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PIO Investor Helpdesk

Global Indians for a $5 Trillion Economy

PIO Investor Helpdesk

In line with the vision of Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi to promote investments from Indians overseas, the PIO Investor Helpdesk, launched by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, aims to streamline and foster economic engagement with the Indian Diaspora.

CIM Invest India, under the aegis of DPIIT, has set up a dedicated team to handhold these investors, easing their investment journey and ensuring a smooth process at every step. This helpdesk will allow potential PIO investors to seek assistance and raise issues at any point before, during or post the investment.

PIOCCI — Hon'ble Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Piyush Goyal launching the PIO Investor Helpdesk

Overview: NRI/PIO/OCI

A Non-Resident Indian (NRI) is an Indian citizen who lives outside India and holds an Indian Passport.
A Person of Indian Origin (PIO) means a foreign citizen:

Who at any time held an Indian passport, OR
Who or either of their parents / grandparents / great grandparents were born and permanently resident in India

A foreign national, who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26 January 1950 or was a citizen of India on or at any time after 26 January 1950 or belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15 August 1947 is an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI).

Note: [PIO Scheme was merged with OCI scheme on 9 January 2015]
PIO cards are valid till 31 March 2020. Therefore, all PIO cardholders are required to apply for OCI cards in place of PIO cards.

1. Eligibility

NRI	A Non-Resident Indian (NRI) must be a citizen of India who holds an Indian passport and has temporarily emigrated to another country for six months (stay in India is less than 182 days) or more for employment, residence, education or any other purpose.
OCI cardholder	The following categories of foreign nationals are eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder: Who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after the commencement of the Constitution i.e. 26.01.1950; or Who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26.01.1950; or Who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947; or Who is a child or a grandchild or a great-grandchild of such a citizen; or Who is a minor child of such persons mentioned above; or Who is a minor child and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or Spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder registered under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the Application Note: No person, who or either whose parents or grandparents or great grandparents are or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as an Overseas

NRI

A Non-Resident Indian (NRI) must be a citizen of India who holds an Indian passport and has temporarily emigrated to another country for six months (stay in India is less than 182 days) or more for employment, residence, education or any other purpose.

OCI cardholder

The following categories of foreign nationals are eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder:

Who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after the commencement of the Constitution i.e. 26.01.1950; or
Who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26.01.1950; or
Who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947; or
Who is a child or a grandchild or a great-grandchild of such a citizen; or
Who is a minor child of such persons mentioned above; or
Who is a minor child and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or
Spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder registered under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the Application

Note: No person, who or either whose parents or grandparents or great grandparents are or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as an Overseas

2. Benefits

NRI	All benefits available to Indian citizens are subject to notifications issued by the Government.
OCI cardholder	Lifelong (multiple entry) visa for visiting India for any purpose Exemption from registration with FRROs/ FROs Parity with NRI in respect of all facilities available to them in economic, financial, and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties. Registered OCI cardholder shall be treated at par with NRIs in the matter of : Inter-country adoption of Indian children Visiting national monuments, historic sites and museum, and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries Pursuing professions as a doctor, advocate, architect or chartered accountant in India Appearing in All India Pre-Medical Test or such other tests Treated at par with resident Indian nationals in the matter of tariffs in air fares in domestic sectors in India. A person registered as an OCI cardholder for 5 years and who has lived in India for 12 months before making an application for registration is eligible for grant of Indian citizenship.

NRI

All benefits available to Indian citizens are subject to notifications issued by the Government.

OCI cardholder

Lifelong (multiple entry) visa for visiting India for any purpose
Exemption from registration with FRROs/ FROs
Parity with NRI in respect of all facilities available to them in economic, financial, and educational fields except in matters relating to the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.
Registered OCI cardholder shall be treated at par with NRIs in the matter of :
- Inter-country adoption of Indian children
- Visiting national monuments, historic sites and museum, and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries
- Pursuing professions as a doctor, advocate, architect or chartered accountant in India
- Appearing in All India Pre-Medical Test or such other tests
Treated at par with resident Indian nationals in the matter of tariffs in air fares in domestic sectors in India.
A person registered as an OCI cardholder for 5 years and who has lived in India for 12 months before making an application for registration is eligible for grant of Indian citizenship.

3. Application

NRI	Not Applicable
OCI cardholder	Eligible persons can apply online.

4. Visa Requirements to visit India

NRI	No visa required.
OCI cardholder	No visa required for visiting India. For undertaking certain activities, prior permissions are required.

