Hi,
I applied for the painfully annoying process PIO to OCI. I am very annoyed because when I got the PIO, very next month or two they decided PIO needs to be converted to OCI, without any definate details. Some said, its not mandatory, some said its advised to convert it etc. Please note mine is not a hand written PIO at all.
On top of that, I now had to pay some extra draft for this conversion.
I went to BLS, with perfectly aligned documents, based on their checklist, Canadian Passport, copy of PIO and Original PIO, (Indian cancelled passport eventhough I did not need to take that with me)
A PIO HOLDER already went through the hassle of getting the PIO so it is implied that the OCI conversion should be simple and not suffering.
When I went to BLS, they asked me unnecessary things like, where is your landing paper? Did you bring your original student visa copy? oh okay, do you at least have the cancelled Indian passport.
I tried to explain them that, it was not asked but then I figured its pointless to argue with these people so I said, alright I do have the Indian passport that was cancelled.
So here.
They said, I must give the original PIO card for verification and dont worry it will be returned to you.
So after I submitted the applciation, the tracking changed to Original ready for pick up.
When I went there, they told me to wait, and brought a stapled envelope from the inside, which had PIO card written on it, and the acknowledgement for the OCI as well. After signing the ledger, they handed the envelope, which was "empty"
I was like, what is this?
So the person said, the PIO card will be returned with the OCI booklet. So I asked why are you giving me an empty envelope then. It was hard for me to believe that because as soon as I took that "empty envelope" the status changed to, original was delivered by hand, as I checked my phone from there.
I called the call center and the person who I spoke to said, sorry PIO card may not be returned after checking my application.
I asked him why, he said we don't return original PIO Card.
Did they lose it or they are not giving it to anyone lately?
I used that PIO card as an ID to ship a giant container ocean freight to India and I need that original to clear the customs, as it will be harder for them to suddenly change the document.
Can someone shed some lights, anyone who went through this process very recently? Did you end up getting your PIO card back???
I applied for the painfully annoying process PIO to OCI. I am very annoyed because when I got the PIO, very next month or two they decided PIO needs to be converted to OCI, without any definate details. Some said, its not mandatory, some said its advised to convert it etc. Please note mine is not a hand written PIO at all.
On top of that, I now had to pay some extra draft for this conversion.
I went to BLS, with perfectly aligned documents, based on their checklist, Canadian Passport, copy of PIO and Original PIO, (Indian cancelled passport eventhough I did not need to take that with me)
A PIO HOLDER already went through the hassle of getting the PIO so it is implied that the OCI conversion should be simple and not suffering.
When I went to BLS, they asked me unnecessary things like, where is your landing paper? Did you bring your original student visa copy? oh okay, do you at least have the cancelled Indian passport.
I tried to explain them that, it was not asked but then I figured its pointless to argue with these people so I said, alright I do have the Indian passport that was cancelled.
So here.
They said, I must give the original PIO card for verification and dont worry it will be returned to you.
So after I submitted the applciation, the tracking changed to Original ready for pick up.
When I went there, they told me to wait, and brought a stapled envelope from the inside, which had PIO card written on it, and the acknowledgement for the OCI as well. After signing the ledger, they handed the envelope, which was "empty"
I was like, what is this?
So the person said, the PIO card will be returned with the OCI booklet. So I asked why are you giving me an empty envelope then. It was hard for me to believe that because as soon as I took that "empty envelope" the status changed to, original was delivered by hand, as I checked my phone from there.
I called the call center and the person who I spoke to said, sorry PIO card may not be returned after checking my application.
I asked him why, he said we don't return original PIO Card.
Did they lose it or they are not giving it to anyone lately?
I used that PIO card as an ID to ship a giant container ocean freight to India and I need that original to clear the customs, as it will be harder for them to suddenly change the document.
Can someone shed some lights, anyone who went through this process very recently? Did you end up getting your PIO card back???