GOA - Buyer Beware!
Sep 5th 2010, 12:01 pm
#3151
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
The restrictions started after it was discovered the Russians were buying up huge tracts of agricultural land under false companies and converting via backhanders to ministers. Now the Russians are p!ssing off to Egypt among other cheapo places. The latest saga is the Russian who overstayed here being jailed for 12 months. Apparently Indians are regularly found overstaying in Russia but are dealt with leniently. The Russians are not happy!
Sep 5th 2010, 3:12 pm
#3152
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 20,711
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
As far as I know and have always read Headley used Business Visas. So cannot see the logic is saying the changes in Tourist Visas are headley related. This is a red herring.
My opinion is this strategy of manipulating the Tourist Visa with a forced 2 month stay outside India is to serve another purpose. No country which seriously wants tourists would impose such a restrictive rule.
Have always thought the aim was to undermine foreigners ability to stay/retire in India and "encourage" ( or should I say wear down ? ) these people so that they leave and go somewhere else to live/ have a long stay holiday . This is very much the view I got in Birmingham when our X Visa application was refused. Although this was several months before this latest 2 month rule it was made absolutely clear to us that India had no intention of allowing this situation to continue any longer. The way we were spoken to made it seem as if we retirees were criminals to want to do such an unacceptable thing.
My opinion is this strategy of manipulating the Tourist Visa with a forced 2 month stay outside India is to serve another purpose. No country which seriously wants tourists would impose such a restrictive rule.
Have always thought the aim was to undermine foreigners ability to stay/retire in India and "encourage" ( or should I say wear down ? ) these people so that they leave and go somewhere else to live/ have a long stay holiday . This is very much the view I got in Birmingham when our X Visa application was refused. Although this was several months before this latest 2 month rule it was made absolutely clear to us that India had no intention of allowing this situation to continue any longer. The way we were spoken to made it seem as if we retirees were criminals to want to do such an unacceptable thing.
Sep 5th 2010, 4:21 pm
#3153
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 214
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
Has anyone read a letter in today's "GoaNet" from V.M. de Malar under the subject heading of "Lock the gates, bar the door"?
It is a very interesting letter and just about sums up how this person sees long-term tourists living/staying in Goa, i e referring to living on public assistance and living like lords! How sad are some of these people to assume this when many British tourists have worked hard for years, paid into pensions and are retired.
I will attempt to supply the link however, my computer skills and eye sight are not good maybe another member could assist to get the link up. Thanks.
Banyan.
http://www.goanet
It is a very interesting letter and just about sums up how this person sees long-term tourists living/staying in Goa, i e referring to living on public assistance and living like lords! How sad are some of these people to assume this when many British tourists have worked hard for years, paid into pensions and are retired.
I will attempt to supply the link however, my computer skills and eye sight are not good maybe another member could assist to get the link up. Thanks.
Banyan.
http://www.goanet
Sep 5th 2010, 4:47 pm
#3154
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 214
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
Has anyone read a letter in today's "GoaNet" from V.M. de Malar under the subject heading of "Lock the gates, bar the door"?
It is a very interesting letter and just about sums up how this person sees long-term tourists living/staying in Goa, i e referring to living on public assistance and living like lords! How sad are some of these people to assume this when many British tourists have worked hard for years, paid into pensions and are retired.
I will attempt to supply the link however, my computer skills and eye sight are not good maybe another member could assist to get the link up. Thanks.
Banyan.
http://www.goanet
It is a very interesting letter and just about sums up how this person sees long-term tourists living/staying in Goa, i e referring to living on public assistance and living like lords! How sad are some of these people to assume this when many British tourists have worked hard for years, paid into pensions and are retired.
I will attempt to supply the link however, my computer skills and eye sight are not good maybe another member could assist to get the link up. Thanks.
Banyan.
http://www.goanet
One can view this letter on the "Goan Voice" by hitting top tool bar under dissusions. Banyan.
Sep 5th 2010, 5:03 pm
#3155
Joined: May 2007
Location: Noni the Indian Goan Beach Mulberry
Posts: 8,227
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
Please will everybody keep this for Buyer Beware - only property issues.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Sep 5th 2010, 5:14 pm
#3157
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Siolim Goa
Posts: 1,149
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
Has anyone read a letter in today's "GoaNet" from V.M. de Malar under the subject heading of "Lock the gates, bar the door"?
