What was the main change introduced by the 2015 Amendment to the Citizenship Act?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (B) Merged PIO and OCI card schemes.

Explanation:

• The 2015 Citizenship (Amendment) Bill merged the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card schemes.
• The bill allowed the central government to notify that PIO cardholders would be considered OCI cardholders from a specified date.
• The PIO scheme offered fewer benefits compared to the OCI scheme. For example, PIO cardholders were entitled to visa-free entry to India for 15 years, while OCI cardholders were granted a life-long visa.

Information Booster:

• The OCI card provides several benefits, including a life-long visa to visit India, while the PIO card provided fewer privileges.
• The merger streamlined the process and made it easier for people of Indian origin to access the same benefits under the OCI scheme.

Additional Information:

• (A) Created a new visa category for tourists: The amendment did not create a new tourist visa category.
• (C) Abolished Overseas Citizenship: This is incorrect. The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme was not abolished; it was rather enhanced with the merging of the PIO and OCI schemes.
• (D) Introduced Dual Citizenship: The bill did not introduce dual citizenship, as India does not allow dual nationality.