Visa Renewal - Advice Needed

katyrafi

Firstly apologies for raising this old chestnut again, but I am in a difficult situation and I'm sure some of you old-hands might be able to help. So here goes:

- I have now been in India since Sept 2004, with one return to the UK and one to Sri Lanka and am still on a tourist visa

- I am married to an Indian national but he has yet to get his passport despite lots of baksheesh, visits to police stations etc so he cannot travel with me to the UK or elsewhere

- My visa runs out on 21st January and I need to do the taking the marriage certificate, letter from husband thing and then register at FRRO in the hope of getting a longer term x-visa. I know I can apply for PIO status in May 2006

- My family (well my Dad actually) want me to return to the UK and are prepared to pay for a one-way ticket home only which I don't want as my husband is here and who knows when I might be able to return....

I might be able to raise enough money to go to Sri Lanka and do the visa renewal there

But I am very poor, so ....

My questions are:

1. What's the cheapest way to renew my visa? E.G could I get a train to say Nepal and successfully get an x-visa there? Anyone have any experience of this? What are the costs involved - travel, visa, registration?

2. If Sri Lanka is my best bet, what's the cheapest flight option and can anyone recommend cheap accommodation near the Indian Embassy?

3. Anybody got any better ideas - is it worth me approaching the FRRO (nearest one Chennai I think) and trying for an x-visa on the grounds of marriage [i]without[i] leaving the country? Clearly this would involve a risk of them saying no before I have organised an alternative and time is running out. Again, what would the costs involved be?

Any help much appreciated folks

p.s It's snowing in middle England - 6cm last night - who'd want to go there now?!!

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Nick-H

I know a man who knows a man who knows a man who...

...has said that, Rs30,000 he will entirely manage the process of converting my tourist visa, after marriage, to Entry visa and that it will take from one to three weeks only.

What I don't know is if I could just do the same thing myself by filling in a few forms and save a lot of money.

Actually this guy's name came from a respectable relocation agency, so it isn't dark and dodgy or anything ---but it may be that one is paying for his contacts and leaving the odd pocket a little fuller.

According to this site you are right about Chennai being your nearest. There is an email address: you could try it! Maybe I will... <a few minutes later: I just did>

We should keep in touch on this as we are both in the same boat and from the same country so should be subject to the same regulations.

I don't know if you can change the thread title, but "Visa after marriage in India" or something might get the attention of someone who knows

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katyrafi

Thanks Nick

You're right we should keep in touch on this. Thanks for the tip about the man who knows a man - only problem is raising the necesary 30K! A trip to Sri Lanka would probably cost half that but if it's a definate possiblity it solves the problem at a stroke.

I have tried to edit the title of the thread but can only edit the contents of my post - perhaps a friendly moderator might do that for me as your title suggestion is much more likely to get appropriate viewings.

Let me know if you get a response from that email link - I'll try it myself now ....

mav_e_rick

for your husband's passport visit this link

http://passkoz.kar.nic.in/tatkaal_scheme.htm avoid paying baksheesh etc as passports are easy to get now ( if one doesnt have a criminal record) He can even track his application status online, so many people I know ( including my driver) have got passports without resorting to any bakesheesh or any 'connections'

As fasr as extension of your visa is concerned, ministry of external affairs has an office in delhi where foreign nationals can go meet conselors across the desk and put forth their reasons for visa extension, I have had friends from abroad who have availed this many times. I cant remember even one occasion where the application was turned down. Maybe you could take your marriage certificate there are ask for a long term visa or advice on how to go about it. I dont have the address at the moment, but will try to locate it and post it

all the best

katyrafi

Cheers for the link re passports mav-er-ick, I'm in the process of emailing them to find out what the delay is. Unfortunately I can't use the automated checking service as I can only read the last 4 numbers on the cash receipt for his application!!

I would be very grateful for the Delhi External Affairs Office details if you find them

mav_e_rick

Do read this on how to obtain the PIO http://mha.nic.in/pioscheme.htm

Other useful info is available at http://mha.nic.in/fore.htm

It has very useful information on who is eligible for PIO ( you clearly are),and method of application. The nearest place for you

Chennai: - Chief Immigration Officer,
Bureau of Immigration, Shastri Bhavan Annexe,
No. 26, Haddows Road, Chennai – 600006

The PIO fee is Rs 15000/- and validity is 20 years.PIO application forms are available at http://mha.nic.in/pioform.pdf

Should you make a visit to Delhi, please go to 'Foreigners Division', MHA( Ministry of Home Affairs), Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi between 10 AM to 12 AM on all working days (Monday to Friday).

My friends had their visas extended at

Joint Secretary (Foreigners),
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Jaisalmer House, 26, Man Singh Road,
New Delhi – 110011.

