6. The benefits available under the Scheme include the following: -

(i) Visa free entry into India for a period of 20 years i.e validity of the card.

(ii) No requirement to register with the Foreigners Registration Offices, for continuous stay upto 180 days. If continuous stay exceeds 180 days, registration required to be done within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days.

(iii) Parity with Non Resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of facilities available to the latter in economic, financial and educational fields viz., -

• All facilities in the matter of acquisition, holding, transfer and disposal of immovable properties in India, excluding agricultural and plantation properties.
• Facilities available to children of NRIs for getting admission to educational institutions in India including medical colleges, engineering colleges. Institutes of
  Technology, Institutes of Management etc under the general category.
• Facilities available under the various housing schemes of LIC, State Governments and other Government agencies.
• All future benefits to be extended by the Government of India from time to time in different sectors to NRIs after the commencement of the scheme will be applicable to the PIO Card holders as well.
  

7. After the commencement of the Scheme, only the PIO Card holders (and not the PIOs in general) will enjoy parity with NRIs for availing future facilities to be granted from that point onwards. However, those PIOs who do not hold PIO Cards will continue to enjoy the existing benefits prior to the introduction of the Scheme with the only difference being that they will have to come on appropriate visa.

8. The only restrictions that have been placed on the PIO card holders are follows:-

• No political rights will be available to them.
• They cannot acquire agricultural/plantation land