entry visa.

palerider

I asked about an X visa from australia. I'm not of Indian origin, and not married to an Indian. What I do is spend most of my three months every year going around villages teaching Permaculture Farming, a type of organic farming.

I rang the Embassy today, to see if I could get more than a bloody tourist visa, after thr fourth offer from my government for me to live oermanently overseas on a small pension.

The person at the Embassy said.." an X visa is the same as an entry visa for my purposes. Even if I'm not a PIO or NRI.
All I need is an ABN (Australian Business Number, a number which means I'm self employed), and write a letter telling them where roughly, I am going and what I do. I will be able to apply for a 1 year visa easily, but more probably a 5 year recurring X visa, being the same as an Entry visa. "

I've not heard of this before, so has anyone any information on this. ?

This would mean I can go to places and do long term stuff, and take projects to their completion, I could feed untold thousands of people, who, at the moment, live in non arable land, and don't know how to make it fertile.

Does anyone know anything of this new concept, an X visa being the same as an Entry visa, for a non PIO or NRI?.

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Kido

Palerider, I very much doubt that if you are not PIO or NRI you are eligible to get an X visa...but its india its all about jugad so worth tryin...!!!

Another thing about this type of visa is that say if you get it for 5 years that does not mean you can live consecutively for the period of 5 years...you can still stay in country for a maximum of 180 days (as far as I am aware, I may be wrong)..its just to save the hasle of getting a new visa every year, more like a entry clearance as in US they give it for 10 years...!!!

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Kido

Just Discovered that there is more information about this X Visa on IndiaMike itself....If you just put X Visa in the search thingy you will get some threads...!!!!

Nick-H

Type "X" is what they put on "Entry" visas, or has been in the past. Apparently UK, at least, now has "X" visa for pios only, and "long-term" visas for others who qualify, although I don't know what "type" letter they put on those.

palerider

I've read all the threads about the x visa dramas and non dramas. That's what confused me. She assured me I could get one for the type of work I do, as long as I'm registered to be self employed.

Maybe it's the farming thing.

It's very confusing. I might ring again, and pretend to be someone else, or get a consular head or something.

a_f_d

No, they are still giving 'X' visas to non PIO's (but the Home Department seems to have issued instructions that they only eXtend them for PIO's and family).

AndyD 8-)#

chAos

From the US, an X visa is the same as Entry visa. It's not only for Indian origin people; it's also used by dependents of people in India on a business visa (Type B).

I checked, and from Australia, you need a letter from your employer to qualify for a strictly business visa, and since you're self-employed, you couldn't get that one. I think that since the X visa is essentially a miscellaneous grouping, it makes sense that they're suggesting you apply for it.

Nick-H

I'm sure many of the world's successful businessmen are slef employed!

Could be they would ask for a letter from your prospective Indian business contract, though.

The basic visa types are standard world-wide, and set out in the MHA and Immigration Bureau sites. There certainly seems to be room for some individual creativity, though, with regard to different countries!

chAos

Yup, that's what I'm saying. For a business visa, one needs a letter from the employer, either Indian or home country, stating the nature of the business.

Haylo

That is what the given advice says, yes, but there are other circumstances where you can have a business visa without this.

For instance if you are self employed and own, for instance, a shop selling Indian goods and you wanted to go on a buying trip, you can write a letter explaining this on your own headed paper.

You could also be self employed and apply for a business visa for attending a conference in India, even though you have no employer.

For an employment visa however, there is no other means of acquiring one without a letter from your employer.

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chAos

ok. I was just going by what I read in here; (and I lumped the business and employment visas together.. )
My point was only that it seems the X visa is available for situations when other visas don't fit exactly. I'm assuming this as that's the advice he's gotten, to apply for it.

palerider

Yes, it was. As long as I have a letter from myself, on my own letterhead, because my business is me, I just then have to state where I'm going. Because my business is wandering around villages that don't know I'm coming, then I should get it. I just have to state where i will be, eg, Bihar or Haryana etc.

I think it's a goer. The extension maybe a problem, but after five years, I'm sure i can just get another one.