCI when we come back from India, will it work out?

Are there any advantages / disadvantages going this route?

[catknit 144]

I'd send the current Indian passport and hold onto the expired passport [just in case - but I'm a little bit of a pack-rat].

Her US passport wouldn't give you the proof needed to establish [unequivocally] her Indian Citizenship.

As to timings - goodness, I don't know what would be best. I'm not really sure you can switch up from a PIO to an OCI.

The talk has been, for months, that MHA is going to combine the 2 into a single OCI catergory - but, it's the Indian government we're talking about so, ummm, it could be decades away and that totally doesn't help the here and now!

[Deep2009 18]

Hello All, thanks for your suggestions.

I was planning to go for OCI but I need to travel to India in Feb 2013 and I have to get my tickets next month.

I have read that process time for OCI is 3-6 months. So I do not have enough time for OCI.

If I get the PIO now and they apply for OCI when we come back from India, will it work out?

Are there any advantages / disadvantages going this route?

No, OCI does not take 3-6 months,

You have enough time to get OCI. If you apply now say by end of Oct (you have a week). Please follow the link.

https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/oci/homepage

As long as your requirement for the OCI application is complete with travisa and your application is complete and your file is send to Embassy. For one of my family member, it took 4 working days after we got an email that file is send to Embassy. It took 2 more days to receive it...

It is same time frame for PIO and OCI processing.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Deep2009

[mmdude 1]

Silly question: When I fill out the PIO application form, should it be in ALL CAPS?

Or any specific part needs to be in CAPS?

[mmdude 1]

Do I need to provide separate Money Orders for PIO application, renouncing the old passport and shipping, or I can provide one Money Order for the total fees?

Do I need to notarize the copies of the documents?