Douglas M

Hi Noni,

Intention to stay is an essential part of the FNs requirement for residency under FEMA and as far as i know has been there since inception in 1999. Your advocate probably made much of your retirement status for that reason.

We now know that FRO panjim and the goan home dept do not want long term retires in goa, i think this is more of an immigration issue .So a contradiction here and a conflict between fulfilling FEMA residency requirement on the one hand for FNs and immigrations suitable purpose seems to have recently emerged.

The FRO should presumably check your intention to stay before issuing a residency permit as should HCI before issuing an x visa (in addition to suitable purpose) Most FNs who see goa as a holiday home destination would fail these tests should they be vigorously applied.

I believe that the FRO panjim may have incorrectly issued residential permits to some FNs on tourist visas in the past.

It is now my view that issuing of x visas for the specific purpose of buying immovable property in goa by FNs was a mistake on the part of HCI. Following on from that ( and if i am right on the first part), so is renewing x visas on that basis.

I have responded to the d of e letter and await the outcome with interest and some trepidation.

As i have said before, this is the final filter and if they apply the letter of the law many FNs will be adversely affected. The fact that FNs have previously passed through an inefficient and dysfunctional system doesnt mean that they are immune from challenge by the d of e.

The d of e attitude to transgressors will also set the tone for the future of resident FNs in goa. I am not optimistic, but we must wait and see what the results are going to be. I am sure the results of the enquiry will be front page in the herald when announced.

The monsoon here is user friendly here, no flooding ( partially because they have proper drainage) and it rains afternoon and evenings only, so no days of non stop rain as in goa.



kind regards
douglas

noni

I have tried to give Karma points, but am being told *spread them around*
I think the BE site has been taken over by the Goan MI5 and is suitably dysfunctional.

You would not believe the sense of relief having a two year visa, anything can happen in two years good karma or bad. So onwards we go, with Douglas' bible in one hand, and a bottle of 'noff in the other, in case I bump into Remy .

TDK

Hi again Noni, and i'm glad you didn't get washed away in all these floods we've been getting! Its all a bit apocalypic for my liking! Next week we're in store for a cloud of locusts, then a plague
Anyway i've just thought of a few more interesting books:

No full stops over India by Mark Tully, and India's unending journey:finding blance in a time of change (also by Tully)

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

Aghora: at the left hand of God by Robert E Svoboda (just to warn you this is quite gruesome about the taboo side of Hinduism)!

I'll try to think of a few more..
All the best TDK

noni

Have you notice that our last three threads and Mrs. D. have been timed at exactly the same time! spooky.

I should not be delving too deeply into things now as have a two year
window (hopefully of some fun in the sun) but our Advocate and Developer made it absolutly clear to us when sorting out the D of E forms that we HAD TO BE RETIRED, as I have mentioned before this was a shock to us all especially the youngsters.

I expect we will be one of the first to have a reply from the D of E and I will put the letter on site as soon as we receive it.

If you think of it sensibly and not dyfunctionally, how many FN would want a home in Goa if not for a holiday home or retirement, they do not want you to carry on a business out there either! So why are they building everywhere. Must admit we are disappointment by the amount of buildings going up. We never thought that within 2 years Candolim would look like a concrete jungle.

Houses here in the UK are under meters of water and water up to the top of Caravans, there is so much devistation mostly because houses are built on flood plains, and that the Council do not come around anymore with the big machines and clean out the drains. We we very lucky yesterday we had just passed the point at the M4 2 mins before the flash flood and landslide. Our friend has been marooned on the M5 all night.

am afraid to look - are we on TDK's happy site again!

No response from the Acronites yet?

noni

Hi,
Can't you find a nice romantic story for me about Indians, arranged marriages etc. I am not going in for brain storming books any more - having a few months of fluffy reading!!!!!! Thanks again

Remy-Ireland

Hi all,
Remys home from work and on the noff.

Shantaram by Gregory Roberts is by far the best book on India i have ever read.
In fact its probably the best book i have ever read full stop.
It is a true story and has got it all,
Crime, Corruption, Romance, Murder, Laughter, Sadness etc.

