PIO/OCI to be issued long term visas
HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, AUG 10 The Union Home Ministry has asked all the Indian missions abroad as well as the Goa FRRO to issue long term extendable visas to persons of Indian origin. Commissioner for NRI Affairs Eduardo Faleiro told reporters here that there were lots of complaints from the Goans who hold foreign passports that they had to come on tourist visas which is valid only for three months. "I had received several complaints from Goans holding foreign passports that some of our embassies and High Commissions abroad, issue them tourist visas (valid for three to six months) at the end of which they have to leave the country though they have property matters to deal with and have families here," Faleiro said adding that following the complaints he had taken up the issue with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram. "The home minister has assured me in writing that granting of tourist visas to PIOs was not correct and that he was advising missions concerned as well as the foreigners regional registration office in Goa to ensure that the long term visas are issued to the said category of persons and these visas are extended from time to time," Faleiro, a former minister of state for external affairs, further said. Faleiro also gave the media a copy of an official letter from Chidambaram, in which the home minister has appealed to all PIO to apply for the PIO or the Overseas citizen of India (OCI) card. "If they apply for either the PIO or the OCI card, they can stay in India for 15 years (in case of the PIO card) and 30 years (in case of the OCI) card. I would request you to advise them to apply for either the PIO card or the OCI card," Chidambaram has said in his letter written to Faleiro last month. The union home minister has also sought a list of mission/embassies and high commission abroad who are in the habit of issuing tourist visas to PIO.