How early can I renew ? - 6 month tourist visa.

davidp80 · Jan 22nd, 2007, 22:00

Hi everyone,

There is a good chance I may be spending more than 6 months in India, and I'll need to travel to a neighboring country to renew my tourist visa. My question is, I'll generally be traveling from north to south, and by the time 6 months of travel time is nearing, I'll most likely be in Tamil Nadu. If at all possible, I don't want to have to backtrack (to either Nepal, Pakistan, or Bangledesh), and I can't afford to fly to Sri Lanka just to take care of a formality.

So, my question is, how early can I apply for a new visa, while still traveling under my initial 6 month tourist visa?

Thanks everyone!

-Dave

icetea · Jan 22nd, 2007, 22:50

The visa is valid strictly from the day when it was issued (that should mean within a few days from when you applied for it, depending on how long the visa processing will take). So you can't "apply in advance" for it, in the way you suggest.

Why don't you start your trip from South instead, and head North?

SteamBuff · Jan 23rd, 2007, 00:01

You can get your new 6 month Visa whenever you want, but when you do the old one will be cancelled and you will get a new one valid for 6 months from date of issue.

davidp80 · Jan 23rd, 2007, 04:41

Great - thanks Steambuff. I really was hoping that's how it worked.

Icetea- my wording must have been confusing. I was asking about a visa 'renewal', rather than the process by which you obtain your initial visa. THanks though

-Dave

dzibead · Jan 23rd, 2007, 06:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidp80

Great - thanks Steambuff. I really was hoping that's how it worked.

Icetea- my wording must have been confusing. I was asking about a visa 'renewal', rather than the process by which you obtain your initial visa. THanks though

-Dave

Actually icetea's advice is correct because you cannot "renew" or "extend" a tourist visa. You have to get a new one. And if I remember correctly, you can't get the new one while you're still in India. You have to leave the country. The only time people can get "extensions" is if they have some genuine emergency and have to overstay the original visa. Even then, the extension is very short - just enough time for you to get out of the country - and may also be accompanied by a fine.

davidp80 · Jan 23rd, 2007, 07:39

Dzibead - Right, right. I think we all have a mutual understanding, its just the wording that is getting in the way. I do understand that a visa can't be renewed - I guess I was just equating 'getting a new 6 month visa' with 'renewing a visa'. My question more accurately should have been stated:

Can I apply for a new 6 month tourist visa before the original 6 month tourist visa has expired?

I think we all understand though, and I'm glad of it!

Thanks so much everyone - problem solved.

-Dave

machadinha · Jan 23rd, 2007, 07:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamBuff

You can get your new 6 month Visa whenever you want, but when you do the old one will be cancelled and you will get a new one valid for 6 months from date of issue.

I was hesitant to answer this thread before, but I wonder about this. Might make it a little obvious you're just extending your stay, or leave you at the mercy of whatever official you're dealing with.

Do you have direct or close experience with this procedure? I imagine it could lead to trouble, so maybe Dave should look into it more closely. I'll gladly stand corrected however.

davidp80 · Jan 23rd, 2007, 09:34

Hmmm....I wonder...I wonder...

Any other input on this, someone with actual experience?

Thanks so much everyone,

-Dave

icetea · Jan 23rd, 2007, 09:39

Oh! I finally got it

(couldn't quite understand why you were happy with the answers!)

Yes you can apply for a new visa at any (reasonable) time during your previous visa stay, there is no restriction about that, is there? Three months into your visa, for example, you can cross the border and ask for a new one, you'll just have some explaining to do. I myself have asked for a new visa while there were still 3 months left from my previous one, because that's when I happened to be at home and near the embassy. They just pointed out to me that the old one is still valid, but after explaining they agreed, no problem.

However, mine was a 1 year visa....and I was at the Indian embassy back in my home country. That might make a difference...

Merchant · Jan 23rd, 2007, 10:07

There's really no messing around with this issue, since it is more than a formality. I recommend you design your trip to place you somewhere convenient, say, five months into your original visa. It doesn't matter which country you go to for your new visa, and it doesn't have to be contiguous with India. If I were in your shoes, I would fly to Dubai. The other South Asian countries are deluged with visa applicants--refugees, economic migrants, people pursuing property claims that date from partition, trying to visit family, etc. Depending on the political climate, the Indian embassy in Pakistan may or may not even be open and staffed. Bangladesh is currently experiencing pre-election turmoil, and who knows what the place will look like in six months. Nepal is calming down after the insurgency, and Sri Lanka is hotting up. It's not just a matter of the queue at the embassy but of the ability to get a flight, a hotel, etc. Things to consider . . .

GoanCanuck · Jan 23rd, 2007, 12:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidp80

So, my question is, how early can I apply for a new visa, while still traveling under my initial 6 month tourist visa?

You have to leave the country to apply for a new tourist visa. The application for a new visa can be submitted at any time after your current visa has been issued. You can't get a new visa while you are still in India.

icetea · Jan 23rd, 2007, 12:46

well! I guess this last one is yet another possible (mis)interpretation of your post, davidp80!

NonIndianResident · Mar 29th, 2007, 02:51

Well, this is a little late, but I had a bad experience of just this issue, several years ago. I still had a couple of months on my 1-year multiple entry tourist visa (that's what we Americans used to be able to get), and I was back in the US and planning to return to India before the expiry of the one year, and wanted to stay for another many months.

The Indian Consulate in New York did always seem to be ruder than other consulates, but anyway they said categorically they wouldn't cancel the existing visa and give a fresh one. So I went and got a new passport, and that worked fine. The old passport only had a couple of years left and was getting full.

