US passport expires in 6 months - valid for trip?

earth.anon

Hello

I hold a US passport that expires in December 2008, I am planning a short visit to India in July. I already have a multiple entry indian visa on this passport. I was wondering...

1. is there some such restriction that the passport needs to be valid 6 months past the date of entry into India?

2. (maybe more of a US passport office question)... if I do renew my passport - what happens to my 10 year indian visa on the current passport? still valid?

thx

Jay

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machadinha

From memory, yes. Check any consular site on it. (Note however that I can't be sure if this matters if you don't stay for as long. Since a standard tourist visa will be valid for 180 days though, I suppose it will be required, and no one will care if you happen to plan to stay for shorter, and why should they.)

Try
http://meaindia.nic.in/ (links on to embassies abroad, under "Missions & Posts Abroad," right-hand side after you enter)
http://mha.gov.in/

Or search for or call your local Indian embassy or your Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I believe (but can't be sure again) it will just be transferred to a new passport yes. Again, follow the above channels, they'll know, I don't.

To be better safe than sorry, going away for a bit (but you specify it's short) I'd rather have a fresh passport on me than one that may run out halfway and give me trouble because of it.

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earth.anon

thanks. yeah - better safe than sorry. I'll check the sites...

edwardseco

On the 10 year valla all you do is carry the old passport along with the new one and thereby avoid the transfer fee, nakees..

verbatim

Hello,

Just wondering... is there an official link that anyone could refer to? It would definitely be nice to know that one could travel with a valid visa on an expired US passport.

verbatim

Just found on the Embassy of India - Stockholm website that OCI stickers on expired passports can be used for travel to India:
http://www.indianembassy.se/index.ph...on=com_faqs#15

But how about a long-term visa on an expired passport? Does anyone have an official link for it?

machadinha

I reckon a call to your local embassy would be the way to really find out. Let us know what you find.

camelgirl

Your passport has to be valid for at least six months. If you go in July, that's only 5 months. Maybe they won't notice but I wouldn't chance it. So I recommend you get yourself a new passport quickly. You can transfer your 10 year valid Visa to your new passport. Here's a link with all the info. how to do that. I'd say get going right away as you do not have much time. U.S. passports take quite a bit longer to get than they used to.

https://www.indian-visa.com/guidelines?id=14

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edwardseco

My neighbor did this last year, no problemo..

nycank

Pay careful attention to what the immigrations officers do. They swipe your passport - and the machine-readable passport pops up all details on the screen. It will be noticeable pronto.

camelgirl

I just looked at the India Visa website (USA) and here is a link about "do you have to transfer the visa to your new passport" scroll down for the answer, which is They Highly Recommend It. They don't say you have to do it but I would. I also have a 10 year visa and will have to deal with this some day also though my passport still has some years left on it.

https://www.indian-visa.com/FAQ.html#transfer

On the application form there is a choice "Transfer Tourist Visa"

verbatim

Thank you for the link.
Thus far it seems that its not a requirement to get the visa transferred, though highly desirable. So I'll take the risky way this summer and fly through Mumbai airport...
Thank you everyone for your kind responses.

Joibanglaforevu

In response to passport-

I'm requesting mine now (filled out form yesterday) and what I read was this: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the time Visa is requested. The Visa becomes valid the day they issue it, not the day of expected arrival. Expected arrival can change, it only has to be valid for six months from now, or which ever day you send it in to get your Visa.
However, make sure you leave India BEFORE it expires, otherwise you will have problems. It sounds like you're not going to be there that long, but that's the only chance of a problem.

Travisa specifically warns against requesting a Visa too early, and then arriving when the Visa expires. Your Visa is what gets you into India, the Passport is just your international ID.

camelgirl

The OP has a 10 year Visa so I don't think there is any problem with the Visa expiring. Unlike a 6 month Visa which starts to run when you get it (which is why you should not get it too early), the 10 year visa starts to run when it's issued but apparently just keeps running for 10 years. The only requirement is not to stay longer than 180 days at a time. (At least that's how I read it).

earth.anon

thanks all. I decided to not take a chance - got it renewed and also spent the $ to transfer my visa stamp over to the new. Why not avoid a possible headache if I indeed can. Now I have peace of mind!

thanks