Thanks. I`ll be home on friday.

Sadly Iain not a relaxation of rules but a case of having the "balls" to ask for
what you are entitled to ,to make your residing in India legal!!

It was being told personally by The High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka that I was breaking the law by residing in India on a tourist visa that made me apply for an X visa even though I still had 4 months left on a T visa.

Good on ya Jill.

Mind you I can see some total confusion at immigration when they see you have two different visas - how will they cope ?

Dread - x

The old visa will I presume have "CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE" stamped across it. I have had this before when applying early and got a T instead of X there were no problems.

Exactly the case.

I had to write a letter asking them to cancel T visa on issuance of X visa.

Joke Bipat - hence the LOL smiley !!!!!!!!!

Dread - x

Excellent news - what documents did you submit?

AndyD 8-)₹

msj5 - am i correct, you got a 6 month X in Sri Lanka to return home to Goa in less than 2 months out?

The advantages of this are

1) you might be able to extend the 6 month X at Panjim without having to leave again?

2) you register at FRO Panjim and get a Resident Permit which helps if you are getting a landline phone, registering a vehicle, transfering electricity or PWD accounts into your name

Other than that, except for the fact that you individually will have less hassle, why the big celebration everybody?

The big celebration is because we have not been able to get X visas for several years now so people have had to leave India every six months and not go back for two months. Leaving India to renew a visa is not a problem, it is the two months we have to stay out that is. This does not apply to an X visa.

Only 'long-term' visas are extendable, so a 6-month X would not qualify. In theory a 1-year X would qualify but I have been refused twice (and I have not heard of anyone who succeeded). A 5-year X should certainly qualify but 'Douglas' was famously refused back around 2007 at the start of all the FN problems.
It seems X visas are extendable for PIO's / spouses.

AndyD 8-)₹

I returned to the UK to apply for X visa as HCI in Sri Lanka pointed out that it is "illegal" to live in India on a tourist visa.
The big celebration, as others have said is that we have NOT been able to get X visas .
I have been told by Vfs that I can extend it in India but not sure how easy it would be.
I have also heard through the grape vine that a new Visa office is to open in Panjim during the monsoon.

When i asked to extend (in Panjim FRRO)MY LAST 5 YEAR X, iwas told go back to your own country.

I thought you only got your 5 year X a couple of years ago ?

Dread - x

Yes my second 5 year x, still 2 more years on this one.

When I tried to extend a 1-year X at Panjim FRO they were extremely helpful, there was extensive paperwork and two interviews (one with the CID at Mapusa who assured me there should be no problem). After all that the Home Dept. (Goa) refused the application on a technicality (as far as I can find out they always do that).
Note: although you can apply at a FR[R]O they will then - if you are lucky - forward it to Delhi, giving you a temporary 3-month extension while Delhi Dither; if Delhi give you this first extension then subsequent ones can be done at the FRO.
- As msj5 reports "I have also heard through the grape vine that a new Visa office is to open in Panjim during the monsoon" - this sounds as if the MHA take-over of immigration in Goa is going ahead and an FRRO is opening - since the last couple of years considerably more authority has been delegated to FRRO's.

AndyD 8-)₹

Once you have a PIO YOU DO NOT REQUIRE A VISA period; you only requirement is a valid passport (your home country)

You only other requirement (one time only) is to register with the FFRO when you exceed the 180 days.