Irish-American in UK can't get Visa in Irish Passport - Help

Megs_London

I am Irish and living in the UK. I was born in the US and so I have a US passport but I don't like to use it. Under new rules at the High Commission of Indian in London, I am told that I cannot get an Indian tourist visa in my Irish passport, like I did before, and instead have to use my US passport.

I want to travel to Nepal via Indian at the beginning of October and after that pass through a few countries on the way back to the UK. My US passport only has four pages left empty, and only two of those are next to each other.

If I get the visa in my US passport, I worry that any onward border immigration agent will want to see and use my US passport rather than the Irish - they will ask how I got to Indian in the first place, where my visa is, etc. After a few stops I will be without adequate pages and have to wait two weeks for a renewal.

I don't have enough time to wait for a new US passport now. The Indian Embassy in Ireland isn't answering the phone and the message machine is full. Should I just go to Nepal first and then Indian and if so can I get a visa in Katmandu with the Irish passport? Or do you think immigration in Nepal wont really care that I want to switch from US to Irish passports?

Any advice is much appreciated.

curtdfw

Are you sure about the turnaround time for a new US passport? I renewed mine in Delhi in 2006 and it took only about a week, much less time than if I'd done it in the US.

In any case, the remaining four pages in your existing passport will hold a lot of stamps...

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Nick-H

Isn't there a minimum number of blank pages requirement for an Indian visa, which takes up one whole page just by itself? Just checking...

Haylo

Interesting, and rather bizarre. I have not heard anything about this, and if it is correct, I have no idea how applicants would be supposed to know about it.

There is nothing about this on the "news" or "notices" sections of the HCI London or VFS websites, which there should be if there are new rules, and I cannot believe that a visa applicant actually managed to speak to someone at the HCI London by telephone!

You say "I am told" - who gave you that information?

Yes, to apply for an Indian visa your passport needs at least two blank pages, and the OP only has four pages left on her US passport, and plans other travel too, which is why the OP wanted to apply for an Indian visa in her Irish passport instead of the US one.

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Nick-H

at least two blank pages

Thanks.

Haylo

I should have said, at least the blank pages don't have to be consecutive for an Indian visa.

nycank

The two blank pages** is actually a kindof-sortof-maybe BS i.e only introduced by the outsourcing agency. Someone indeed sent a passport with one blank page to an indian Consulado Geral/Consulado General/Consulate General and were given one without any problem with only one page to spare (circa summer '09).

Of course they have to scramble to get extra pages because Nepal takes up one full page too (or so I was told)


** The two blank pages is meant for sloppy/lazy exit passport control widget-stampers, mostly from the bygone cold-war era to match entry-exit dates right next to the full page visa sticky. And the pre-schengen EU was notorious top-offenders in that era.


1. The US Embassy in London will add extra pages and turn it around in a week or so. If you can show proof of emergency maybe sooner.

2. How many years left on your US passport to expire ? If you have active business visas or visas that are tied to your passport, and you intend to travel to those countries, then dont get a new passport.

3. Most, if not all countries that offer visa on arrival do not insist on blank pages. I can attest that my passport is stamped/overstamped/mishmash-stamped. The Sloppiest stampers being the Turks, and caribbean countries.

4. Going to Nepal, bypassing India, is possible if you take one of the middl eastern airline that fly into KTM. The price differential in the airfare is not advantageous to you.

5. I would not play passport switcharoo games in South Asia/South East Asia/FSU countries. [a] In the event you have an israeli stamp in one of your passports, I have unconfirmed notion that one of the SEA countries might bar entry to you.

Hope this clarifies.

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Megs_London

[quote=curtdfw;823729]Are you sure about the turnaround time for a new US passport? I renewed mine in Delhi in 2006 and it took only about a week, much less time than if I'd done it in the US.

Thanks, I got the two weeks form the US Embassy in London's website. It may take less, but that really slows down the travel plans. Also, if I get the multiple entry Indian Visa in the current US passport, then later need to renew my passport because there are too few pages (with the one pager-Nepal visa, etc) then that is more wait time while I get the visa transferred to the new passport.

Megs_London

hanks Haylo. I was told by a gentleman at the desk of the new Indian visa processing centre on Goswell Road. He confirmed with his supervisor. He said it is a new policy particular to the London HCI and it was only adopted two weeks ago. No names here, but he did say I could just erase my American citizenship. But the form also calls for places of parents' birth, mine being big US cities, a dead giveaway, and he said I'd be caught out.

I agree, there is nothing about this on line but with the outsourced visa centre, I don't know what else to do. I pointed out this is silly as I could just go to Nepal and apply for one on my Irish passport.

Megs_London

Thanks NYCANK. The additional pages is an option. There is no real emergency I can think of as I don't have the onward travel booked so would they say I need to apply from wherever I run out? Lots of years left, but no active visas.

I've never seen them overstamp a different country - are you saying they will put a visa in over existing entry/exit stamps?

Switcharoo is exactly what I want to avoid by not even starting with the US one. And yes, I've got big Ben Guron and Taba stamps to boot.

Megs_London

Thanks everybody.

I've heard that if you do not check a bag, you can change planes/airlines in Dehli and you don't have to go through immigration. Is that right?

If so, that would take care of the cost issue (not have to get an expensive direct flight to KTM) and the visa issue (I can get the Nepal visa upon arrival and the Indian visa in KTM for onward travel). I assume getting an Indian visa in KTM is straightforward.

nycank

Since you have not mentioned which onwards countries you have in your itn. It is hard to figure out if you will land into trouble because of BenGurion International.

Except for a sticky paper visa pasted on your passport, most countries will put a rubber entry stamp over existing other rubber stamps. Turks VOA is essentially postage stamps pasted one on top of another.

Will you be flying essentially wih a carryon ?

Both BAA (British Airport Authority) and DEL&BOM Airports have insisted one checking in my carry on; a bag which clearly has travelled overhead to so many countries without any problem was checked at both London Airports and the two Indian airports. If they force you to checkin at BAA then your strategy will backfire on you.
You can give it a try.

Megs_London

Thanks NYCANK. Yes, it is a 32 litre rucksack so I don't think it would be a problem. Might just go Air India all the way just in case though.

nycank

I do not understand what the size measurements would be for a 32 liter rucksack. These are the size restrictions imposed by British Airport Authority irrespective of the airline for carry on luggage -

Your first step should be baa.com to find out which airport you'll be exiting; LHR or LGW. Check for restriction on carryon. The airports of two country in question - UK and India are counterintuitive to many frequent travelers in matters of carry on, sizes and minor nuisances.

Enjoy Nepal & India and beyond.