The above is quite close to Khan market, so you can visit both places.

Hope this helps

mav_e_rick

I was mistaken...visa extensions if you are still in India are under the purview of Ministry of Home Affairs ( MHA) and NOT under the Ministry of External Affairs ( MHA). The latter only comes into the picture if you are making a visa application from outside of India.

katyrafi

Mav_er_rick, thankyou - it all seems remarkably straightforward looking at those two sites, I wonder whether it will be in practice.

Just need to raise some cash and get myself to Delhi with marriage certificate and husband in tow now.

Wish me luck, I'll let you know how I get on ......

mav_e_rick

hi katy

i have to say the foreigners cell at jaisalmer house surprised even me with their efficiency, my friends from the UK were granted extensions the same day,so Im sure you won't have a problem either

I would recommend you travel to Delhi ( instead of Chennai) as they will be in a position to take a decision right there, the office in Chennai might end up refering you to delhi, and waste your time.

Being married to an Indian national entitles you to a PIO card, just make sure your husband carries some proof of identity with him like drivers license/voters ID card/ration card, preferably all if possible!

should you need any more info/assistance, feel free to pop another message

cheers
Manpreet

ps If you make the journey to delhi in Sleeper class, it works out pretty cheap, just make sure you get reservations though!

sirensongs

First of all, I am in Nepal, it is safe and MUCH cheaper than flying to Sri Lanka. Nepal is also far more interesting than SL, IMHO. I have done my visa both places.

Second:
If you're married to an Indian national, you should qualify for something called an Entry Visa.

An entry visa is prima facie "good for" only 6 months; however, unlike a Tourist Visa, it can be renewed IN COUNTRY by the local FRRO or Deputy Supt. of Police office wherever you are registered.

There are 2 conditions under which I have firsthand knowledge of this being given -
1-being married to an Indian, even for a very short time. In Colombo I ran into an English punk rocker who had married a woman from Kerala and was there with his marriage certificate to get the Entry Visa. He got it, no problem. They had just been married a few months. Same fee as any other visa. All he has to do is go to the "Dep Soop" every 6 mos. and get it okayed.

2-If you are a long-term resident of particular institutions, such as Auroville, or a resident at the Mata Amritanandamayi Ashram or other such quasi-religious institutions, they will give you this visa (sometimes called a 'yoga visa'). These folks also have to go to the Dep Soop and if they choose to travel away from their home base for more than 2 weeks' time period, they have to notify the police. There is rarely a problem. In effect these people are 'sponsored' by their institution and this visa is given under the auspices of that school, ashram, etc.

Hope this helps.

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katyrafi

Sirensongs

Brilliant! Thanks for the info. I'll check out prices for a trip to Nepal (a place I would love to visit) if I can't get a visa extension in Delhi by presenting my marriage certificate. Either way, sounds like a bit of an adventure is in order cos I cannot be a**ed to go back to Colombo on the 'visa run' even if I could afford it.

I wonder if the English punk rocker is still married to the Kerala woman - conjures up a lovely image of saris with safety pins and orange hair

sirensongs

Try Delhi first,but Nepal is cheap, just a bit complicated. I suggest train to bus, because otherwise you're looking at DAYS on the bus. You take the train from Delhi or wherever to Gorakhpur (nearest railhead). There you get a bus to the border, a 3-hour ride to a dump called Senauli. Then you take a cycle rickshaw across the border to Nepal, a little place called Bhairava. They take your $30, stamp your visa and you are in. You change your money nearby. Then a tout will approach you to sell you a mini-bus ticket to Kathmandu for about 250 Indian. There are no "official" buses that I know of, just micros. It's about 9 hours and lovely drive. All the details are on my website under "Window Seat - by Bus to Nepal." By far the cheapest way out of the country.

The Kerala - punk story happened only in April, so I guess they're still together!

Sprocket

Friend,
Get a comfy, express bus from Delhi to Kathmandu (the Tibetans in Manjnu-ka-tila camp are good agents) then go and see Mr. Hari. He can sort out 6 month visa's in a couple of days for you and do all the queuing etc.
He doesn't charge a great deal for this and is very helpful. It's the cheapest way, but you will need $30 at the border for your Nepali visa.
If this interests you, let me know and I'll give you the nitty gritty, hope it all works out whatever you do.
Cheerio for now.

Nick-H

Malayalee taste in men never ceases to astound.

I mean... one of them is even marrying Me!

sirensongs

Hey Sprocket - how fast is that 'Express' bus? I heard it was at least 2 days from Delhi to Kat-Town.

Two days on the bus with a bunch of Tibetans...I can smell the rancid butter now. ;-)