Multiple Entry Visa Expires during stay

Hi there, hoping someone can help answer a simple question - due to go to India tomorrow (from UK) on a multiple entry business visa (180 days per stay) but it expires on the 2nd Feb 2011 - I'm currently due to fly back to the UK on the 6th of Feb, will i have any issues returning to the UK given my Visa has expired?

Thanks,

Yes, it will have serious ramifications - you would be charged of Visa violation rules and in all probability never issued Visa of India again. Get your ticket changed IMHO.

Really, that serious? My assumption was they wouldn't even check the visa on returning back to the UK?

Think again. It's illegal to be in India (or any country) without a valid visa. This is how the world works. The common term for someone who entered the country on a valid visa and then let it lapse is "illegal immigrant."

I used to presume so. One of my correspondents then informed me that a friend of theirs had been tossed into detention for a few hours overstay. If they did "overlook" the violation they would charge a fine and a daily charge in the old days. It suggests a visit to the FRRO with some excuse for them to extend the visa for a few days (flights?)..

When you put it like that it makes a lot of sense. Quick question in that case - if my visa expires on the 2nd i assume i'm ok to travel on the 2nd? It doesn't need to be the 1st?

"My flight out of India is a few days after my visa expires" is not a valid reason for visa extension. So just change your flight date.

Yes, one can assume it's possible to leave on the day the visa expires, but if your flight is delayed and you are not processed through immigration before midnight -- then what?

You really should change your flight. If you overstay by a few days or a few hours, you are going to be at the mercy of the Indian bureaucracy and the whims of the officers at the airport. Better to maintain your legal status and fly home without any worry, even if it costs money to change the flight.

Yes. You need to be out of India by midnight on the expiry day.

There is a general assumption (but it is an assumption) that he furthest this could be pushed is to have cleared emigration control before that time.

Is this your first visit ? What was the length of the visa i.e when was it issued ?

You can extend business visas in India, but I recommend against it. I just went through it and it drained a week of my life total. You may be lucky and get by in two days (one visit to MHA, then to FRRO, assuming you're in Delhi) if you're just asking for a very short extension, but nothing is guaranteed. If you get "stuck" in approvals (i.e. you do not have the extension approved by the time you were scheduled to leave) then you are probably OK to stay but you are not OK to leave! i.e. you wouldn't be able to leave until approvals are done.