advice for visa extension to India from Nepal

romagna67

Hy there. My name is Max, italian and i'm planning to go to india for 1 year on November. I'll only have a 6 months tourist visa, but i know many travellers gets a new 6 months visa, by going out to Nepal for 10/15 day, then back to India. I heard Indian Authority don't make big problems. Is that true? Also, is it true at indian border they'll ask me a valid return flight ticket to Italy in order to renew my visa? Please write me any kind of suggestion. Thanks in advance for your precious time and patience, Max

Penri

You should have no problem 'extending' your visit by applying for a new 6 month tourist visa in Nepal.

My understanding is that you must have a valid return/onwards ticket with a date within your visa validity before entering India. The way I've got round this is a flexible ticket with a 'date' set a year from now (I have a 2 year visa).

I'm not sure strict they are with the above. I only found it a problem when booking the flight with BA. I originally wanted a one-way ticket and then a 2 year ticket.

Hope this helps

romagna67

So you personally experienced the needing of a "valid return/onwards ticket with a date within your visa validity before entering India"? In other words: did happen to you Indian Authority asked for this at your entrance? Also, have you never bought a one-way ticket and if yes, did you have any problem at the airport Custom Office?

sirensongs

Dear Max: Sounds like you are wondering whether you have to buy an onward ticket now. I wondered the same, and the answer I got was "yes." When you send in (or turn in) your passport to the Indian Embassy, they *are supposed to* ask for proof of "onward travel." This doesn't have to be a return ticket back to Italy - it could be from India to Nepal. Since you have to go to Nepal anyway that would solve the problem of your onward destination and satisfy the authorities.

After completion of your 1st six months, you will then go to Nepal to get a new Indian visa.(by the way, you don't need to stay any specified amount of time there - just long enough to get the new visa, usually 5 days - but you will surely enjoy it and want to stay a while.)

Whenever I've done this (come from India to Nepal to return to India) they have *not* asked me for proof of onward travel.

Warning: that is not to say that they never will, or that they won't wake up grumpy one day and start doing it....just that they never have in my experience or that of anyone I know.

But, coming from your home country going in, I think they are more particular.

Note: also to avoid confusion, don't refer to "extending" your tourist visa. Tourist visas aren't extendable (not legally anyway!). Rather, when the first one is nearly up, you cross the border and get a whole new, fresh Indian visa. (insert happy face here)

__________________
"Why do people go to India to find themselves? India is where you go to lose yourself."
Feringhee: The India Diaries

Penri

Apologies for my ambiguity.

BA told me that I had to buy a return ticket that had a set return date within a year. I was told that this was due to an Indian immigration requirement that all visa holders must have the means to repatriate (or, more importantly, to have a commitment to leave India within visa expiry). However, I’ve yet to be asked to provide proof of this to India immigration. I doubt that they leave it to the airlines to police, so I guess that they’re not too fussy on this one ?