It Began With The Misionary (Visa) Position

poipleshadow

Hi... I beleive there is a missionary visa for India.

I was wondering abut applying for a missionary visa as I run a children's charity in Goa, but do not know anything about it - has anyone applied for this and if so is it hard to get or do you need heaps of documents etc? Please let me know... I hope to get to the UK before July to sort it out....

Thanks

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Rob
Trying to make the world a better place is really hard...

Nick-H

To the best of my knowledge you'll only get one if you are sponsored by a recognised religious organisation.

I don't see the relevance at all.

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edwardseco

It will be a challenge due to the sensitivity of the subject and to the actions of some who obtained such. As Nick pointed out leave it to your church to arrange it..

poipleshadow

I don't think it is just for 'religious' organisations/people now... I was told that anyone who was doing charity work can apply - I'm probably one of the least religious people I know... Does anyone know of anyone who has/had one and why/when? I basically want a long term visa to do charity work in India... anyone got any better ideas?

TheFoolOnTheHill

Missionaries - suggest you stay in your country of origin and do your charity work there.

Sure - throw your brickbats at me for this statement but we don't need any more of you in India, comprende?

Charity work itself has its complications but there are ways of helping people without a religious/secret/other agenda

Missionaries stay out. Tourists apply for a tourist visa.

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navinkurian2002

If I am not mistaken poipleshadow runs the NGO Children Walking Tall [1]

Rob following your work. I see you have been in india for a long time. Are you having problems ?

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iwanttogoback

indeed fool on the hill, rob has been working in india with an ngo for quite a while now.

if you'd taken the time to read his post properly you'd have seen that he is looking for a way to regularize his current charity work NOT come and evangelize.

you may not like missionaries, that's fine, but you don't need to be rude.

machadinha

Moreover, it seems to me it's the Indian government that offers the missionary visa as a separate category. So if you'd like to see this changed, better take it up with them I guess. I understand they're far from easy to get. And despite the name, I guess this is meant more for people in official religious functions (of any religion) in general, not for (Christian or any other) evangelical purposes per se. They seem to be offered by many countries.

It also looks like the requirement is in place precisely to keep a check on their activities in the first place, not to facilitate them. From http://www.abriggs.com/visas/i/india_visa.php :

Poiple, like Nick I've never heard this would apply to other purposes no. But the details of the visa seem rather sketchy, I don't know the ins and outs of it either. It's hard to find the details online too; search around for +"missionary visa" +india; try "missionaries visa" as well.

http://www.india-visa.com/wahington-info.htm :

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/c.../cis_1139.html :

Ah look, maybe this is where the confusion about "charitable" work comes in, http://www.vakilbabu.com/Laws/Citizenship.htm :

... Etc. and so on, you can search on for much of the same. Like I said, it's hard to find the precise stipulations, but I wouldn't hold your hopes up for your kind of work no, unless it's clearly and officially religiously affiliated and sponsored (and probably unless you yourself are ordained in whatever designation), which I suspect it isn't, and which by your own description you are certainly not. I also don't know of any other way to stay long-term no, sorry. Save for employment or running a legal business of your own or marriage of course. (I think the [im-] possibilities of running a non-profit business have been discussed on this board btw, better not start that here again, but you could search for it. I think member Diana among others has been discussing this, didn't sound all that hopeful mind.)

The Ministry of Home Affairs used to have a (summary) breakdown on various visa types, but the site's just had an overhaul and I can't find any foreigner's section at all anymore in a jiffy. Pity. http://mha.gov.in/

(A final thought, and I don't have any fantasies about the lenience of Indian govt. officials or laws: But you've been doing this for quite some time now. I assume that's all kosher and you may now have some leverage in the community? Would it be possible to ask for an interview at the Indian High Commission in the UK to just discuss what possibilities you have? Or to do so at an appropriate department in India? Better let sleeping dogs lie of course, but you're in a better position to judge the wiseness of such a course of action. If you suspect it'll lead to trouble, then obviously better not go tell it to some officials. I'm assuming they're aware of your presence and work though, and that of your colleagues.)

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poipleshadow

Wow...

Just to clear everyone's minds... up until now I have been on a 5 year visa and it is up for expiry in the next few months, I went to see the local foreigners division at the government who said I should apply for a missionary visa (hence the question!!!)

Quick replies....

TheFoolOnTheHill : I'm an atheist actually so no chance of converting anyone to my god...

navinkurian2002 : Yep that's me... No problems (other than the usual red tape), just my visa runs out and need a new one... Just wanting to know which is the best for my situation.

machadinha : Thank you so much for all the info... I'm actually from the UK originally so will try and find someone there who can hopefully find out more... I thought there was a hive of knowledge on here and it would be my best chance to get some good inside knowledge... I have to say it sounds weird having a 'missionary visa'...

Unfortunately I don't have any powerful friends... We've got as far as we have by just working damn hard!!! I've probably annoyed more people with my stubborness not to give up...!

If anyone else has any powerful friends they would like to loan me... Then hey, that would be nice!

navinkurian2002

I would ask the priest at the Pilar Seminary

federica

Do you have to renew your visa in UK? My (small) experience was that explaining your work and your benefit for India's people (without a colonial attitude) does help to convince officers at the consulate/embassy. At the end they will decide what kind of visa they will grant.

The only problem can be if the FRO doesn't accept it and they tell you that you don't have the right kind of visa and refuse your registration (I know one case like this). But I don't think this will happen, as you had already a 5 year visa.

edwardseco

Its just that this may be jumping from the frying pan into the fire as evidenced by a reply. I am not sure the FRO gives well meant advice. Are there other such individuals in your field that may have more intimate knowledge of this than us turistas.?

TheFoolOnTheHill

whoa! Interesting replies.
I won't open a can of worms by defending/commenting on the OP's specific charity because I don't know nitch about his charity. I learnt a long time ago first hand that charity means different things to different people. It's not always a good thing!

All I'll say is: how do you ?NavinKurian? know that I'm not a rabid priest of (...insert religion of choice here)? Or a born-again whatsis? Or a Saint on vacation from my dearly loved Himalayas?! Or George Bush on a bored whisky break? Or Old Osama bin Boring?

Throwing in the rulebook of the Indian visa doesn't help: yes I know it's a tedious issue in most countries. Many Indian/non-Indian visas have been used and misused in countless ways - and this is not a comment on the OP.

The point was the word missionary. Amazed to know that the Indian government actually grants visas based on missionary work. I think our US government does as well?

I think I'll save myself some internet time and Just Stay Away from this topic Can of worms...

ploink

Many missionaries I met during my stay in North India in the autumn appeared to be on "under cover" missions - or that was my first impression of many. With time I began to understand the missionary "scene" there, and came to know that many people that I had met were, really, primarily, missionaries - whether on missionary visas or not, mostly not, I believe. Very interesting...

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iwanttogoback

hey there fool, hopefully the worms have all been turned now and the thread can concentrate on helping rob achieve his goal which would seem to be to continue his work.

all the best rob, keep us posted.