one year visa

Nick-H

What an amazing place this is for information!

Thanks GC!

Seems an odd way to expect people to do business, though.

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Dilliwala

Not really, the biz visa is not an employment visa as someone said. It's for business-people who regularly fly in and out to meet their local partners, contacts, etc. Seeing that no biz-type can afford to be away from their 'home office' for too long, some arriving and leaving the same day even, 6 months to exit seems VERRRRY reasonable to me. Not the case with Schengen I think, but in any case certainly no more than 180 days there either.

Nick-H

It's ok for a small business... what what about the people here negotiating massive civil engineering projects?

I met someone doing this, mindyou, (BIG stuff, government stuff, too) --- on a tourist visa!

Valini

Yep that's right, the Business visa is limited to 6 months and some poor people have had the "exit every 30 days" stamp. That's from the Indian Embassy in Paris anycase. Myself, I was issued a 6m Business visa without any extra stamp. I slogged to get it extended and was granted an extra 2 months. My company isn't big or supr rich and can't afford to fly me in and out every couple of weeks. I'm not employed by any Indian company so the Employment visa isn't appropriate but I am here negociating contracts, training relevant staff etc from the Indian companies I decide to set up as clients.
It takes time to do that and I don't how hos that kind of work and be incorporated. It's all rather messy. I'll keep you posted on my next trip to extend the Bus visa.
Victoria

Dilliwala

What about them? They're getting the same treatment from GOI that Indian biz-people get from foreign govts. I don't hear anyone complaining/talking about that (except those same Indians maybe, but they're not on this forum).

And re biz on tourist visa, that must be a worldwide phenomenon. I can't believe desis are not doing it overseas.

Kinrara

Hi richie4india

I have a 1 year tourist visa stamped 180 days max stay. I was granted this last Aug 06, it was given to me instead of an X visa, not that I have ever had an X visa before! I went to the HCI London with my sale agreement, bank account, certificate of remittance etc asking for an X visa, but they have been stopped since about July/Aug 06. I am having to apply again this month and hoping to get another 1 year tourist, as you say easier to just cross the border rather than have to apply for new visa in say Thailand or Sri Lanka, will update my outcome. I also know of friends who have also been granted 1 year tourist visas, but they too have property sale agreements. As Nick says I think normally they are granted for tourism.

Regards

richie4india

I will be doing voluntary work too. So if I can get the charity to write a letter to the HCI London, is that likely to help? Or do they frown upon that!?

I have heard of people getting a one year T visa with their sale agreements. Sale areements obtained through buying property in a legal loophole. The Government want to stop this. Yet they issue the visa.

I would like this visa to tour India and do voluntary work. It is so much better to visit Sri Lanka to do the border cross rather then renew a visa!

uligaen

One of my volunteer-colleagues took a letter (or a printed email?) to the embassy (Ireland). The embassy called the boss here in India to reconfirm. She got a volunteer-visa for 4 months (which was enough for her).
So, the embassy might tend to give just a visa for the duration of your volunteering...

Nick-H

No... they have stopped giving X visas to these people.

It's a long story...

puddd4

Got offered a one year business Visa or an X Visa at Glasgow local surgery. Showed deeds to flat we had bought plus Company documents. We took the business one as hadn't a clue what an X Visa was. Did we make the right choice?

richie4india

Well if I HAVE to go to Sri Lanka to get a new visa then hey!!

I see they do issue x visas still. Mostly to previous x visa holders but I have heard of x visa virgins to get them. Sometimes I get feeling that the embassy staff are not sure what they are doing!

If I was as rich as Bill Gates and offered the Government a Billion in £ before conversion - to invest in to India - I wonder what would happen?

Nick-H

Hard to say. an X-visa doesn't normally have a 180-day-stay limit, although anything can be rubber-stamped. But it also doe not normally allow work, either.

Dilliwala

HUH?????????


Bill Gates had no probs getting a visa even before he handed out the billion. He's never wanted to stay anyway for 3 or 6 months. 3 to 6 days at most.
If/when u have a million to spare, hold back some of it to fly back and forth at will, whether to gain re-entry or to apply for a new visa.

richie4india

You see that is it. I don't want to work. Apart from the voluntary work....which I'm doing to help the poor kids and keep me occupied whilst in India.

I will use my time in India to visit all the major places and build a strong immunity no doubt!?

I just hope I can convince the embassy of this. I will provide bank statements, a letter from the charity and I can even get a character reference from an Indian Citizen from Mumbai.

I have emailed to find out if a 12 month T visa will be possible. London asked me to contact Birmingham. I have asked for the Top Official who can consider for me if needed. You don't ask you don't get!

goodytwoshoes

Went to Birmingham UK for a visa this time last year. Nobody in there so was chatting to the girl behind the counter (never been know before). She saw that we had an Indian visa every year in the passport so was chatting about India and we told her we had been going there for the winter for many years. Then she said - you havn't put how long you want the visa for (which was deliberate)- OH - I suppose 5 years is out of the question and she laughed and said yes. She went away and came back 5 mins later and said - She (whoever she is )says will 2 years be ok? We nearlly fell over and smiled and said yes thank you. We paid our £90 each and went back later in the day and there it was stamped in the passport 2yearX with no restrictions.
When we were in Panjim police station doing our registration we were asked how on earth we had got a 2 year visa as they were no longer giving them out. The policewoman said we must be well in with the staff in Birmingham.
Whenever visas came up in conversation and we said we had a 2 year one nobody believed us so we photocopied it and kept it with us - seems everybody else had 6 month ones.
Don't suppose we will get another one next year.