Extended Visa.

gogoa · Apr 9th, 2007, 01:36

Hi All.

Well we have sold the house here in the UK, and should be able to go to Goa in about June/July. We have given up on starting a business and buying a property, as it is getting very messy now.

Does anyone know how to obtain an extended visa. We will of course have our 180 day tourist visa's.

We have been told that if we go to the Police Station in Panji they will extend them.

mal ishus · Apr 9th, 2007, 01:47

Flame suit on,

get the popcorn ready 1-2-3

dzibead · Apr 9th, 2007, 02:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogoa

Hi All.

Well we have sold the house here in the UK, and should be able to go to Goa in about June/July. We have given up on starting a business and buying a property, as it is getting very messy now.

Does anyone know how to obtain an extended visa. We will of course have our 180 day tourist visa's.

We have been told that if we go to the Police Station in Panji they will extend them.

I'm afraid you haven't done your homework and you're in for a big shock.

Unless you have an employment visa (which I'm sure you don't or you wouldn't be asking your question, and in order to get one you must already have an actual job offer in India) or a business visa (ditto, not easy to get - see the web pages for the consular wing of the Indian High Commission in London - and you said you were not trying to start a business) or a student visa (doubt you qualify) or are Persons of Indian Origin (in which case you can get either a 5-year visa or actually apply for a PIO card), there's no such thing as an "extended visa" for you, I'm afraid. The only "visa extensions" available to persons on tourist visas are very short-term emergency extensions available to persons who are at the end of their maximum 180-day stay and who for some reason can't leave in a timely fashion, e.g., because of illness; sometimes these extensions are granted to people who just screw up and overstay their visa, but the extension is just long enough to let them "get out of Dodge" (and may be accompanied by a fine ). But if you think you can get some sort of longer term extension that will allow you to, in effect, convert your tourist visa into some sort of immigration visa, you can forget about it. Except for the short-term emergency extensions just mentioned, you can't extend a tourist visa. Your only available course of action is to leave India and apply for another tourist visa - and be forewarned: there is no guarantee that the Indian government will continue granting back-to-back tourist visas to repeat applicants. The web page for the Indian embassy in Kathmandu, for example, expressly says that repeat applications for tourist visas will not be entertained.

As I said, it appears that you haven't done your homework at all - and you haven't even read the the discussion forums and threads on IM that cover the visa topic at length! Why anyone would take the extreme step of selling up, and think they can just immigrate to Goa or anywhere else in India without having investigated the legalities and practicalities of attempting such a course of action is beyond me.

Nick-H · Apr 9th, 2007, 02:57

The majority of the collected wisdom of this site on buying/living in Goa starts with ->this thread.

Along with its sequel, it amounts to nearly a thousand posts including links to many external sources --- quite a lot of reading.

But you seem to be aware of the fact that it is "getting very messy now", and don't seem to have the intention of buying property there.

You won't be the first perpetual travellers in India. You wouldn't be alone if you found a place and rented it.

But you do have to bear in mind that you are unlikely to qualify for other than a tourist visa, and that that is never going to give you more than 180 days in the country at one time. You will have to leave the country at that point.

This is a situation that currently appears to be tightening. There are (not sure if they have happened yet) longer-term visas for citizens of certain countries (not including UK), that allow only even shorter periods of stay.

akt · Apr 9th, 2007, 02:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogoa

Well we have sold the house here in the UK, and should be able to go to Goa in about June/July. We have given up on starting a business and buying a property, as it is getting very messy now. Does anyone know how to obtain an extended visa. We will of course have our 180 day tourist visa's.

You should talk to the Indian high mission nearest you, if it is possible for you to get some long-term visa. As for extending a tourist visa, I hope the others here will be able to offer their experience and advice. I am not clear what you really want: Immigrate to India? Try it out for a few years?

Later Edit: OK, I see from the above two posts that this is not as easy as just showing up at an embassy abroad or police station in India and announcing, "I want more".

I have heard of some people retiring in India on their US social security income. Not sure what is the legal basis for something like that.

Nick-H · Apr 9th, 2007, 03:32

You'll find all that in the Goa threads, and in the Passport and Visas forum.

I'm sorry to say that India (like many countries these days) is not immigrant friendly.

If a person has a wish to live in the UK or the USA, there are settlement visas that can be applied for and there is a process by which one can become (in UK) a Permanent Resident and even a citizen. Even though the acceptance criteria to get on that ladder may be tough and may leave many disappointed, the ladder is there.

A glance at your local High Commission website, at the Ministry of Home Affairs site, or the Indian Bureau of Immigration site shows that such a process is conspicuously absent.

It is not impossible to set up a genuine, trading company here; I know of several foreigners with their own businesses in the tourist industry (although they have been established for years; I do not know how easy this is today). It is not impossible to get employment here, although your stay will be dependent on that employment.

I imagine that the 'we' in your post precludes marrying an Indian citizen...

Both Dzibead and I have said all this so many times (don't think that we like being the bearers of bad news) now....