It is a very interesting letter and just about sums up how this person sees long-term tourists living/staying in Goa, i e referring to living on public assistance and living like lords! How sad are some of these people to assume this when many British tourists have worked hard for years, paid into pensions and are retired.
I will attempt to supply the link however, my computer skills and eye sight are not good maybe another member could assist to get the link up. Thanks.
Banyan.
http://www.goanet
It is a very interesting letter and just about sums up how this person sees long-term tourists living/staying in Goa, i e referring to living on public assistance and living like lords! How sad are some of these people to assume this when many British tourists have worked hard for years, paid into pensions and are retired.
I will attempt to supply the link however, my computer skills and eye sight are not good maybe another member could assist to get the link up. Thanks.
Banyan.
http://www.goanet
Sep 7th 2010, 6:28 am
#3158
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 92
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
In todays Herald re property confiscation approved:
http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Main%20P...ved/40663.html
http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Main%20P...ved/40663.html
Sep 7th 2010, 7:01 am
#3159
Banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,478
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
In todays Herald re property confiscation approved:
http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Main%20P...ved/40663.html
http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Main%20P...ved/40663.html
FOUR Digu, FOUR..............
Sep 7th 2010, 9:05 am
#3160
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,199
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
Is'nt 20,000 square metres a pretty large area? even split four ways, no doubt you will let me know if I am wrong. Also Morjim is one of the areas where the Russians bought large tracts of land.
Sep 7th 2010, 10:02 am
#3161
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Goa & London
Posts: 444
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
You're right, K800 - that would be equivalent to one plot of land 200metres x 100metres or for those of us less metric-savvy (I'll go to the top of THAT list) - approx 600ft x 300ft.
Also, according to the web (what would I do without it?) an acre is just over 4,000 sq. metres. - so 5 acres? Quite a sizeable amount of land.
Just enough, split up, for 4 little 3-bed bungalows and a swimming pool???????
Also, according to the web (what would I do without it?) an acre is just over 4,000 sq. metres. - so 5 acres? Quite a sizeable amount of land.
Just enough, split up, for 4 little 3-bed bungalows and a swimming pool???????
Sep 7th 2010, 11:07 am
#3162
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
It's all your fault, tax exiles!:
Joaquim Pacheco, Divar:
Victims of their own success?
Joaquim Pacheco, Divar:
Much of the blame for rising property prices is to a few hundred super-rich tax exiles, mainly Russians, Britons and Israelis, who have bought huge properties in Goa to qualify for residency. The property market is now so overheated that estate agents have mushroomed everywhere.
With booming property prices, the young cannot afford to buy a house. This will eventually threaten our identity. We Goans are being pushed out of Goa, and becoming the victims of our own success. Some politicians dilute our identity by encouraging migrants, to boost their vote banks. These new people do not care for our culture and heritage.
With booming property prices, the young cannot afford to buy a house. This will eventually threaten our identity. We Goans are being pushed out of Goa, and becoming the victims of our own success. Some politicians dilute our identity by encouraging migrants, to boost their vote banks. These new people do not care for our culture and heritage.
Victims of their own success?
Sep 7th 2010, 1:11 pm
#3163
Joined: May 2007
Location: Noni the Indian Goan Beach Mulberry
Posts: 8,227
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
Four properties owned by Russian nationals confiscated
2010-09-07 00:00:00
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Monday confiscated four properties owned by foreigners, including one which was promoted by a Russian national who was being 'hunted' by the Russian mafia, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji after a cabinet meeting, Kamat said that the confiscation of four properties in the coastal areas of Anjuna and Morjim, both popular beach villages, located nearly 15 to 25 km from Panaji respectively, was a part of a list of 200 properties owned by foreigners which were being probed by the ED at the request of the state government.
'These 200 properties are being probed because they were purchased in violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The four confiscated properties are spread around 20,000 sq mt and also includes True Axis resorts,' Kamat said, referring to the hospitality project which was promoted by a Russian national Leonoid Beyzer, who according to his lawyer Vikram Varma was being 'hunted by the Russian mafia'.
Varma during earlier interactions with the media had said that Beyzer, who was on a business visa in India, was no longer a director with True Axis resorts private limited, after the Russian mafia attempted to murder him on two occasions because of the real estate worth of the land held by the company.
'There have been attempts to murder Beyzer both back in Russia and Goa in order to usurp his company, which held real estate worth several crore in Goa. We have informed the state home ministry about the same,' Varma has said in the past.
