Applying for another Indian tourist visa in Colombo, Sri Lanka

My friend went from india to sri lanka a few weeks ago for a new visa. He was given only 3 months and can only re new it in his country of residence.


Forum Advisor Note: Post moved from thread discussing need for two month gap between visits.

I was in Sri Lanka in early Dec 09 traveling with a friend who applied in Colombo for a 6 month multiple entry Indian tourist visa (ever optimistic!) but was only granted a 3 month single entry tourist visa, and informed that his next visa would have to be from his home country.
It now seems that he was just lucky that the Colombo VFS office hadn't started applying the new rule of a 2 month stand-down between tourist visas.
The normal visa into Sri Lanka itself that you get issued at the airport on arrival is only for 30 days... Has anyone got an extension issued on that, for the purpose of being in Sri Lanka for 2 months before applying for another Indian visa? (Or for any purpose really!) What I mean is, any person who went to Lanka intending to be there only a couple of weeks (eg doing a visa run) and found themselves unexpectedly needing to stay longer - did they have any problem getting an extension on the Sri Lankan visa? How are the Sri Lankans handling that situation? Do they grant extensions on that 30 day visa easily - I can't find mention of anyone doing that since the Indian system changed. Anyone who has had to do that since mid-December can you let us know if it was easy, and what was the process?

Forum Advisor Note: This post has been copied, and the responses moved to a new thread Travelling to Colombo, Sri Lanka for two whole months in the "Crossing the Border" forum. This is because the discussion about obtaining a Sri Lankan visa was off topic and could confuse newcomers looking for advice about obtaining an Indian visa.

oh no, now I am a little bit worried...

I will go to the VFS in Colombo on Monday to apply for another indian tourist visa. It is two months since I left India and I only need a three months visa, but having read this thred, and other threads, I am worried that my old tourist visas from previous visits to india will be a problem. In addition to the one that expired two months ago, I have one from 2007.

Wish me good luck on monday!

You only need a new one if the old one won't last the time you wiant to be in India again since you satisfied the 2 month out rule. If not by ALL means do so..

i was thinking about going to Lanka for a new visa (i have a medical one) but reading this thread maybe i will try Bangkok...

Any news about Lanka anyway? i would really like to visit that place

Hi,
I hope you can advice me...as of now I am hopeless.My worries are about my tourist visa which expires on the 14th November, it is 6 months tourist visa ,I am located here in Delhi and I am Serbian nationality.I came in India on this visa because of love , me and my boyfriend live together these 6 months and we tried everything to extend or convert my visa to some X or E tipe of visa .They in FRRO say NO , you have to go back to your country and apply for another visa and then come back and also it is not possible to extend tourist visa.So we are desperate now ,we don't want to separate and also one option which could we do is to get marry here it is not possible because he is already married and his divorcing case is in progress.Here I could read something about that option to enter in some of the nearest countries as Nepal or Butan or Sri Lanka and from there extend my visa ...........plzzzzz tell us more about it , is it possible or not...as of now we are desperate don't know what to do.
Thank you a lot .

This is correct. A tourist visa cannot be extended, and conversion to X visa is not possible in your case either.

Unfortunately, getting married is the only option for a 'normal' tourist to stay in India. India does not recognize other partnerships.

Tourist visas cannot be extended. You may be able to get a NEW tourist visa from one of the neighbouring countries but there is no guarantee, and even if you get a new visa, it will very likely be for only 3 months. And once this new visa expires, you will have to return to your home country to apply for another visa. You will most probably not be able to get two consecutive tourist visas from a neighbouring country.

In any case you will have to leave India by November 14th, and you CANNOT return for two months! So even if you manage to get a visa from Colombo or Kathmandu, you will have to stay out of India for two months.

Sorry, but this is how it is.

Wildhorse is correct. There is no way to get around this.

You need to plan on how you will handle this in the future since you MUST LEAVE by 14 November.

You should go home and think about going back when he is free marry you. That is your only way to stay with him. Otherwise, you will have to keep leaving India to get a new Tourist visa (& stay out 2 months between visas).

Since Life never goes in a straight line, this is just one disappointment & frustration you will face but you can plan for your future with him.

If you overstay your visa, you will make big trouble for yourself, so don't consider it.

@jasminaj

Just read through the information on www.embassyofindiabelgrade.org. It accepts visa applications directly and not through an agency. Go back to Serbia and return after two months with a new visa. You'll have to keep doing this till you can marry.

Hi there

Myself and my boyfriend are travelling for 6 months from the 1st February. Our first stop in Sri Lanka and we are hoping to obtain a 6 month multiple entry visa for India here. We are planning to visit South India for 6 weeks after Sri Lanka, travel elsewhere for the required two months, and return to North India at the end of our trip. Are they still generally only allowing 3 month visas for India from the Indian Embassy in Colombo?

I would try and obtain a visa from London but I am leaving before the 6 month period so my visa would expire when I plan to be in India.

I have never had an Indian Visa.

Any help would be much appreciated

Apearse

It was three months single entry in Colombo earlier this year and I doubt if it has changed.
Why not apply in the UK, provide your full itinerary and ask for a 12 month T visa - they are available.

AndyD 8-)#

hey everybody,

I need some advice on the following:

I am in India on a student visa. Around the time my visa expires I will be in Sri Lanka, where I want to renewal my visa. After Sri Lanka I will be traveling to Thailand. From Thailand I will go back to Mumbai, only to pick up my stuff and catch my flight home (which is already booked).
My visa expires february 10th and I will be back in Mumbai around March 10th. From January 20th to February 10th I will be in Sri Lanka.
When I go back to Mumbai I will only be there for one or two days.
Because I have to hand in one more paper by that time, I could re apply for a student visa. Is it possible to extend it from outside of Mumbai?
Second option is to get a tourist visa. But do I have to be out of the country for two months to get it?
Same question goes for a transit visa? Will I get it if I've only been out of the country for one and a half month?

Unfortunatly it is not possible to extend my student visa before I leave. THis can only be done in the two weeks before it expires. SO i will have to arrange something while travveling. I am a bit worried that no visa will be granted and I will be stuck in Bangkok.

If any body can tell me about the procedures, I will be very pleased!

No mention of that here. - have you asked at the FRRO?

AndyD 8-)#

@Joos: I don't think that extension of a Student Visa can happen in a Third country consulate. You should get that extended while you are here in India thru the FRRO/MHA. I would not suggest risking your school year and pending papers for a trip at the fag end of your Visa validity without an extension in place.

Your best bet is a transit visa as you will only have to go back to India to pick up some stuff and catch your flight. The 2-months rule does not apply in this case; it only applies to recurrent entries on a tourist visa or on consecutive tourist visas.

A transit visa shouldn't be a problem but, unfortunately, there is no guarantee. I suppose you'll have your tickets out of India to show at the consulate, just in case.

Do check the thread on visas from Bangkok: Some countries don't give visas to citizens of other countries any more. I don't know if Thailand is among them.

narendra.d: Joos cannot get a new student visa for the reasons s/he explained above! (Will not be in India to do it.)