This subject has been receiving some attention over on IndiaMike

http://www.indiamike.com/india/india...dians-t109153/

Now if this is true, and if it is applied world-wide and not just in the USA (where all info is coming from at present) it would, in the eyes of certain parts of the Indian Government, solve a lot of problems.
A lot of the flak they have been receiving for the tightening of restrictions on Tourist visas has come from their own people, who have habitually used T visas to return to the "old country". It would therefore radically reduce the number of objectors to such things as the "two-month rule" etc. A side benefit would be a reduction in the number of Indians with foreign citizenship but still holding an Indian passport illegally.
Just as a side issue, to obtain PIO or OCI a reasonably complicated procedure of proof has to be followed. I wonder how one would prove entitlement to the "Entry visa"?
Surely not just on your say so, or being called Patel, or having a slightly darker skin?

Hi J5 and thanks for pointing us to the link

I think Nick-H sums it up wonderfully in the post a couple below yours !

K-C

Nick-H is a great contributor to that forum, I would love to meet him!

There has been a lot of discussion on phraseology and general use of wording, but no-one has even hinted that it may be untrue in principal.

If true it is bad news for most on here (non OCI/PIO British expats!). As we all know, there is strength in numbers, and this action will remove vast numbers from all the persecution being meted out to true foreigners needing a Tourist visa.

This surely has to be a mis-statement. I really cannot see that the GOI is going to discriminate against bona fide foreign nationals based on whether or not thay have Indian ancestors; or even that they were previously Indian citizens. It seems more likely this is a mis-reading of the new rules that do require proof of cancellation of Indian passports by former citizens of India before they can apply for PIO, OCI or a visa to visit India.

AndyD 8-)#

In many ways I agree, but as the source of this info was Travisa, and they seem to be spreading the theory throughout the USA, Iit makes one wonder?

http://www.indiamike.com/india/india...r-you-t110062/

So it clearly is happening in the States, and surprise surprise, its causing a massive backlog of applicants of Indian origin.
People who have already waited a MONTH for their visa are being told this is not excessive and to be patient, it seems?

Lets hope this does not kick off here, just in time for the tourist season......


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If it is of help to anyone else , I applied for a 1 year visa in person at Hayes on Monday, with a covering letter as to why I wanted a 1 year visa and collected it today(wednesday). I did wait until a month had elapsed since the expiry of my old visa but did apply 10 days short of my 2 month exile which I covered by enclosing a copy of my e-ticket for 1st July which is day 62! The 2 month out stamp is there but at least it`s on a 1 year visa which gives one flexibility!!

Great news - you must be so pleased.

Why would anyone be pleased with a 2 month out stamp?
The whole issue is a nightmare when you live here full time.

Know what you mean, but beginning of the year we thought we would not get a 6 month visa, and she did apply 10 days short of her 2 months exile.

Are you living there full time on a tourist visa ? I have had a 10 year Business visa, and also an Employment visa in the past. Had some great buddies and pals, but never wanted to stay in BOM or DEL more than a day than was absolutely necessary.

I do not find Goa's beaches particularly attractive But then, who would after living in an island with 365 beaches

Hi Anuny.
I live here full-time on a tourist visa. There is no other choice at present unless one is still lucky enough to be on a 5 year visa. A friend recently tried to renew a 5 year visa within India as he has done in the past and received a letter telling him to be out of the country in a week.

MsJ

Why ? Does not the concept "tourist" itself imply not a full-timer ? Not in ANU, not in GCM, not in NAS, not in St. Lucia, not in Barbados, heck none of the former colonies here in the caribbean allow tourists to stay more than few months. How could Indians be so relaxed to allow this ? My understanding is that IN discourages immigrants, so why suffer the indignities ?
If beaches is the attraction, then St. Maartin, St. Barthelemy & BVI are candidates for long term stay for EU passport holders. Even in BVI one cannot hangout indefinitely. Of course if there are the other reasons, then its another story.

Honestly I am still baffled.

I expect you are baffled. India used to allow people to stay for over 6 months in a financial year then get residency status and buy property. But they have changed the rules over the last few years and no longer allow people to gain residency status and changed the visa rules so we can now only get tourist visas and so can no longer own property but in Goa they will not let us sell the property so we just have to take what we can get so that we can continue to get some benefit from our investment.

I think you'll got bad advice. All I know from my business trips, and a short stint with E visa in BOM/DEL that it was not possible to buy property. Businesses which have a full 100% FDI in certain industry vertical are very narrowly allowed to buy property which will house their business a.k.a IBM and Oracles of the world.

If the GOI changed ownership rules on you'll could sue - Unless of course you were not legit to begin with. It is quite possible to move the court for being Grandfathered in transactions that preceded the rule change.

In the Caribbean, former colonies, some do allow property ownership by foreigners and some dont.