Also, if Sir Lanka still doesn't require visas, and if you're in South India anyway, it might not actually be all that expensive to fly there. It's a very short flight from Trivandrum and when I went (ten years ago) it was less than $30, which I had though impossible for a flight.

davidp80 · Mar 29th, 2007, 05:01

Really? 30 dollars for a flight to Colombo?? Does anyone know if this is price is still accurate? I was having a difficult time getting websites to accept the Trivandrum airport as a valid destination port. Thanks so much!

-Dave

edwardseco · Mar 29th, 2007, 05:26

Trivandrum's new name is... But, it isn't anywhere near 30 USD just like I can't get a fish dinner in Goa for 70 paise anymore..

Jan 22nd, 2007, 22:00	#1
davidp80 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, United States Posts: 255	How early can I renew ? - 6 month tourist visa. Hi everyone, There is a good chance I may be spending more than 6 months in India, and I'll need to travel to a neighboring country to renew my tourist visa. My question is, I'll generally be traveling from north to south, and by the time 6 months of travel time is nearing, I'll most likely be in Tamil Nadu. If at all possible, I don't want to have to backtrack (to either Nepal, Pakistan, or Bangledesh), and I can't afford to fly to Sri Lanka just to take care of a formality. So, my question is, how early can I apply for a new visa, while still traveling under my initial 6 month tourist visa? Thanks everyone! -Dave

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Jan 22nd, 2007, 22:50	#2
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	The visa is valid strictly from the day when it was issued (that should mean within a few days from when you applied for it, depending on how long the visa processing will take). So you can't "apply in advance" for it, in the way you suggest. Why don't you start your trip from South instead, and head North?

Jan 23rd, 2007, 00:01	#3
SteamBuff Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Essex, Endland Posts: 370	You can get your new 6 month Visa whenever you want, but when you do the old one will be cancelled and you will get a new one valid for 6 months from date of issue.

Jan 23rd, 2007, 04:41	#4
davidp80 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, United States Posts: 255	Great - thanks Steambuff. I really was hoping that's how it worked. Icetea- my wording must have been confusing. I was asking about a visa 'renewal', rather than the process by which you obtain your initial visa. THanks though -Dave

Jan 23rd, 2007, 07:39	#6
davidp80 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, United States Posts: 255	Dzibead - Right, right. I think we all have a mutual understanding, its just the wording that is getting in the way. I do understand that a visa can't be renewed - I guess I was just equating 'getting a new 6 month visa' with 'renewing a visa'. My question more accurately should have been stated: Can I apply for a new 6 month tourist visa before the original 6 month tourist visa has expired? I think we all understand though, and I'm glad of it! Thanks so much everyone - problem solved. -Dave

Jan 23rd, 2007, 09:34	#8
davidp80 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, United States Posts: 255	Hmmm....I wonder...I wonder... Any other input on this, someone with actual experience? Thanks so much everyone, -Dave

Jan 23rd, 2007, 09:39	#9
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	Oh! I finally got it (couldn't quite understand why you were happy with the answers!) Yes you can apply for a new visa at any (reasonable) time during your previous visa stay, there is no restriction about that, is there? Three months into your visa, for example, you can cross the border and ask for a new one, you'll just have some explaining to do. I myself have asked for a new visa while there were still 3 months left from my previous one, because that's when I happened to be at home and near the embassy. They just pointed out to me that the old one is still valid, but after explaining they agreed, no problem. However, mine was a 1 year visa....and I was at the Indian embassy back in my home country. That might make a difference...

Jan 23rd, 2007, 10:07	#10
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,096	There's really no messing around with this issue, since it is more than a formality. I recommend you design your trip to place you somewhere convenient, say, five months into your original visa. It doesn't matter which country you go to for your new visa, and it doesn't have to be contiguous with India. If I were in your shoes, I would fly to Dubai. The other South Asian countries are deluged with visa applicants--refugees, economic migrants, people pursuing property claims that date from partition, trying to visit family, etc. Depending on the political climate, the Indian embassy in Pakistan may or may not even be open and staffed. Bangladesh is currently experiencing pre-election turmoil, and who knows what the place will look like in six months. Nepal is calming down after the insurgency, and Sri Lanka is hotting up. It's not just a matter of the queue at the embassy but of the ability to get a flight, a hotel, etc. Things to consider . . .

Jan 23rd, 2007, 12:46	#12
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	well! I guess this last one is yet another possible (mis)interpretation of your post, davidp80!

Mar 29th, 2007, 02:51	#13
NonIndianResident Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: India Posts: 57	Well, this is a little late, but I had a bad experience of just this issue, several years ago. I still had a couple of months on my 1-year multiple entry tourist visa (that's what we Americans used to be able to get), and I was back in the US and planning to return to India before the expiry of the one year, and wanted to stay for another many months. The Indian Consulate in New York did always seem to be ruder than other consulates, but anyway they said categorically they wouldn't cancel the existing visa and give a fresh one. So I went and got a new passport, and that worked fine. The old passport only had a couple of years left and was getting full. Also, if Sir Lanka still doesn't require visas, and if you're in South India anyway, it might not actually be all that expensive to fly there. It's a very short flight from Trivandrum and when I went (ten years ago) it was less than $30, which I had though impossible for a flight.

Mar 29th, 2007, 05:01	#14
davidp80 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, United States Posts: 255	Really? 30 dollars for a flight to Colombo?? Does anyone know if this is price is still accurate? I was having a difficult time getting websites to accept the Trivandrum airport as a valid destination port. Thanks so much! -Dave

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Mar 29th, 2007, 05:26	#15
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,235	Trivandrum's new name is... But, it isn't anywhere near 30 USD just like I can't get a fish dinner in Goa for 70 paise anymore..