There is no long-term Indian visa issued on the basis that a person just wants to be here.

gogoa · Apr 9th, 2007, 05:06

"As I said, it appears that you haven't done your homework at all - and you haven't even read the the discussion forums and threads on IM that cover the visa topic at length! Why anyone would take the extreme step of selling up, and think they can just immigrate to Goa or anywhere else in India without having investigated the legalities and practicalities of attempting such a course of action is beyond me."

We have spent hours and hours on this and other related sites. Visited the Indian High Commission in Birmingham, twice, we even made an appointment with a visa officer, only to be told when we got there, it's his day off. We had all the paperwork set up for a "Company" in India, all done by an advocate. we have spent hours visiting the advocate in Panji, and the builder in Candolim. But we backed off this action after reading some reports in the local newspapers in Goa, and on related websites. Did you know. You can walk into a "Shop" in Calengute, run by an englishman, and you can buy: A House. or Apartment. A Company. All the the services of an advocate for all the legal stuff. When it seems to be illegal to do so in Goa. I asked the question to try and get some clarity and advice on this subject. Which i now have. We have asked lots of brits in Goa how they manage to stay there for more than six months, and there is so much conflicting advice. It may be fine to retire in Northern California, but belive me it's not the case in the UK.

But we will do it. We may be 60+ but we still have the spirit of adventure.

akt · Apr 9th, 2007, 05:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogoa

We have spent hours and hours on this and other related sites. Visited the Indian High Commission in Birmingham, twice, we even made an appointment with a visa officer, only to be told when we got there, it's his day off. We had all the paperwork set up for a "Company" in India, all done by an advocate. we have spent hours visiting the advocate in Panji, and the builder in Candolim. But we backed off this action after reading some reports in the local newspapers in Goa, and on related websites. Did you know. You can walk into a "Shop" in Calengute, run by an englishman, and you can buy: A House. or Apartment. A Company. All the the services of an advocate for all the legal stuff. When it seems to be illegal to do so in Goa. I asked the question to try and get some clarity and advice on this subject. Which i now have. We have asked lots of brits in Goa how they manage to stay there for more than six months, and there is so much conflicting advice. It may be fine to retire in Northern California, but belive me it's not the case in the UK...But we will do it. We may be 60+ but we still have the spirit of adventure.

Good luck to you. There may well be ways that are simply not well known. I would just be prepared for everything not to go smoothly---and you certainly seem to be so aware. My best wishes, and please keep us updated about what you find.

dzibead · Apr 9th, 2007, 08:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogoa

[color="Gray"] Did you know. You can walk into a "Shop" in Calengute, run by an englishman, and you can buy: A House. or Apartment. A Company. All the the services of an advocate for all the legal stuff. When it seems to be illegal to do so in Goa.

These "shops" are a total rip-off. As a foreigner with only a tourist visa you cannot legally purchase immovable property anywhere in India (not just in Goa), and setting up a "company" simply for the purpose of acquiring residential real property in India is considered a sham transaction. The reason you've met many English folks who have apparently managed to stay long term is that for a long time the Indian authorities were slumbering and failed to enforce their own laws, but that's changed in the last couple of years. I'm sure there are some British ex-pats who have set up legitimate businesses that comply with FEMA and the RBI regulations, but it appears that most people who have "set up businesses" or "retired" to India (and Goa seems to be the favored location for this with British ex-pats) are technically operating illegaly and are living on borrowed time, immigration-wise. You may have the spirit of adventure but I'm afraid it will take more than that (like massive changes in Indian law) to achieve what you hoped to do.

GoanCanuck · Apr 9th, 2007, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogoa

We have been told that if we go to the Police Station in Panji they will extend them.

The police headquarters in Panjim can extend your visa by a maximum of 14 days. They do not have the authority to go beyond that.

What you probably are alluding to is an X entry visa which can be renewed at the police headquarters in Panjim. These visas are no longer being issued to British citizens. British citizens can only get a tourist visa valid for 180 days.

cyberhippie · Apr 9th, 2007, 11:58

If I was you I would jsut go with the It's been six months I need a holiday and renew your visa somewhere. Emmigration to India is just like anywhere else DIFFICULT there are no shortcuts!!

Wish you well in your new life!

Nick-H · Apr 9th, 2007, 13:33

If you are prepared to live with the long-term insecurity, its fine; go for the adventure!

But do try to have an escape route; back to UK, or some other country where there may be less visa hassle --- did someone say that Thailand is clamping down recently?

batistuta · Apr 9th, 2007, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

But do try to have an escape route; back to UK, or some other country where there may be less visa hassle --- did someone say that Thailand is clamping down recently?

One could have stayed in Thailland forever by doing what is called A 'Visa Run'. One could have gone to Cambodia , Vietnam or Laos (none of them too distant frm Bangkok) ,get a new visa and enter the country.

