Hi all

Something has been bothering me for a while. I have only been an active member of this forum for one month, but already I have gleaned that the majority of people return to the UK for the UK summer months / Goa Monsoon!

If you travel so frequently between the two countries, and still have properties and responsibilities in the UK, are you really ex-pats?

I, for example, am leaving the UK in August this year, going to Goa, and not returning! I'm transferring my whole life (kids schooling, property ownership, TV watching) to Goa wholesale!

We are commissioning a 40ft sea container and shipping all our worldly posessions to Goa! All trace of our life in the UK will be forgotten when the ship leaves the dock.

I class myself as a genuine ex-pat (someone who will be spending my whole time in my adopted country and NOT returning 'home', even when times are tough!)

So! Are you all genuine ex-pats? Do you spend all year in Goa?

I will be spending ALL year in Goa from now on, and want to know if you will do likewise?

Julia

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but isn't there the small issue of visas which sort of dictates how long they can stay there?

Having a house back in the UK doesnt necessarily mean you are not an expat

see below, definition of Expatriate from Wikipedia.

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence.[citation needed] The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland).

I think that covers us.

Well bully for you Julia!

Was that lot meant to be as provocative as it sounded?

I have chosen to answer, as I am at this point in my life fulfilling your definition of ex-pat, apart from visa runs to the UK (we are not all fortunate enough to be PIO).

The definition from Wikipedia is;
I think the word "temporarily" clarifies the position of all the other good members on here?

Personally from what I see of Goa on a daily basis, I would not move lock, stock and barrel here if you paid me to, and could not understand why anyone would, until I remembered that you have PIO status............

So as Persons of Indian Origin, can you in all honesty claim to be starting and expatriate existence, or are you simply returning to your roots? You have already told us that you have family and friends here.

Apologies for repeating K8's Wiki-def, was typing at the same time, innit?

Hi Johny 5 the message was not 'meant to sound or be provocative! I only wondered HOW many of the people who call themselves ex-pats were actually based abroad, or just visited! Come-on, it's not rocket science! Either you live abroad or you live in the UK. Where is youur MAIN HOME.

I have chosen to answer, as I am at this point in my life fulfilling your definition of ex-pat, apart from visa runs to the UK (we are not all fortunate enough to be PIO). (please no jealousy- I get sooo sick of it!)

The definition from Wikipedia is;


I think the word "temporarily" clarifies the position of all the other good members on here?

Personally from what I see of Goa on a daily basis, I would not move lock, stock and barrel here if you paid me to (so don't then, no-one os forcing your hand!) and could not understand why anyone would, until I remembered that you have PIO status............

Well I am not a person of Indian origin! I am of Anglo/German/Irish/Austrian heritige and my children are all of the same plus ++ Indian heritige. Genes mix well!

I dont think it was a racist comment, its more to do with what I mentioned before re visas

hi, may i say i am english, my husband is english, my kids are english, in 2005 we sold our business and moved lock, stock and barrel to goa, bought our house, put our children originally in mater-dei,
we only go back to england for the minimal amount of time to get our visa of which we have a 2 yr x. (last time we spent only 5 days back there)
as for being jealous of your husband being a P.I.O ,I would not put it as that but envious as we spend thousands of pounds every 2 yr the 4 of us having to go for visa's (kids now 15 + 17).
also the goa government making so much problems for us in goa that have bought property here even though legally. (or with wrong advocate or builder advice as some have)
even though in england like your husband there are so many of indian origin working, buying property all very peacefully!!! (again envious, not a accusation.)
As for the schooling being better in lots of ways it is (remember i am english) the respect is still there and subjects that are only chosen in the last year of schooling in the uk are studied from the age of 10, english is spoken from the age of 10 in all schools no local or indian language spoken, the only time another language can be spoke is in that lesson eg hindi or french.
also the putting back a year of don bosco's, mater-dei put my children in 2005 back 2 years!!! with the explanation from miss lobo senior that it english learning was "willy nilly unlike the solid indian learning.
so i myself hold my hands up and say yes I AM A BRITISH EXPAT!

The definition from Wikipedia is;


I think the word "temporarily" clarifies the position of all the other good members on here?


Yes, I am "temporarily" in Goa and "temporarily" in the UK.
When I am in Goa, I go to the UK for two months holiday p.a. When I am in the UK, I go to Goa for ten months holiday p.a.

From a legal point of view I would say that I live in the UK.

Dear oh dear! The temptation is great, but I won't - it's a 3 day weekend & I'm relaxed - I won't spoil it. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NO - I'm NOT an EX-PAT - my interest on here is property related, that & some of the pleasant individuals that I've 'met' in this little area of cyberspace.

Regards

Hemingway

Personally I can't the point of this post ... !

Does it really matter a jot whether we visit Goa once a year or live there permanently ? In the main we all have a vested interest in Goa concerning either property or visa issues etc and all our attentions should be focused on how to make our lives easier concerning those issues.

We should ALL be pulling on the same rope not spltting hairs on such trivial matters

K-C (Peace & Love, Peace & Love)

well said

My take on this is as follows: most of us Brits or in my case Irish, cannot be considered anything other than ex pats here as we have not "emigrated" here or applied for Indian nationality.Because we have not done this then we meet the classification of ex pat. As others have rightly pointed out those of us who have moved our homes here live here as permanently as we can all year round except for the time we are forced to leave the country under the requirements of the regular Visa run. I would live here 12 months a year rather than 10/11 if the authorities did not insist I leave the country.

There may well be matters that tie many of us back to our homeland, such as pension or tax status. That in itself does not mean we are therefore not ex pats. So the comments made about this do not to me seem logical. The very essence of being an ex pat means that you have ties to your home country or country of origin which is by definition elsewhere.

in fact I would go a stage further and say that anyone with PIO status who is of Indian orgin should technically not be classified as ex pat since they are in fact returning to their land of origin. If they come and settle here permanently then they are no longer ex pats but Indians.

An excellent point!

Hemingway

Hi All,
First of all i think the original expat question was a fair one and i dont think it was meant in the way that many have interpreted. We are all very touchy and twitchy......take a deep breath everyone and calm down.

I dont agree with the above highlighted paragraph because PIO status covers 4 generations. I have a PIO Card but was born and bred here in Northern Ireland .....didnt have an Indian upbringing and dont speak Hindi and according to a lot of you whom i have had the privillage of meeting, I dont even look Indian. My nationality is British and at the end of the day i am proud of that.

I am not an expat as i only spend approx 3 weeks in Goa each year.....but i am an expat wannabe.....does that count?

Love and Peace,
Remy

PS. We are all immigrants!

Remy

PS. We are all immigrants![/QUOTE]




The difference is Remy you are not treated like an Immigrant be it either in Goa or Northern Ireland mate
Where as we are actually discriminated against in Goa
No offence but come on old pal let's actually speak the truth here.
I have been treated worse than something nasty on the bottom of a shoe by some officials in Goa.
Love & peace
GC