2 month visa rule - had an employment visa, now want to enter on tourist visa

Hi,

I have a question and I am not really sure what to think after reading the info on the ministry for home affairs and also not after talking to the people at the Indian Embassy in Berlin.

I was holding an employment visa, which was valid until 22/01/2010. I was leaving India 21/12/2009 already. And now I am applying for a tourism visa, because I want to visit my girlfriend and some friends in India (3 weeks trip).

My question:

Does the new 2 months visa rule mean, that I would have to wait two months from the expiry date of my previous working visa? Which would mean two months from 22/01/2010 - 22/03/2010? I booked my flight for the 17th of March, would make five days less

Or does the waiting gap count from the day of my definite departure from India? Then I would be over this two months already.

Or does the two months gap not apply at all, because I was there previously on employment visa and now I am applying for a completely new tourism visa?

I know the case is very special. I feel helpless. Maybe anybody has an answer (which not even the Embassy could give me)

I would be really happy to get some opinions.

Actually I am really wondering about the implementation of such a rule. India has enough bureacracy and now the ministry makes it even more complicated. On the other hand they introduced on-arrival-visas for tourists from Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and one more country I don´t remember Well, I am sure the tourism from Luxembourg will flourish now

greetz

ben

No, it is not a problem at all.

This is for two reasons:

1. It should only apply to tourist visas and you were in India on an employment visa.

2. The rule is two months since the end of your last trip to India, not two months since your visa expired.

Thanks Haylo,

sounds more then optimistic

Good to hear. Got a little worried about the whole thing, when I was applying in the morning and did not even know the new rule until then.

So I can escape the foggy, snow rainy city and see some nice smiles soon

No, I've arranged for it to snow when you get there.

If you want to look at the new rules for yourself instead of taking the word of a stranger on the internet, there's a link to the official guidelines in my sigline, look for MHA FAQ.

Oh,

thanks for the snow arrangement

I checked your MHA FAQ, saw this paper before. But as english is not my mother tongue I found the rule confusing in terms of my case.

Anyhow, the Embassy will tell me on Monday.

Thank you again for your help

Well if you must insist on communicating in perfect English, how are we supposed to guess it's not your first language!

Fortunately for me, this forum has a strict "English only" rule, so you don't get to laugh at my dreadful German.

Like good old Goethe says:

"Words are mere sound and smoke, dimming the heavenly light."

I have accepted a position in India and will working on an employment visa (multipe entry) for one year. I need to return home to the USA at least once for a family function. Does the 2 month wait for reentry apply to an employment visa or is this just for a toursit visa?

Thanks!

No, as far as I know it doesn't. (But kindly don't take my word for it, but it seems to be the consensus here.)

Maybe check what you can find at http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in/, or http://www.mha.nic.in/, notably http://mha.nic.in/ForeigDiv/ForeigHome.html. Or give your Indian embassy a ring, of course.

ps

While this is an older remark, this up to a year ago at least was not the case in the Netherlands. So, yes, over here your tourist visa would have needed to have expired for two months, to apply for a new one. (I can't be sure what the current regulations are, no idea really, and they seemed to be quite in flux then.)

I am part of the consensus on this with Mach as well..

I was about to do a new post on this but since someone already did I have questions about this too coming from Chicago.

So: What questions?

I am from states and I am looking to apply for a tourist visa! only allow for 2 month there right of visit or 3 month?

No, I don't think so; 6 months at a time, rather, I believe. As an American, you should check (and will need to apply) with http://www.travisa.com/, notably http://india.travisa.com/VisaInstruc...?CountryID=IN&. If you are in the States but of a different nationality, different rules might apply to you. But you'd still need to go through TraVisa, I think.

Carefully note the tourist visa is generally valid from date of issue, not from date of entry into the country. So while you don't want to leave it to the last minute, you don't wanna get it too early for your plans, either.

I am trying to stay for 2-3 month if possible