How do I transfer my Emploment visa to another company?

** jeanneleez ** · May 27th, 2008, 06:35

I'm not getting a straight answer out of my FRO here in Kolkata... I just agreed to move to Gurgaon from here to join another company. I have used 11 months of my 12 month Employment visa which was sponsored by the company in Kolkata.

The new company wants me to send them my passport and they'll handle on their end, but I'm a bit particular about handing that little blue book over to anyone for any length of time, especially if I don't know anything about the procedure.

The first person I spoke to at the FRO said that I would have to leave the country and apply from the outside; the second person, who I am hoping is right said all I need is my signed offer letter and a form for an extension to my employment visa. He did not know where to get this form because he had never processed one...go figure...urban myth?

I couldn't pursue this further as I was already late to pick up my son from school. Does anyone know the procedure, costs and time frame for this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for any assistance/feedback. :-)

Cheers!
-- Jeanne

mairangi_vice · May 27th, 2008, 11:49

You cant transfer your visa to another company, what you need is a whole new visa because the visa is tied to your employer (the company name will be written on the visa), so if you quit your job your visa becomes invalid. Unfortunately this means you have to go apply for a new one outside the country. Im looking at doing the same sort of thing, so Id be interested to know how you get on

dzibead · May 27th, 2008, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by ** jeanneleez **

The first person I spoke to at the FRO said that I would have to leave the country and apply from the outside;

That's also my understanding of what's required - but not based on personal experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ** jeanneleez **

the second person, who I am hoping is right said all I need is my signed offer letter and a form for an extension to my employment visa. He did not know where to get this form because he had never processed one...go figure...urban myth?

The fact that he didn't know where to get the "form" and that he'd never processed one should tell you something - namely, that he apparently doesn't know what he's talking about. I believe the first person you spoke to was correct, unfortunately.

** jeanneleez ** · May 27th, 2008, 12:15

Should I hand over my passport to my new company and hope for the best? I don't think they've dealt with Americans in India before. They are an Indian subsidiary of a UK firm. They've dealt with foreigners in all sorts of countries, but I think I'm their first here... and of course, India has its own "special" bureaucracy. :-)

-- Jeanne

dzibead · May 27th, 2008, 12:20

Wow, I think I'd quiz them a little first - like asking them if they know whether you have to leave the country and get the employment visa from back in your home country. They may be clueless if they haven't done this before. And if your current employment visa is about to run out, you don't want to be without your passport (floating around in the "bureaucracy", aka black hole, of some company you're not even working for yet!) if you have to make a quick departure, in the event you can't actually stay in the country and get the new visa within India.

mairangi_vice · May 27th, 2008, 12:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by ** jeanneleez **

Should I hand over my passport to my new company and hope for the best? I don't think they've dealt with Americans in India before. They are an Indian subsidiary of a UK firm. They've dealt with foreigners in all sorts of countries, but I think I'm their first here... and of course, India has its own "special" bureaucracy. :-)

-- Jeanne

Do not hand over your passport to the new company. I also worked for an indian subsidiary of a UK firm, and they also thought that they could deal with my passport/visa. The truth is they dont actually know, but assume that they can. They cant. And if somehow they do have a very high up connection in the MHA and can do it... please can you pass on my CV?

Nick-H · May 27th, 2008, 13:33

Agree with all of this.

Unless they are very used to employing ex-pat staff and have extraordinary contacts, they probably do not know what they are talking about.

Most Indians have no knowledge of their country's immigration rules. Why should they have? The same is true of most everybody else in the world: I only got to know some of the detail of my own country's procedures because I married a non-Brit!

** jeanneleez ** · May 27th, 2008, 16:12

Asking a stupid question, but what is the MHA? Haven't heard of that before...

Nick-H · May 27th, 2008, 16:15

Ministry of Home Affairs.

machadinha · May 27th, 2008, 19:57

The MHA: http://mha.gov.in/
Their Bureau of Immigration: http://immigrationindia.nic.in/

May 27th, 2008, 06:35	#1
jeanneleez Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Settling Down in Calcutta Posts: 46	How do I transfer my Emploment visa to another company? I'm not getting a straight answer out of my FRO here in Kolkata... I just agreed to move to Gurgaon from here to join another company. I have used 11 months of my 12 month Employment visa which was sponsored by the company in Kolkata. The new company wants me to send them my passport and they'll handle on their end, but I'm a bit particular about handing that little blue book over to anyone for any length of time, especially if I don't know anything about the procedure. The first person I spoke to at the FRO said that I would have to leave the country and apply from the outside; the second person, who I am hoping is right said all I need is my signed offer letter and a form for an extension to my employment visa. He did not know where to get this form because he had never processed one...go figure...urban myth? I couldn't pursue this further as I was already late to pick up my son from school. Does anyone know the procedure, costs and time frame for this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for any assistance/feedback. :-) Cheers! -- Jeanne __________________ -- Jeanne http://american-in-calcutta.blogspot.com/ "The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it." Harry Emerson Fosdick

May 27th, 2008, 12:15	#4
jeanneleez Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Settling Down in Calcutta Posts: 46	So what do you recommend? Should I hand over my passport to my new company and hope for the best? I don't think they've dealt with Americans in India before. They are an Indian subsidiary of a UK firm. They've dealt with foreigners in all sorts of countries, but I think I'm their first here... and of course, India has its own "special" bureaucracy. :-) -- Jeanne

May 27th, 2008, 13:33	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	Agree with all of this. Unless they are very used to employing ex-pat staff and have extraordinary contacts, they probably do not know what they are talking about. Most Indians have no knowledge of their country's immigration rules. Why should they have? The same is true of most everybody else in the world: I only got to know some of the detail of my own country's procedures because I married a non-Brit! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

May 27th, 2008, 19:57	#10
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,581	The MHA: http://mha.gov.in/ Their Bureau of Immigration: http://immigrationindia.nic.in/ __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

May 27th, 2008, 11:49	#2
mairangi_vice Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 284	You cant transfer your visa to another company, what you need is a whole new visa because the visa is tied to your employer (the company name will be written on the visa), so if you quit your job your visa becomes invalid. Unfortunately this means you have to go apply for a new one outside the country. Im looking at doing the same sort of thing, so Id be interested to know how you get on

May 27th, 2008, 12:20	#5
dzibead Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,082	Wow, I think I'd quiz them a little first - like asking them if they know whether you have to leave the country and get the employment visa from back in your home country. They may be clueless if they haven't done this before. And if your current employment visa is about to run out, you don't want to be without your passport (floating around in the "bureaucracy", aka black hole, of some company you're not even working for yet!) if you have to make a quick departure, in the event you can't actually stay in the country and get the new visa within India.

May 27th, 2008, 16:12	#8
jeanneleez Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Settling Down in Calcutta Posts: 46	Asking a stupid question, but what is the MHA? Haven't heard of that before...

May 27th, 2008, 16:15	#9
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	Ministry of Home Affairs.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Indo French marriage transfer from tourist visa to x visa for my wife	Pinkmonster	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	18	Mar 11th, 2008 14:47
x-visa according to a company - what if the company changes?	bridtsch	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	9	Jul 20th, 2007 17:38
UK passport renewal & visa transfer	Greg_eales	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	17	May 9th, 2007 00:18
Transfer of residency	amystarcraft	India Expat Area	7	Feb 7th, 2007 17:15
Employment Visa only Valid for the company who hired me?	sparcengine	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	0	Sep 19th, 2004 09:38

User Name		Remember Me?
Password