Advice on getting extension of 6 month stay on 10 year tourist visa - legal matters

Hi,

I find myself facing my 180 days being up Feb 13th (and it's th 4th) and a ticket to the U.S. for Feb 10. However, I'm in the middle of some legal negotiations that won't be wrapped up for another couple of weeks, at least not at the rate my advocate moves. The legal "opposition" has made it clear that they are basically dragging their heels so that my time will run out and I won't be here to negotiate for myself. So,

1. How to I/who do I ask to get a couple of weeks extension, if possible
2. What's the status of the "leave the country/return" trip to Sri Lanka (it's looking a bit flaky there at the moment and the last thing I'm needed is more hassle
3. Any other suggestions you have....I'm up against the wall on this one. I want to show I'm here for the long haul, but how can I if I get tossed out in the middle of things?

http://immigrationindia.nic.in/

For your visa as such, it shouldn't matter. Being an American on a 10-year visa, by all accounts you have a right to leave the country every 180 days, get a stamp, and re-enter.

There is of course what looks to be an all-out war there at the moment, I have no advice. Let's see, we recently touched on it here: anyone been to Sri Lanka in the past few weeks? I think I'd personally be inclined to pick another neighboring country for it at the moment; but then it's always hard to say from the news and from far away, no. It honestly doesn't seem to be looking good though.

You mean given your dealings with some client or somesuch, or given your visa status? Again, the latter shouldn't matter much in your particular case; nor be much influenced by any moves you do or do not make.

Good luck with it. A fellow US citizen of yours who I once responded to on it, I don't know if she ever actually reported how she fared -- she never mentioned it didn't go well though, and she's still there I'm quite sure: quick cheap visa run: what to do?

Many many thanks for these leads. My visa status is fine (as far as I know) but I'm having some difficulty with former staff who have taken possession of a lot of property (long story I don't wish to go into here.) My advocate has assured me I will get it all back, in time, but seems to be ignoring the fact that I am to leave very soon. The former staff are in possession of the items and pretty much just making bogus claims I have to keep refuting to draw things out until after I'm gone (probably thinking I'm just not going to return, which I will, but by then who knows where things will be?)

I'm pretty sure if I stay past my current leave date they will back down and we can all get on with life.

This has been incredibly upsetting but was predicted way back (can't find the thread) when someone here noted the precarious situation I am in by trusting others to oversee my work here when I am away. Short version: I'm being ripped off by locals I trusted and am trying to stop it before they destroy all I've accomplished here. Moral: I've learned not to trust as easily but will start again. Rest assured. The work is good if some of the people (here as anywhere) have turned out not to be.

Again, thanks. I'll start with immigration.

Diana

Many people go out to Nepal and then re-enter in this situation, Diana. If you can afford to do this, might be easier. Sri Lanka would be closer of course, and if someone has recently done this it would be helpful to know. I seriously doubt you can extend your tourist visa - I did an extension once on a business visa but it took nearly a week away from where I was staying at the time, to do it. In this time you could be out of the country, then re-entering again, all legitimate and according to your Visa requirements.

<cross-posted with Aishah, and yes, I obviously agree with her. Also and especially on those extensions, if available to you at all, being rumored to be an incredible pain, best avoided if you can in any way.>

Yes, I see. You'd hinted at some trouble in the past yes, and I commend you for not having wanted to dwell on it too much. Hope it works out though.

I'm thinking now: You have no intention of leaving no, just need to do the visa run? (Which, to other readers, should by all accounts be perfectly fine for US citizens holding an extended visa.)

So, isn't it best to do just that, maybe go to Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh or some such place for it instead? (Basically anywhere you can get a cheap flight to, could be Greenland for that matter.) As far as I know you ought to be back a day or two later if you want to (it appears to be really just a formality), could give those people on your back a nice FO -- Hi guys, I'm back!!

Well, good luck with it. I suspect the FRO may be sympathetic to you, and I'd certainly speak to them; although extensions just aren't easy by any account. If you can just do the visa run as required, and return immediately (as again you should be able to), it might be best and easiest no.

Good luck again.

I think Mach has it well pegged on the 10 year visa issue. Unless you have a criminal issue it should not be a problem for a run. Best of luck on the legal case..

I'm flying to Sri Lanka in March. The fighting is in the north. I don't go to Colombo but stay a few days in Negombo, about 30/40 minutes from the airport. Very pleasant trip. Colombo is a very modern and clean airport. The security is very high. Sri Lankan are an excellent airline. It's the shortest run for me.

Thanks for the good info. I'll have to check into prices on the various visa run locations as funds are a huge issue. Nothing criminal (at least on my part) but more of a "mutiny" on the part of my "senior staff" (or portions there of).

