Eduardo appeals to NRIs to apply for PIO
PTI, PANAJI | 11 August 2010 16:23 IST
[Eduardo appeals to NRIs to apply for PIO]
Eduardo Faleiro
Goa’s NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro today said his commissionerate was following up with the centre a crucial issue of ‘Goan people with foreign passports’, who had to cut short their trip to native county due to short period visas given to them.
Faleiro said all the non resident Goans holding foreign passports should apply at the earliest for a PIO or OCI (Overseas Citizen ofIndia) card which will entitle them to stay in India for 15 years or 30 years respectively.
The NRI commissioner said that many goans having foreign passport rued that they have to arrive in Goa on visas valid for just three to six months.
“I brought this matter to the notice of Union Home Minister who agreed that the procedure being followed is not correct,” Faleiro, former union external affairs minister for state, said.
“The minister informed me that his ministry is advising the missions concerned as wel as FRRO (foreigners regional registration office) Goa to ensure that long terms visas are issued to such people and these visas may be extended from time to time,” he added.
Faleiro said that he will take up the matter with minister of external affairs and Indian missions abroad.
“I have also spoken to Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik so that the home department and FRRO deal leniently with NRGs even if they hold tourist visas and treat them not as foreigners but as a persons of Indian origin holding foreign passports,” the NRI commissioner said.