The Delhi high court on Monday directed the foreigners regional registration office to expedite the processing of 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 Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) status.
“In the circumstances, in line with the directions contained in the order dated 22.01.2026, the respondents are directed to take a decision thereon as expeditiously 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 Centre’s move to cancel her PIO status and a 2018 communication stating that individuals whose parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were citizens of Pakistan are ineligible for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.
This was after the court was informed that pursuant to its January 22 direction where the foreigners regional registration office had agreed to expedite and issue the visa, Pernia filed an application on January 28.
However, she received an email on January 31 asking her to reapply with the correct passport and supporting documents.
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Her counsel submitted that the earlier application already contained the correct passport details, and that a fresh application dated April 15, filed in terms of the court’s directions, is still pending consideration.
In her petition, she stated that she was born in Pakistan in October 1983, and while her mother was a Pakistani citizen at the material time, her father was an Indian citizen.
The plea stated that the petitioner and her mother surrendered their Pakistani citizenship and she thus became an Indian citizen in 1995.
The petition further stated that she became a US citizen in 2007 and was issued a PIO card in March 2008, which was valid up to 2023.
In the meantime, the Centre amended the citizenship law to declare that all the PIO cardholders would be deemed to be OCI cardholders, following which she applied for an OCI Card.
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However, the same has not been granted to her as the updated legal framework stipulated that a person who is or has been a citizen of Pakistan is not eligible registration as an OCI cardholder.
On March 19, 2019, the court restrained the Centre from revoking her PIO cardholder status until the next hearing date, noting that it was not disputed that she was an Indian citizen for 12 years.
The Court also directed the authorities to decide on the visa application by her sister Sylvia Moin, also a US citizen, as expeditiously as possible and in any event, within 10 days from April 20.
The matter will be next heard on July 14.