If you have not read this book you are missing out bigtime.

http://www.shantaram.com/

Johnny Depp bought the film rights last year and the film is due for release next year. It centres around Bombay with a chapter or two on Goa as well. A great book for male and female alike.

Regards,
Remy

http://www.shantaram-movie.com

Douglas M

If you think of it sensibly and not dyfunctionally, how many FN would want a home in Goa if not for a holiday home or retirement


Hi Noni,

I am clarifying my own thinking here and douglass resulting theory will not be too popular, me thinks.

You need a complete change of perspective to grasp this one Noni, put on your indian hat. You and many others are using skewed logic to try and fit the legislation around your personal requirements. Fulfillment of your requirements should be restricted by the legislation, not the other way around.

Most of the people involved have so far misunderstood or ignored the underlying intention of the legislation, which was designed to specifically prevent FNs doing things like setting up holiday homes, ie they should in addition have had an intention to stay in india( in order to comply with FEMA, rather than go home at the end of the season).

Retirement fills the intention to stay, ie you have no business or job to go back to, but it doesnt any longer, or maybe never did, fill the suitable purpose requirement.

So a FN who was only retired or a FN not retired and intending to return to uk asap to other commitments, has failed one or more of the tests .

Who builds what when and where and for what reason is irrelevant and is no defence against possible breaches of FEMA or other laws by FNs.

A complete change of perspective and mindset is required by FNs in order to gain an understanding of the goan situation . It remains to be seen if the authorities eventually ask this much of them.

kind regards

douglas

TDK

Hi Noni, sorry i'm not really one for romantic novels and marriage (let alone arranged marriage) so can't think of any suitable books in that department. But you will love Travels on my Elephant (if you can swipe it off the prisoners) and i'd definately go along with Mrs.D's, Douglas's and Remy's recommendations (although Krishnamurthi isn't really fluffy)
I also recently watched Michael Palin's 'Himalayas' series on dvds borrowed from my library, and if you can get hold of them - well worth watching (if you haven't already seen em).
Anyway all the best for now -TDK

TDK

Hi All, one of my all time fave movies is on BBC2 tonight at 11.45pm-1.35am
(bit past my bedtime so not sure i'll watch it again as seen it twice already, but its well woth staying up for/recording if you haven't already seen it!
Its called: The Emerald Forest and its an eco epic set in the Amazon and very mesmorizing and atmospheric with romance, shamanism, eco message, good prevailing over evil etc etc! anyway you have to watch it and report back tomorrow to HQ!

noni

Enjoyed the Michael Palin's Himalayas, and all his other series. Bet he really didn't stay in those grotty places.

If it wasn't Douglas's birthday we would have to slap his wrists he is on the wrong thread, this is fun douglas, fun, romantic and fluffy, anyway what has happened to Tony P.? Perhaps the corgis have got him.

noni

Me thinks you are right, boss, as always!!! But I am fluffy, fluffy, fluffy to-day, I have a two year visa plenty of the sun in my little paradise, b........ks. to the rest of the Goan diplomats. Perhaps in two years they will have come up with some other crap. It is Saturday and I can be selfish, go into denial and dream of my dream home, Monday will come around soon enough - haven't started on the 'noff yet.

noni

Will get this book - if not hogged by the prisoners. Terrible state of affairs with the floods can't get any 'noff - dry house. :curse::curse:

TDK

Thanks for that recommendation Remy and it sounds like a winner so i'll try and get hold of it and i'll keep an eye out for the film.

Remy-Ireland

Cant get any noff?
OMG

Remy-Ireland

Definately get it.........its brill.
A big book well over a thousand pages but very easy reading....cant wait for the film although it will be hard pushed to match the book.
When i was in Goa in February everbody seemed to be reading it, even a girl next to me on the plane was reading it and was about 3 pages ahead of me.......like whats the chances of that?

BTW.....Im going to win the lottery tonight....PMA.

Regards,
Remy