I got a Residential Permit today....

ren

Hey Everyone,

I've been in India since April on a One-Year Multi-Entry Visa, and from what I understand it's only possible to stay six months at a time.

I'm married to an Indian citizen, and like a month ago, we went to the police commissioners office in HYDERABAD (where I'm staying..) to ask about getting a PIO CARD for me but was told I have to leave India and then apply.. gave passport/visa copies, marriage certificate copies, husband's passport (indian) copy, etc. He said I'd be able to stay until March (when my visa expires..) So, 11 months total in India.

The guy came to our house like 2 weeks ago to verify our address and asked for 300 rupees. Today went to the police commissioners and he again asked for 300 rupees (which we gave him..) Someone also called a few days ago and asked when and where we got married..where was the party, etc

Honestly I don't know what happened, since my husband did all the talking, and in Hindi..but, today I got a plain piece of paper that says..

--------------------------------------------------------
Residential Permit
(Under paragraph 7 of Foreigners Order 1940)

Mr/Mrs/Ms............................
Foreigner of USA
Holding passport No *********
Type Visa No T*****
Dated 23-03-06 issued at San Francisco
for India is permitted to remain in India until 22-03-07

This Permit must be surrendered at the time of departure from India to the Registration Officer of the place from which THE ABOVE FOREIGNER leaves India

In the event of THE ABOVE FOREIGNER not departing from India before 22-03-2007 He/ She, unless has obtained the permission of the Central Government to remain for a longer period, shall be for prosecution of contravention of the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946, Punishable with imprisonment for a period of five years with a fine and will also be liable to explusion from India and shall also be liable for prosecution under the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992

Permit is valid subject to validity of Passport.

(signed)
for Commisioner of Police and Foreigners Registration Office:
Hyderabad City

NOLTE: The check-post authorities are requested to send the R.P. urgently to the Commisioner of Plice & FRO, Hyderabad. In care the foreigner is in possession of MEVF he may be allowed to retain the Residential Permit with him.

------------------------------------------------------

I don't know. I expected a stamp on my passport or something, but this is a simple paper with a stamp and signiture...

Can I REALLY stay until March?? Will I have any problems leaving India? Why didn't they stamp my passport? Can someone please explain?

I cannot believe it is as easy as this.. from all the stories I'd heard (and read!)


Ren

Nick-H

My guess is that they should have converted your T visa to an X visa. Did they endorse the visa?

But your paper sounds entirely different to mine, and may well, in itself be an ammendment to your visa. My visa has a note that the resident permit has been issued scribbled on it.

Another curious thing: my paper is also Regitration certificate.

Does your paper include registration?

These things are baffling.........

This is my guess... Now that you've got something anything more than a plain Tourist visa, you'll be able to renew, extend, or even get your PIO card without leaving India next year.

May I ask... how long have you been married?

I asked about PIO both in London and here in Chennai. In both places they said "come back after one year marriage".

infoblues

Hello Ren,

I also registered to stay on my One year multiple entry tourist visa, The paper that was given to me was quite similar to yours. Issued in Bangalore.
Youll have to present it at the airport when you leave India, to the appropriate authority..Who knows they may not ask for it. Just carry it:P
And that 600 rupees you paid..was just pocketed by the ass who did your forms. Registering is free. Or supposed to be..but you know how things work here.
I am also married to an Indian National, and like Nick..I was told we can only apply for the PIO card after one year of marriage. Its not necessary to return home to do it. You can even do it by post here in India. Or in Delhi.

Brigit

I would say they have given you a visa exstention on the grounds of marrage to an Indian national.
I've been told that to pally for a PIO card, you have to have been married for one year (as mentioned above) but also that you have to have an curent X type visa that was origonaly valid for a year (this was at the FRO in Dehli). The very nice lady would told me this said that you neendn't have used the entire visa to have the PIO card issued on it. On the same trip (i love the FRO in dehli) they told me its much easyer, and cheeper to get your PIO card in India as opossed to your home country.

TerryM

I got 3 1/2 years married to a Indian girl, both of us are living in The Netherlands my wife is still a Indian Citzen and still has the Indian Pasport.

What I like to ask every time that I go to India I need to apply for a visa which is valid only for 6 months.

Is't possible for me to apply for kind of card, paper, passport etc. that I don't need to apply everytime for a visa ?

Amsterdam --> The hague (for the Embassy) is not really close.

