I've just sent the following letter to the Consul General of the San Francisco Consulate:
Dear Madame,
I have visited the SF Consulate today to apply for the PIO card based on my recent marriage to an Indian citizen.
My application got denied as I was informed that I can only apply for the PIO card one year after the marriage (we got married on xx-xx-2010). I requested a written statement from the employees of the embassy justifying why I can not apply for the PIO card and I asked for the legal basis of their decision. They refused to provide either one.
Instead, they referred me to SF consulate's webpage (http://www.cgisf.org/pio/pioservices.html), which does not mention one-year post-marriage rule. Neither do the webpages of Ministry of Home Affairs (http://www.mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?ID_PK=84#ELIGIBLE?) nor Bureau of Immigration (http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in/Pio_Card2.htm).
I will be very grateful if you could look into that matter.
I am looking forward to your prompt reply.
Regards,
Dr. Monika XXX
Sometimes one needs to play the doctor card. :)