This cannot be done anymore as the govt has clamped down n this and the max that one is allowed in the country for one calendar year is arnd 90 days.(not certain abt exact number).

goangoangone · Apr 10th, 2007, 08:19

Quote:

What you probably are alluding to is an X entry visa which can be renewed at the police headquarters in Panjim. These visas are no longer being issued to British citizens. British citizens can only get a tourist visa valid for 180 days

The X visa was extendable by application to the Home Dept. in Panaji. I had a 1 year extension on a 1 year X visa. Towards the end of last year, applicants were refused extensions and told to "retire in your own country, we don't want you retiring here". My current visa is a Tourist maximum 180 days. It is also rumoured that they might only issue 90 day visas soon.

edwardseco · Apr 10th, 2007, 10:22

Bad news at Black Rock..

Apr 9th, 2007, 01:36	#1
gogoa Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: UK Posts: 31	Extended Visa. Hi All. Well we have sold the house here in the UK, and should be able to go to Goa in about June/July. We have given up on starting a business and buying a property, as it is getting very messy now. Does anyone know how to obtain an extended visa. We will of course have our 180 day tourist visa's. We have been told that if we go to the Police Station in Panji they will extend them. __________________ *gogoa*

Apr 9th, 2007, 01:47	#2
mal ishus Growing old is mandatory,Growing up is optinal. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sth Yorkshire / Dona Paula Jetty Posts: 252	Flame suit on, get the popcorn ready 1-2-3 __________________ Every one should love animals they are so tasty

Apr 9th, 2007, 02:57	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,771	The majority of the collected wisdom of this site on buying/living in Goa starts with ->this thread. Along with its sequel, it amounts to nearly a thousand posts including links to many external sources --- quite a lot of reading. But you seem to be aware of the fact that it is "getting very messy now", and don't seem to have the intention of buying property there. You won't be the first perpetual travellers in India. You wouldn't be alone if you found a place and rented it. But you do have to bear in mind that you are unlikely to qualify for other than a tourist visa, and that that is never going to give you more than 180 days in the country at one time. You will have to leave the country at that point. This is a situation that currently appears to be tightening. There are (not sure if they have happened yet) longer-term visas for citizens of certain countries (not including UK), that allow only even shorter periods of stay. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 9th, 2007, 05:06	#7
gogoa Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: UK Posts: 31	Visa "As I said, it appears that you haven't done your homework at all - and you haven't even read the the discussion forums and threads on IM that cover the visa topic at length! Why anyone would take the extreme step of selling up, and think they can just immigrate to Goa or anywhere else in India without having investigated the legalities and practicalities of attempting such a course of action is beyond me." We have spent hours and hours on this and other related sites. Visited the Indian High Commission in Birmingham, twice, we even made an appointment with a visa officer, only to be told when we got there, it's his day off. We had all the paperwork set up for a "Company" in India, all done by an advocate. we have spent hours visiting the advocate in Panji, and the builder in Candolim. But we backed off this action after reading some reports in the local newspapers in Goa, and on related websites. Did you know. You can walk into a "Shop" in Calengute, run by an englishman, and you can buy: A House. or Apartment. A Company. All the the services of an advocate for all the legal stuff. When it seems to be illegal to do so in Goa. I asked the question to try and get some clarity and advice on this subject. Which i now have. We have asked lots of brits in Goa how they manage to stay there for more than six months, and there is so much conflicting advice. It may be fine to retire in Northern California, but belive me it's not the case in the UK. But we will do it. We may be 60+ but we still have the spirit of adventure.

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Apr 9th, 2007, 03:32	#6
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,771	You'll find all that in the Goa threads, and in the Passport and Visas forum. I'm sorry to say that India (like many countries these days) is not immigrant friendly. If a person has a wish to live in the UK or the USA, there are settlement visas that can be applied for and there is a process by which one can become (in UK) a Permanent Resident and even a citizen. Even though the acceptance criteria to get on that ladder may be tough and may leave many disappointed, the ladder is there. A glance at your local High Commission website, at the Ministry of Home Affairs site, or the Indian Bureau of Immigration site shows that such a process is conspicuously absent. It is not impossible to set up a genuine, trading company here; I know of several foreigners with their own businesses in the tourist industry (although they have been established for years; I do not know how easy this is today). It is not impossible to get employment here, although your stay will be dependent on that employment. I imagine that the 'we' in your post precludes marrying an Indian citizen... Both Dzibead and I have said all this so many times (don't think that we like being the bearers of bad news) now.... There is no long-term Indian visa issued on the basis that a person just wants to be here.

Apr 9th, 2007, 11:58	#11
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	If I was you I would jsut go with the It's been six months I need a holiday and renew your visa somewhere. Emmigration to India is just like anywhere else DIFFICULT there are no shortcuts!! Wish you well in your new life!

Apr 9th, 2007, 13:33	#12
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,771	If you are prepared to live with the long-term insecurity, its fine; go for the adventure! But do try to have an escape route; back to UK, or some other country where there may be less visa hassle --- did someone say that Thailand is clamping down recently?

Apr 10th, 2007, 10:22	#15
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,911	Bad news at Black Rock..

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