__________________
If you can't stand the heat ...don't come near me...

Brigit

It depends how often you go to india and for how long what you would want.
You can apply for an X type visa, which can last up to a year (? or is it longer than that?), for this you just need to show your marrage certificate, or so I'm told by the Embassy in London.
If you go offten though, or stay for long times it may well be worth your while to get a PIO card (person of Indian oragin). Which your are alowed as your married to an Indian citizan. It lasts for 15 years and works as a visa, as well as giving you lots of diffrent usefull rights. try checking out the sight http://www.indianembassy.org/policy/...ction_PIO.html. Or the Indian Embassy in the nederlands websight which should have info on it also.


I got 3 1/2 years married to a Indian girl, both of us are living in The Netherlands my wife is still a Indian Citzen and still has the Indian Pasport.

What I like to ask every time that I go to India I need to apply for a visa which is valid only for 6 months.

Is't possible for me to apply for kind of card, paper, passport etc. that I don't need to apply everytime for a visa ?

Amsterdam --> The hague (for the Embassy) is not really close.

Nick-H

Terry... you can get a PIO card. After 3.5 years you should have no problems.

Lots about PIO here in the Passports & Visas forum, check it out on your own country's India Embassy site, and also see the Indian Emmigration Department site

You can even buy property, get jobs, do almost anything except vote, stand for election or own agricultural land once you get one of those cards!

TerryM

Thanks for the info Brigit. We try to go every year for 2-3 weeks but evertime I need to pay 50 euros which = 63$.

Not saying it's not worth it. But so much terrible everytime and spending the whole day in The hague.

I will see what I can do .... thanks again

Brigit

Ohh Terry I forgot to tell you the price of the PIO card. In India its 30,000rps and in England £250, a little cheeper in India. Those are quite recent prices.

TerryM

Nick, and Briget thanx, I will see what I can do here in The hague, I have all the papers like married certificaat, everything.. I just checked on the website frm The Indian Embassy http://www.indianembassy.nl/pg187000.htm

the cost are: 375 euro (please I want the guilder back )

Nick-H

They just want to know that it is a genuine, established relationship. After 3.5 years you should have no problems at all!

TerryM

oke i let you know how things go. Will call them this week

icetea

Ren,

what you have there is most probably a registration, not an extension of Visa. I had a Visa extension earlier and that is different (paper+passport stamp). And you need to pay more for it than you have payed. But anyway, you don't need a visa extension, your visa is valid for a year!

And no, there is no rule that you can stay only 6 months at a time...the rule is: you need to register before 6 months expire, but you can stay on for the whole year if you have a 1 year visa. Isn't it an X (entry) visa? That is what they issue if you are married to an Indian. I am also in the same situation. Maybe they have converted your tourist visa to an X visa? I don't think it's possible, theoretically...because they wouldnt do the same in my case, when I was on my last visa (T). But then again, anything is possible in India.

The money you payed must have been bribe, especially at the police. I also underwent the same procedure (police, FRO), but did not pay anything. I wasn't asked to, either. Someone from the FRO came to my house too one early morning, for a verification, I was thoroughly surprised. He asked a bunch of questions starting from my parents to my husband's education. He talked to my father-in-law also. Apparently they sometimes do this sort of verification, it's OK.

Now..about the PIO card...it can be obtained here or in your home country. The lady at the FRO office in Chennai told me it should be easier to get it back in my home country. Back in my home country..they told me it's easier to get in India. I guess they all want less paper-work

They also told me to go back home and get a new visa, in order to apply for PIO. Or to get it extended here. But the reason in my case is that my visa expires too soon (october 2006). They said that to apply for PIO one needs a visa valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of application.

Good that I saw this thread..at least it confirmed me 2 things....one, about the need to have 1 year of marriage in order to get the PIO card (I was unsure abt that one), and that one can get a job here in India if holding a PIO card (I had just vague hopes about that). Although I don't know who on earth would hire me here anyway :-))

Brigit

Just a note Icetea, on a tourist visa you can't register. I went to the RFO with a friend who had a five year tourist visa. That compleatly through the people at the FRO as apparently they don't issue five year T visas, but they did say it's not possible to register with any T visa.

icetea

Brigit, I thought maybe Ren had an entry visa afterall..
Otherwise you are right, on a T visa you cannot stay longer than 6 months at a time and so no need to register.

It's weird..if she has a T visa then how come they're letting her stay for 1 year continuously..?