Journalist Visa

monki · Sep 24th, 2009, 23:27

One look at BBC on my visa application and I was forced to get journalist's tourist visa, despite not being a journalist and writing no content for the BBC and having a letter from my employer explaining this.

I have the feeling that if worked in the canteen making sandwiches I'd still have been forced to apply as a journalist.

So, as well as having to fork out and extra £25, I'm guessing that I'll now get a grilling from immigration when I arrive...

Merchant · Sep 24th, 2009, 23:56

You won't get grilled. You have a perfectly valid visa. You don't have anything to worry about.

But now you will be able to talk about traveling to India as a journalist -- you can even drop "overseas correspondent for the BBC" into the conversation if you need to impress someone in a bar. Make the most of it!

On a more serious note, journalists are a tight community -- if you ever needed help in India, since you are a BBC employee, the local media organizations would be happy to assist. Even though you are not a writer or TV personality, all the local media have backoffices and support personnel, too, so they will get where you are coming from.

See why India wants you to have j-visa?

Nick-H · Sep 24th, 2009, 23:59

Quote:

I have the feeling that if worked in the canteen making sandwiches I'd still have been forced to apply as a journalist

That is more or less correct. Anything media-related will get you into that category.

I'm surprised they didn't accept the letter, though. We had one member, profession photographer, from whom they accepted a declaration that she was a wedding photographer, and not connected with the news industry at all.

<cross-posted with Merchant>

I agree: I don't think you'll get any hassle from immigration --- but might be a good idea to keep that BBC letter with your travel docs.

Merchant · Sep 25th, 2009, 00:11

Yeah -- it's a matter of your employer, not what you actually do.

There is an assumption here that people on j-visas face more scrutiny or difficulty, but that's not really the case. You might warrant some curiosity from the people who check your visa, like hotel clerks (they are required by law to record your particulars). But you don't have to tell them anything if you don't want to. Foreign journalists in India are generally respected, and the guy at the desk may feel some particular pride that you have chosen his establishment to lay your head -- especially if you are in some out-of-the-way area. In a big city, no one will notice or care.

Haylo · Sep 25th, 2009, 02:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merchant

Foreign journalists in India are generally respected, and the guy at the desk may feel some particular pride that you have chosen his establishment to lay your head.

If I had to have a journalist visa, I'd tell the hotel that I wasn't anything at all serious such as a "proper news journalist" and that I only did their travel features, such as reviews on hotels...

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Sep 24th, 2009, 23:27	#31
monki Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Posts: 1	One look at BBC on my visa application and I was forced to get journalist's tourist visa, despite not being a journalist and writing no content for the BBC and having a letter from my employer explaining this. I have the feeling that if worked in the canteen making sandwiches I'd still have been forced to apply as a journalist. So, as well as having to fork out and extra £25, I'm guessing that I'll now get a grilling from immigration when I arrive...

Sep 24th, 2009, 23:56	#32
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,214	You won't get grilled. You have a perfectly valid visa. You don't have anything to worry about. But now you will be able to talk about traveling to India as a journalist -- you can even drop "overseas correspondent for the BBC" into the conversation if you need to impress someone in a bar. Make the most of it! On a more serious note, journalists are a tight community -- if you ever needed help in India, since you are a BBC employee, the local media organizations would be happy to assist. Even though you are not a writer or TV personality, all the local media have backoffices and support personnel, too, so they will get where you are coming from. See why India wants you to have j-visa?

Sep 25th, 2009, 00:11	#34
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,214	Yeah -- it's a matter of your employer, not what you actually do. There is an assumption here that people on j-visas face more scrutiny or difficulty, but that's not really the case. You might warrant some curiosity from the people who check your visa, like hotel clerks (they are required by law to record your particulars). But you don't have to tell them anything if you don't want to. Foreign journalists in India are generally respected, and the guy at the desk may feel some particular pride that you have chosen his establishment to lay your head -- especially if you are in some out-of-the-way area. In a big city, no one will notice or care.