In the last few years, Goa has attracted Russians by the droves during the tourist season which begins in October and ends in March. Lands purchased by Russians as well as several hundred UK nationals, have come under the scanner after the ED found that nearly 200 deals were carried out in violation of FEMA norms a couple of years back.
Officials also suggested that several lands were purchased by foreign nationals who were fronts for the underworld.
Thanks to www.goanvoice.org.uk and Sify news
2010-09-07 00:00:00
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Monday confiscated four properties owned by foreigners, including one which was promoted by a Russian national who was being 'hunted' by the Russian mafia, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji after a cabinet meeting, Kamat said that the confiscation of four properties in the coastal areas of Anjuna and Morjim, both popular beach villages, located nearly 15 to 25 km from Panaji respectively, was a part of a list of 200 properties owned by foreigners which were being probed by the ED at the request of the state government.
'These 200 properties are being probed because they were purchased in violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The four confiscated properties are spread around 20,000 sq mt and also includes True Axis resorts,' Kamat said, referring to the hospitality project which was promoted by a Russian national Leonoid Beyzer, who according to his lawyer Vikram Varma was being 'hunted by the Russian mafia'.
Varma during earlier interactions with the media had said that Beyzer, who was on a business visa in India, was no longer a director with True Axis resorts private limited, after the Russian mafia attempted to murder him on two occasions because of the real estate worth of the land held by the company.
'There have been attempts to murder Beyzer both back in Russia and Goa in order to usurp his company, which held real estate worth several crore in Goa. We have informed the state home ministry about the same,' Varma has said in the past.
In the last few years, Goa has attracted Russians by the droves during the tourist season which begins in October and ends in March. Lands purchased by Russians as well as several hundred UK nationals, have come under the scanner after the ED found that nearly 200 deals were carried out in violation of FEMA norms a couple of years back.
Officials also suggested that several lands were purchased by foreign nationals who were fronts for the underworld.
Thanks to www.goanvoice.org.uk and Sify news
Sep 7th 2010, 1:45 pm
#3164
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 61
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
And what a scam this is!
ONE MONTH IN WITH TWO MONTHS OUT!
With the 30 day visa on arrival eventually? This could be their hidden agenda to get shut of us by making it totally unviable to have property.
As PIO's and NRI's are being advised not to use tourist visas and apply for the necessary docs it makes one wonder what their long term plans are for us? It seems as time goes on with this scam, visa changes will be used to control our entry as is what is happening at present which can only get worse!
Banyan.
ONE MONTH IN WITH TWO MONTHS OUT!
With the 30 day visa on arrival eventually? This could be their hidden agenda to get shut of us by making it totally unviable to have property.
As PIO's and NRI's are being advised not to use tourist visas and apply for the necessary docs it makes one wonder what their long term plans are for us? It seems as time goes on with this scam, visa changes will be used to control our entry as is what is happening at present which can only get worse!
Banyan.
Also, as far as I am aware, visa on arrival is only for nationals of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore currently. 16 others may be added later, but the U.K./Ireland are not one of them. Further, in my opinion, offering the possibility of a visa on arrival is surely a courtesy for regular tourists who do not need to remain for more than 30 days. For all others, the normal visa application option should still be available.
So, I fail to see the scam? Maybe I'm missing something.
Sep 7th 2010, 3:39 pm
#3165
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 214
Re: GOA - Buyer Beware!
I'm sorry, but I don't understand this post. NRI's are simply Indian's who are non-resident, they possess Indian passports and do not need a visa. People who used to be NRIs but apply for a foreign passport stop being NRI and become FN, however they can apply for PIO status. With a PIO card they don't need a visa either since the PIO card provides entry for 10 or 15 years, I don't remember which now.
Also, as far as I am aware, visa on arrival is only for nationals of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore currently. 16 others may be added later, but the U.K./Ireland are not one of them. Further, in my opinion, offering the possibility of a visa on arrival is surely a courtesy for regular tourists who do not need to remain for more than 30 days. For all others, the normal visa application option should still be available.
So, I fail to see the scam? Maybe I'm missing something.
Also, as far as I am aware, visa on arrival is only for nationals of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore currently. 16 others may be added later, but the U.K./Ireland are not one of them. Further, in my opinion, offering the possibility of a visa on arrival is surely a courtesy for regular tourists who do not need to remain for more than 30 days. For all others, the normal visa application option should still be available.
So, I fail to see the scam? Maybe I'm missing something.
Hi fpbutler, Please reply under the Visa Help thread.
Banyan.