Know India Programme

Know India Programme (KIP) is a flagship initiative of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for diaspora engagement which familiarizes Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India, through an orientation programme. This programme aims at providing young PIOs an exposure to India’s progress in areas including infrastructure, technology and innovation. For more information, click here.

Invest India, the national investment promotion and facilitation agency, has been a part of KIP since the 54^th batch. Through this interaction Invest India showcases recent developments in India, various government initiatives to attract investments in India and the investment opportunities across key sectors and states of India.

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Jan 10, 2020

PIO Investor Helpdesk Launch

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Batch 58

Nov 21, 2019

Batch 57

Oct 04, 2019

Batch 56

Sep 04, 2019

Batch 55

Aug 16, 2019

Batch 54

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the guidelines for bringing foreign currency to India?
Any person can bring foreign exchange into India without any limit in any form other than currency notes, bank notes and travellers cheques, subject to declaration to the Custom authorities in the prescribed Currency Declaration Form in following cases:
- Where the value of foreign currency notes exceeds $5,000 or equivalent
- Where the aggregate value of foreign exchange (in the form of currency notes, bank notes, traveller cheques etc.) exceeds $ 10,000 or its equivalent
For more information, click here

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What is the limit on Indian currency that can be imported?

A person who has gone outside India on a temporary visit or a person resident outside India (except for citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh) may bring into India currency notes of the Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding INR 25,000 per person, subject to such conditions as notified by the Reserve Bank of India from time to time.

For more information, click here

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What are the norms for the import of alcoholic drinks /cigarettes as baggage?

Following quantities of alcoholic drinks and tobacco products may be included for import within the duty free allowances admissible to various categories of incoming passengers:
-Alcoholic liquors or wines upto 2 litres
-100 Cigarettes or 25 Cigars or 125 gms. of Tobacco.

The Customs Tariff Act 1975 enlists the rate of duty over and above the mentioned quantities. It can be accessed at the link.

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What is the limit on jewellery that can be brought to India?

As per the Baggage Rules 2016, a passenger who has been residing abroad for over one year is allowed to bring jewellery, free of duty in his bona fide baggage up-to an aggregate weight of 20grams with a cap value of INR 50,000/- (in the case of a gentleman passenger) or 40 grams with a cap value of INR.1,00,000/- (in the case of a lady passenger).

For more information, click here

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What is FRRO registration?

The Foreigner Registration Office (FRO) is the primary agency to regulate the registration, movement, stay, departure and for recommending the extension of stay in India. Foreigner Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) are the regional FROs established across India.

Nodal Ministry for FRROs/ FROs is the Ministry of Home Affairs.

For more information, click here

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Who is exempted from FRRO registration?

Foreign nationals visiting India are not required to register if their duration of stay in India is less than 180 days. Other than that, those foreigners will not be required to get themselves registered who have entered India on a long-term visa provided their continuous stay in India does not exceed 180 days.

For more details, please refer the link.

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For whom is it mandatory to register with FRRO?

All foreigners (including those of Indian origin) visiting India on long term (more than 180 days) Student Visa, Medical Visa, Research Visa and Employment Visa are required to get themselves registered with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the jurisdiction where the foreigner intends to stay, typically within 14 days of arrival.

For more information, click here

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Is it possible to get a duplicate copy of the FRRO registration?

If any certificate of registration, issued under these rules is lost or destroyed, the foreigner to whom it was issued, shall make or send to the Registration Officer of the district a report on how was it lost or destroyed and a copy of police report to issue a duplicate copy of the certificate of registration.

For more information, click here

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What if one cannot register within 14 days?

A penalty in Indian currency equivalent to $30 in case of late registration is charged. This fee may be revised from time to time. Please refer to Link for more information.

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What should one do with the certificate of registration, when departing from India?

Foreign nationals when leaving India shall surrender his certificate of registration either to the registration office of the place where he/she is registered or the immigration office at the post/check exit at the time of final departure from India. Please refer to Link for more information.

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Can a person registered as an OCI be granted Indian citizenship?

Yes, as per the provisions of section 5(1) (g) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, a person who is registered as an OCI for 5 years and is residing in India for 1 year out of the above 5 years, is eligible to apply for Indian Citizenship. For more details, please refer link.

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If a person is already holding more than one nationality, can he/she apply for OCI?

Yes, as long as the local laws of at least one of the countries allow dual citizenship in some form or other, he/ she can apply for OCI.

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What is the time taken for registration as OCI?

Within 30 days of the application, if there is no adverse information available against the applicant. If any adverse information is available, the decision to grant or otherwise is taken within 120 days.

For more details, please refer the following link.

