PIO/OCI
card can be applied only after we get Birth Certificate and US
Passport. Instructions for getting BC and Passport is in the link below
for detailed instruction.
I
would recommend you follow the steps in the same order as below, so
that you have all the required information when you are filling out the
forms. I wish they had these steps for me when I was doing it, I had to
go back and forth couple of times and it took a good amount of my time
to get it done.
Step 1:-
Get the Money order/DD/Cashier's check ready. We need this number
before printing the PIO application form. I got a Money order as we can
get it in any grocery store. DD and Cashier's check are available only
at the bank. They have online payment options with credit card or you
can do bank transfer as well, however both options didn't work for me as
they had vague information on the website at the time I filed it and
online payment wasn't working either, so I opted to pay with money order
instead.
Step2:-
Register online with Fedex and get User ID and Password, then associate
one of your credit card to the account and print a return label with
your home address as destination and sender will be PIO application
process center address. We need this tracking number (AWB #) before
printing the CKGS form. However they have an option to tick return mail
in the CKGS form, but the payment method for that option wasn't clear.
So to be safe I just opted to send the return Fed-ex package along with
other documents.
Step3:- Go to Fedex/CVS/Walgreens and get 4 passport size photo of the infant and keep it ready.
Step4:-
Go to Staples/Office depot and buy black or blue stamp pad/fingerprint
ink pad. So we can get the fingerprint of the infant in the PIO
application form
Photocopy of infant USA passport pages (Refer PIO instructions page below for page numbers)
Photocopy of infant birth certificate
Photocopy of both parents - DL, Greencard/ H1-B Visa documents
Photocopy of parents Indian passport pages (Refer PIO instructions page belowfor page numbers)
LINK Go To http://www.in.ckgs.us/pio/pio-categories/new-pio-minor.shtml and click on Documents Required TAB
Once you have all the documents ready ship it with the return fed-ex label and package enclosed. Also make sure you send the original US passport
of the infant along with it. In case you are traveling local within US
and you have the the infant passport sent out for PIO processing, you
can travel with the infant's birth certificate.
Paari, you can simply enter 6 months timeframe from the date you are applying.
ReplyDeleteYour instructions were helpful. Did you take color printouts of the supporting documents?
ReplyDeleteYes take color printouts
DeleteHi Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteDo we need to keep only return shipment label or the envelope with label?
where can i get the envelope?
You need to keep both the envelope and label. Please get it from Fed-Ex
DeleteHi Ragapriya, thanks for the detailed information.
ReplyDeleteHad a question for you regarding the parental auth form for PIO application. There are two fields "Name" and "Given Names" in that form.
Did you fill only the surname of you child in the field "Name" or the the full name i.e. ?
Thanks in advance !
full name like (first name) (last name) ?
DeleteHi Ashu, Yes leave the "Given Name" line blank and just add full name in the "Name" filed
ReplyDeleteHi Ragapriya, Thanks for the detailed steps, What did you fill for the unapplicable rows. Empty or "Not Applicable". Did you type in All caps?
ReplyDeleteOnly write 'No' in the fields which are not applicabl. Don't write 'NA' OR don't leave the spaces blank. Customer care person at Embassy told me this.
DeleteJust say "NA" and Yes it is all CAPITAL letters everywhere.
ReplyDeleteBut the checklist says not to write anything for not applicable cases. It says to leave it blank.
DeleteI also read in teh checklist to not write NA anywhere on the form. So should I leave it blank?
DeleteThanks for the helpful write-up! I just had one clarification - So the notary is only for the last page of the application form. Are there any other documents that need to be notarized?
ReplyDeleteYes notarization is only on the last page of the application,.We will have to send 2 copies of the PIO application form. FYI
DeleteThanks for this detail info: regarding notarized document: I saw in checklist they mentioned that PARENTAL AUTHORIZATION FORM also should be notarized.
DeleteThere is an Affidavit form as well...do we need to fill that for minor born in US?
ReplyDeleteAffidavit is not required if applying for minor kids.
ReplyDeleteCan you please suggest on this.
ReplyDeleteWhen I filed it, I didn't have to notarize parental form, but not sure if rules changed recently.
DeleteWhat about the CKGS declaration form and the disclaimer form? Do I need to fill that for a minor?
ReplyDeleteThe order form no longer needs to be submitted as its not mentioned in the checklist?
ReplyDelete2.CKGS order form- Fill it online and then print. Both Parents sign the form
DeleteLINK TO CKGS FORM http://www.in.ckgs.us/resources/pdf/order-form-pio.pdf
The total fee needed for US Passport - Minor is not clear, can anyone confirm if thats 206$ ?
ReplyDeleteGot this from the below link
http://www.in.ckgs.us/pio/pio-categories/new-pio-minor.shtml
Can we use "NA" in place of Not Application in the application form?
ReplyDeleteOnly write 'No' in the fields which are not applicabl. Don't write 'NA' OR don't leave the spaces blank. Customer care person at Embassy told me this.
DeleteFor 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:
ReplyDeleteParents have green card and are permanent residents in US. And, this application behalf of minor who is citizen here. So what should be the answer? Is it parents or grand parents?
Check my sample PIO application in thel ink below
Deletehttps://drive.google.com/viewerng/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxhYmNkcGFyZW50c3xneDoyZDkwODcyZjViNTIwOGJh
Looks like PIO cards are no longer issues, they are issuing OCI cards now. 2 changes, Fee is increased to 290$ and processing time changed to 2 Months.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.in.ckgs.us/index.shtml
Delete