Poppadum

Hi, I'm a new member - and would appreciate some advice please from ex pats in India. It appears that one cannot emigrate to India in any way from looking at the visas or speaking with the Indian authorities, however, if one is in good health, has sufficient funds (50k plus), is there a visa by which one can stay in India for a while, and eventually live there - or is retiring there totally closed to Brits ? Would it help to visit the country and meet people who have been able to emigrate, or would this simply be a wasted journey ? Some countries have numerous sub visas in addition to the usual visas - so I wonder if India is similar, and if there is a way to live and retire in the country. It's one of a number of countries I am looking at. Any advice greatly appreciated. Many thanks in advance.

Bipat

Unless you are Indian/Indian origin you can only get a tourist visa. You cannot buy property as a tourist.
It would be possible to retire there only if you rent a property and return to UK to renew your visa.
Have you ever been to India?

bakedbean

Hi Poppadum and welcome to the forum

If you have no joy re retiring in India, Sri Lanka has a fairly good retirement visa. There's a sticky thread on here that you can read.

Other countries with retirement visas, with varying requirements, include Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. You'll find details on these in the different country forums on here.

Poppadum

Thanks BiPat and Baked Bean for your responses. I am also considering Thailand as I visited to research earlier this year (Chiang Mai) and liked it. I have not been to India and am thinking of visiting to see if it would be for me or not, plus research possibilities of living there. If I rented property in India, how often would I need to return to the UK for visa renewal please ? ...and also, do you know if it is possible to work for charities in India as a UK born immigrant ? Thanks for you help and suggestions. I have heard Sri Lanka is good - but I would need to wait another two years for that as I am 53. Thanks again.

bakedbean

There's a sticky thread at the top of the Goa forum titled Visa help. Have a look at that topic and see if there's some answers for you.

scot47

Look at all the problems faced by people who bought property in Goa. The Indian Govt is still looking for revenge for 1857. Try somewhere sensible. Malayuia has a retirement visa.

You do not have much chance of emigrating to other parts of what used to be the Raj -

See -

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ight=islamabad

scot47

Look at all the problems faced by people who bought property in Goa. The Indian Govt is still looking for revenge for 1857. Not without good cause ! Try somewhere sensible. Malaysia has a retirement visa.

Bipat

The law against buying property in India and visa restrictions apply to all foreigners not just the British. It is quite possible to rent.

Bipat

A tourist visa is usually for 6 months or one year (if lucky).
Working for charities is possible but not on tourist visa. I think an employment visa is necessary ie you would need an invitation to work there.
Info here, VFS Global at present handle visa applications.

http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/

India is a vast country each state being different and almost like separate countries regarding climate, language, wealth, cuisine etc etc.
I think you would need extensive visiting to decide if/where emigrate to !!!!

Poppadum

Wow ! What a great forum ! Many thanks to everybody for taking the time and effort to reply - much appreciated. I have much to consider and research now. Thanks once again kind folk.

IndiaInMyMind

I wish India had a Permanent Visa for people who will not work there and live on their income from aboard...

bakedbean

Hi and welcome to the forum . Yes I'm sure a lot of people wish the same. Sri Lanka has a good visa I understand. There's a Read Me sticky thread at the top of this section of the forum, if you want to read.

poipleshadow

It is possible to get a 1 year visa if you are working for charity and this is possible to extend in country as long as you jump through enough hoops and you are still connected with the charity (Volunteering). This visa is an employment visa, which costs around £300, with this you will need to register with the FRO in panjim and 'ask permission' to leave before going abroad. I have had an employment visa since it was introduced and before that an Entry/X visa. The first visa I had was a 5 year visa which was LOVELY, although they keep changing the type of visas required and sadly the costs. You should really do a recon to India before making such a decision as India and Thailand are very different. Good luck

IndiaInMyMind

I was thinking of Sri Lanka until I have seen the Buddhist Monks attacking Muslims...Geez, these are Monks, so against to their teachings!!

dandelionseed

I emigrated last Sept to India on an Entry visa, which once my papers are sorted will give me a residential permit, but only valid for here in Auroville (http://www.auroville.org/ for more info). I will then continue to live here on an extended entry visa which can be renewed every 5 years. It is something unique to Auroville though.

My husband was born here (although he's not of Indian origin) but he has an Indian birth certificate so can apply for POI/OCI status enabling us to live elsewhere/buy land etc. Well, once the papers are sorted anyway, been waiting nearly 7 months, Indian bureaucracy is painful.

I know a number of people who divide their time between the West and India which makes the visa thing less of an issue. They spend Oct-March here whilst the weather is nice and then return when it hots up in April.

I would definitely suggest coming to India first and seeing how you like it. Did you have ideas about where you would like to live?