Delhi High Court Expedites Visa Application for Moin Qureshi’s Daughter
In a recent ruling, the Delhi High Court has instructed authorities to quickly process the visa application for Pernia Qureshi, daughter of meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi.
Justice Sachin Datta noted that Pernia will be submitting her visa application and urged the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to handle it according to the relevant rules. This decision stems from a petition filed by Pernia in 2019, which contested the government’s move to revoke her Person of Indian Origin (PIO) status.
Pernia, who is a US citizen, is challenging a 2018 notice stating that individuals with parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents from Pakistan do not qualify for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. In the court’s order, it emphasized the importance of processing her visa application efficiently.
The court also asked for a quick resolution regarding the visa application of Pernia’s sister, Sylvia Moin, who is also a US citizen, requiring a decision within 10 days.
During the proceedings, the Central government’s lawyer, Rajesh Gogna, mentioned that Pernia has been residing in India without a valid visa. Pernia, born in Pakistan in 1983, claimed that while her mother held Pakistani citizenship at birth, her father was an Indian citizen. She and her mother renounced their Pakistani citizenship in favor of Indian citizenship in 1995.
Later, in 2007, Pernia became a US citizen and was granted a PIO card in 2008, valid until 2023. However, the Indian government later amended its citizenship laws, stating that PIO cardholders would automatically be considered OCI cardholders. Still, Pernia’s application for OCI status was denied under the new rules, which disqualify anyone who has been a citizen of Pakistan.
On March 19, 2019, the High Court prohibited the government from revoking her PIO status until further hearings, noting her established status as an Indian citizen for over a decade.
The court’s recent decisions reflect its commitment to ensuring that Pernia’s case is handled fairly and swiftly.