Seems the building I have had my business in was leased to a "friend" (as said friend told this then-naive person that foreigners can't rent property) and said "friend" went a bit looney and had to be dismissed. Funny, but where I come from, dismissed people go away. This one stayed and took over the building has his name is on the lease. The building owner is willing to sign the lease over to me but not w/o the "friend's" permission, which, of course, he is not giving. Meanwhile, said "friend" convinced two others that they can run the "business" without me...which is interesting as it's a charity and I am the major donor. In other words, "we have taken all we can from you, so Yankee go home." Which I can sort of understand as my work entails them to..um...work. At least when I'm in the country.

So, now I've a mutiny by 3 senior staff (and one of the wife's of said staff who seems just be going along as hubby says to) with 8 innocent junior staff and "clients" (read: families and kids) caught in the middle. Most of the junior staff (6 of 8) are hanging with me and their loyalty is most gratifying. Two are undecided as they are being told a lot of bull* promises by the head mutineer. AND the building full of materials and equipment is being claimed by the "friend" even though every last paperclip was paid for by yours truly. So...that's the sweet saga.

My advocates and community supporters (of which there are many but they are laying low out of fear of the "friend") see this for the blatant grab for whatever can be salvaged from my patronage and want the programs to continue. Their side is holed up watching the clock tick on my 180 days...

I'm meeting with the advocate again tonight and if we can't get the local FRO to give me a short extension, then I'll consider the visa run. Always wanted to visit Thailand, but not under these circumstances.

And, damn! I was finally going to get to go somewhere for fun....ah, it just couldn't be.

Hm, yes. It may help you to not confuse two things:

-- Your visa requires you to leave every 180 days anyway. This will probably be far easier than any extensions if you can get one at all (and moreover and again, it needs to be done anyway); but there should be no harm in asking the FRO about it. (An obvious question here, not necessarily theirs, but for you to consider, would be how likely is the situation to get resolved in the time [say one or two weeks or so] covered by any extension if you do get one though?)

-- I realize under other circumstances one would normally want to combine this with a nice trip if one can (e.g., Thai holiday or so), but maybe you just shouldn't focus on this now then, you'll get your chance yet no doubt.

So in short, your visa requires you to do the visa run, maybe it's best to concentrate on that now (and irrespective of where you do it really), you could really be back within a day or three or so (basically land, look up Indian embassy, get visa sussed, and return), and just continue with whatever you're facing. You'd hardly have been gone at all, I mean it's like a weekend break in the next city, so it shouldn't hamper your ongoing dealings there greatly.

Nothing helpful to add, I'm afraid, just a note of sympathy for your situation.

Wishing you well for a speedy conclusion.

nb Just in case you find this helpful, if you should want to enquire with respective Indian embassies abroad about procedures and notably time taken for you to deal with the visa:

In the "travel links" link in my signature (post #2 above, and I don't expect you to wade through all that right now), you'll find some official links, including to the Ministry of External Affairs, which has a listing of Indian embassies here: http://meaindia.nic.in/onmouse/mission.htm .

A few are not listed there, these can normally be found on the web; look for "India High Commission" + country name to do so. Most which you could possibly need will be listed there though.

As this is an American with a valid 10yr visa, surely they just have to leave and return. Is there any need to "look up Indian embassy, get visa sussed"?
Was under the impression that the only stamps required were exit/entry ones in the passport?

Hm yes. That would assume you only need some immigration (customs) stamp.

I don't know how it works really; I'd so far assumed you would need to go through the Indian embassy for it.

And so I was thinking Diana might then need to know how long this might take her, in order to make her ticket arrangements for that purpose.

If not, this would become immaterial of course, and so you'd really just need to hop out and back in.

Let's see; that person above who I'd mentioned enquiring with about it before had in fact mentioned that doing a land crossing in Nepal this could take you a day or two or so, I think this caused me to assume it may require just a little more than hopping out and back in indeed.

But I truly don't know. Those extended visas are really mysterious to any of us they don't apply to (and to many to whom they do it seems!), it's taken me years and many a query on this forum to get some idea of what the deal really is. I kid you not.

From what I have learned from a friend who had to do this last year, you don't need to go anywhere near a Visa counter - you only need exit and entry stamps in your passport as johnnyfive says. My friend went to Pakistan from Delhi for this. And was away less than a week.

I would be interested to hear what the FRRO has to say, Diana. When I did mine I had to go to Delhi to the Home Ministry to apply, then take a sealed envelope back to the FRRO which at that stage was in Jaipur (subsequently they have one here). Another 2 days spent in Jaipur, while they ho and hummed, writing out forms etc. and I picked it up on the 2nd day there. Then another journey back to Jaisalmer. As I mentioned previously, the whole exercise took me nearly a week, just to get a 7 day extension to cover a changed airline booking. It was a costly exercise.

The ten-year visa requires us to leave after 180 days; I don't believe there can be an extension of that unless we're hospitalized or otherwise physically unable to leave.

I don't know about costs of visas to other countries, but my Bangladesh visa cost more than $100 in October, and took a couple of days in Kolkata. I would not mention anything other than tourism (in India or Bangladesh) to the visa officer.