The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai has urged all holders of the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card to apply for conversion to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card by the March 31 deadline as the PIO card will not be valid for travel to India after the deadline.
Rahul Srivastava, Consul, Visa, CGI, said applicants who are UAE residents should visit the consulate early to avoid any last-minute rush or delays. It takes a scheduled time of a maximum of two months for the OCI card to arrive from India, but officials have managed an average turnaround time of 30 days.
Still, applicants are advised to complete the formalities in time. After the deadline, a visa will be required to travel to India if the passenger doesn’t have an OCI card, and the applicant will be considered as applying for a fresh OCI, which normally costs Dh1,020.
There is no fee to convert a PIO card into an OCI card, only a Dh6 Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) fee is charged in such cases.