The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs launched a scheme called “Tracing the Roots” in October 2008 to facilitate PIOs in tracing their roots in India. PIOs who intend to trace their roots in India need to apply in a prescribed Form, through the Indian Mission/Post in the country of their residence. Application Form for this purpose is available on this website. Persons of Indian origin desirous of tracing their roots in India would be required to fill up the prescribed application form and deposit it with the concerned Indian Mission/Post located in the country of their residence along with a fee of Rs.30,000 ( Rupees Thirty Thousand only) in equivalent US $, Euro or any other foreign currency acceptable to the Indian Mission/Post. For further details/information regarding the Scheme, the nearest Indian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate General may be contacted.

The Under Secretary(Diaspora) may also be contacted at usds2@moia.nic.in.

Guidelines for ‘Tracing the Roots’ Programme

1. The programme was designed by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA); to assist Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) in tracing their roots.

2. Persons of Indian Origin desirous of tracing their roots in India would be required to fill up the prescribed application form and deposit it with the concerned Indian Mission/Post located in the country of their residence along with a fee of Rs 30,000/- (Rupees thirty thousand) in equivalent US $, Euro or any other foreign currency acceptable to the Indian Mission/Post. All useful information/documents that could be of help in tracing the roots may be submitted along with the application.

3. The Mission, after checking and accepting the application, will forward it to the MOIA for initiating action on the application.

4. The details of roots in India (where traceable) i.e. name of close surviving relative(s), details of the place of origin of their forefathers (paternal and maternal side) and a possible family tree will be made available to the applicant at the earliest.

5. The information collected, including details of family tree, would then be sent to the concerned Indian Mission/Post at the earliest for onward transmission to the applicant.

6. In case of any doubt about the genuineness of the ‘roots’, the decision of the Ministry, taken in consultation with the applicant and concerned authorities involved in tracing the particular roots, will be final and binding.

7. An advance of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only) will be paid to the organisation/ firm which is entrusted with the job of tracing roots, in each case. In case of successfully tracing the roots, the balance Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty thousand only) will be released by the Ministry to the concerned organisation/firm. In case the attempt is not successful, the Indian Mission/Post will be authorized to refund foreign currency equivalent to Rs 20,000/- (Rupees Twenty thousand only ) to the applicant at the official rate of exchange, as determined by the Government of India, applicable on the date of the refund.

N. B. The programme provides for gathering information relating to the ancestors of the applicant and does not have any provision or arrangement for the visit by the applicant to his/her ancestral place(s). In case the applicant wishes to visit these places, the Ministry/organisation/firm concerned would facilitate such visits at the applicant’s cost .

Click here to download application form

For more information visit The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs website