One year tourist visa?

I've seen a few IM'rs mention that they've managed to acquire 1 year tourist visas. I've also found a few websites that seem to be offering these as well. Is this just for US citizens? Are there special circumstances under which 1 year tourist visas are issued? I'm suprised I haven't heard more discussion about this. It would seem to make things a heck of a lot easier for those who wish to stay longer than six months time (especially with all the talk lately of increased difficulties getting new 6 month tourist visas in bordering countries). Of course you'd still have to leave the country after the initial six months, but this would be a relatively straightforward process in Bangledesh or Nepal. The link below is just one of many that I found offering this service.

Thanks so much,

-Dave

http://www.myvisapassport.com/Visa-India-Tourist.html

Check this thread out David,This Visa is not specifically for the US citzens as Jorge(Spanish)has got this visa too.

1 year multiple entry tourist visa

Thank you Batistuta. My apologies for not finding that thread earlier - I must have searched for 'One year tourist visa' rather than '1 year tourist visa'

All the same, it looks like its a legitimate option. I'll be applying for my visa at the New York City consoluate in person a couple of days before departing, so it seems I'd have a very good chance of obtaining one. Wonderful! I guess I can just skip right over the border quickly to Bangledesh (I hear they'll allow you to do this for a small fee, so you don't neccessarily have to purchase a Bangledesh visa?), and then hop right back.

Thanks so much - any other input or experience with the one year tourist visa?

-Dave

israelis get a one year visa otherwise try going for a business or student visa...

I thought US citizens received a 10 year anyway.

According to the current website of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, US citizens are eligible for 6-month, one-year, or ten-year visas. It depends on our plans, and how much we want to pay; that 10-year visa was expensive last time I checked.

Thanks. Nice choice.

I just wanted to add that some of us got those 1 year entry visas only because we are more than tourists here (the regular tourist visa being of max. 6 months), some of us are married to Indian citizens and there might be some other special circumstances in which they issue these visas.

But I believe this is different for US citizens (the lenght of visas offered does depend on nationality, btw), you will have more options, so the 1 year visa thing might as well be feasible.

For brits the tourist visa is 6 months maximum, unless you can show that you visit regularly because you are in the travel industry.

(which seems to be a contradiction to the idea that you can't work on a tourist visa........ )

i just got a ten year tourist visa at the indian consulate in new york city. it was $150, but the say 180 days a year applies, so i am confused about what hopping over the border to bangladesh and coming right back accomplishes.

Yeah, I've also seen varying prices for both the 1 year and 10 year visas. For the 1 year, it usually varies between $85-$95, and for the 10 year, $120-$150. My guess would be that getting it in person would naturally be the cheapest option, but this doesn't seem to be the case.
From browsing the websites, there seems to be nothing noted that mentions that 1 year tourist visas are only issued under special circumstances. For the 10 year visas, I think I remember reading something about needing a note from a place of business or residency within India - I could also definitely be wrong about that though.

For me, it's an exciting possibility to think about getting the one year visa for the extra added conveinence. I guess it also seems to be cheaper than buying two back to back 6 month tourist visas.

-Dave

What, if anything, does it say in the visa?

The ten-year visa is really just a six-month multiple entry visa that is good for ten years. How's that for clarity? You can stay in India only for six months at a time, but you are saved the hassle of having to apply, and pay, for new visas. The "renewing" process is accomplished by collecting exit/entry stamps on your passport. You have to leave India every 180 days.

The ten-year visa is ideal for people who go to India regularly, about once a year. It's not really designed for a long-term stay, though you can accomplish this if you want, by coming and going every six months.

Remember that visas are an immigration issue. No country is going to let a foreign national just hang around for a decade. Tourist visas are for tourists.

the only thing it says is:
"registration not required if continuous stay on a single visit does not exceed 180 days"

coming and going away for the balance of the year (185 days)?