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Can an OCI holder undertake research work in India?

Yes, after getting prior approval/special permission from Ministry of Home Affairs, an OCI holder can undertake research work in India.

Please refer to Link for more information.

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Are foreign military personnel eligible for OCI grant?

No, foreign military personnel either in service or retired, are not entitled to receive the grant of OCI holder. Please refer to Link for more information.

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Will foreign-born children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) eligible to become Overseas Citizen of India (OCIs)?

Yes, foreign-born children of PIOs are eligible to become OCIs provided one of the parents is eligible to become an OCI.

For more information, click here

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Are there exemptions on income for Non-resident Indian (NRI)?
Following incomes are exempt from tax in the hands of a Non-resident Indian (NRI):-
- Interest on notified savings certificates issued before 01-06-2002 by the Central Government if it is subscribed in convertible foreign exchange remitted from a country outside India
- Interest on notified bonds (notified prior to 01-06-2002) purchased in foreign exchange (subject to certain conditions)
For more details, please refer to link

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Which Income of an international worker is subject to tax in India?
In general, all income received or accrued in India is subject to tax. Various types of income which are taxed are as follows:
- Employment income including perquisites and bonuses. Certain tax deductions and allowances can also be availed by employees.
- Self-employment and business income
- Investment income: Dividends/Interest
- Capital gains income
- Taxation on employer-provided stock options
For more details, please refer to link

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Can I undertake employment in India on a business visa?

No, a foreign citizen cannot undertake employment on the basis of a business visa. Only on an employment visa can a foreign citizen undertake employment in India

For more information, click here.

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Can a foreign national holding ‘E’ visa coming for honorary work draw a salary?

A foreign national coming as a volunteer for honorary work with the NGOs registered in the country, may be paid an honorarium up-to a ceiling of INR 10,000 per month ($ 154 per month, subject to exchange rate fluctuations).

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Can a foreigner obtain additional short duration visa while holding an existing long duration visa?

Yes, a relaxation has been provided in this regard. Now, while having a long duration visa (say employment visa, business visa, etc.), a foreigner can also avail a short duration visa (conference visa, transit visa, e-visa and visa-on arrival). In such a scenario, unlike in the past, the long duration visas will not be cancelled but “kept on hold”.

For more information, click here.

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Can the employer be changed post arrival in India in case of employment visa?

Yes, a foreign national is permitted to change employment between a registered holding company and its subsidiaries. Further, such a change is also permissible between joint ventures and Consortiums after obtaining prior approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

For more information, click here.

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Can foreign nationals already in India for executing projects on business visas be allowed to convert their business visas to employment visas without leaving the country?

Business Visa shall be non-convertible to any other type of visa except in specific cases.

For more details, please refer the following link.

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Can a foreign company/organization that does not have any project office/subsidiary/joint venture/branch office in India, sponsor a foreign national/employee of a foreign company for employment visa?
No, in case the foreign entity does not have any office in India, it cannot sponsor an employment visa. The visa can be sponsored by an Indian ‘host’ company,The visa can be sponsored by an Indian ‘host’ company subject to following conditions:
- Ensure good conduct of the foreigner during stay in India and inform Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or Foreigner’s Registration Officer’s (FRO) office in case of termination of business contract
- Produce the foreigner in person at FRRO/ FRO office within 24 hours in case of withdrawal of undertaking for the good conduct of the foreigner.
For more information, click here

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Which type of visa would be granted to senior management personnel and/or specialists employed by foreign firms who are relocated to India to work on specific project/management assignment?

Senior management personnel and/or specialists employed by foreign firms, who are relocated to India to work on specific project/management assignment can apply for employment visa.

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What is an e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) in India?

e-Tourist Visa is a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary/agents, etc. However, its validity is for 30 days and it is only valid for single entry into India. The e-Tourist visa allows for visa on arrival issuance only for arrival and departure from the airports in Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum and Varanasi.

For more information, click here

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Is it possible to apply for an Indian visa at the airport?

No, it is not possible to apply for an India visa at the airport. Eligible citizens traveling for leisure/tourism purposes have the option to apply for an Indian e-visa online, before they depart for India. Once the visa is granted, citizens will have to get biometric information taken at the airport and the visa stamped on the passport on arrival in India.

For more information, click here

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What is the eligibility criteria for e-Visa in India?

e-Visa is granted to a foreigner whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight-seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine and business purpose and no other purpose/ activity.

For more information, click here

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What activities are permissible under Tourist Visa?

Tourist Visa can be granted to a foreigner whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short-term yoga programme, etc. and no other purpose/ activity.

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