The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Regional Foreigners’ Registration Office to expedite the processing of the visa application of Pernia Qureshi, daughter of meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi, preferably within 10 days, while hearing a 2019 petition against the Centre’s decision to revoke her status as a Person of Indian Origin (PIO).
“In these circumstances, in keeping with the directions contained in the order dated 22.01.2026, the defendants are directed to take a decision in the matter as soon as possible and in any event within a period of 10 days from today,” a bench of Justice Sachin Datta said in his order.
A petition filed by Pernia, a US citizen, challenged the Centre’s move to revoke her PIO status and a 2018 letter stating that individuals whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were Pakistani citizens were not eligible for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.
It was after the court was told that in accordance with its directions issued on January 22 that the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office had agreed to expedite and issue the visa, Pernia submitted an application on January 28.
However, she received an email on January 31 asking her to resubmit the application with the correct passport and supporting documents.
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Her lawyer confirmed that the previous application already contained the correct passport details, and that the new application on April 15, which was submitted under court directions, was still under consideration.
She stated in her petition that she was born in Pakistan in October 1983, and while her mother was a Pakistani citizen at that time, her father was an Indian citizen.
The petition stated that the petitioner and her mother renounced their Pakistani citizenship and thus became an Indian citizen in 1995.
The petition also stated that she became a US citizen in 2007 and was issued a PIO card in March 2008, which was valid until 2023.
In the meantime, the Center amended the Citizenship Act to declare that all PIO cardholders would be considered OCI cardholders, following which I applied for an OCI card.
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However, it is not granted the same because the updated legal framework states that a person who is or was a Pakistani citizen is not eligible to be registered as an OCI card holder.
On March 19, 2019, the court restrained the Center from canceling her PIO cardholder status till the date of the next hearing, stating that there was no dispute that she has been an Indian citizen for 12 years.
The court also ordered the authorities to make a decision on the visa application submitted by her sister Sylvia Moen, also a US citizen, as quickly as possible and, in any event, within 10 days of April 20.
This case is scheduled to be heard on July 14.
