jacketwatch

Frankly it was a nightmare but all is OK now. We have the visas but it was a struggle completely disproportionate to what your goal was. I mean this is not a marathon, its just a visa. The new regs are that ex-Indian citizens now must provide either a US naturalization cert. or an expired Indian passport AS WELL AS their current US passport. Well folks we have not seen either of those documents in over 30 yrs. as shs been a US citizen that long and has gone to Indian 4 times on a US passport. But do you really need these? Well it depends on what Travisa agency (the agency that India and ohter countries use to process visa apps) you call. The Travisa outsourcing agency in Chicago and even the one in TX. say yes you do. However the Travisa office in Chicago specific for Indiasay no. Now bear in mind there are two travisa offices in Chicago about 1 mi. apart but the info they give may as well be coming from Mars and Venus. And forget about calling the Inidan Consulate. You can't even get to speak w/ someone. So we go to the Travisa India office in Chicago after being told what we had (her Indian birth cert. and an expired US passport WITH and India visa stamp) would be fine. Then we meet the receptionist.. She basically said NO until I told her who I spoke to and what she said. She did relent but it was clear this ruined her day. Some folks say "no" when it really means "I don't want to be bothered, go away." We finally got our visas but we had to supply such supporting documents as a police report stating loss of said docs, a notarized letter swearing to the same and a USPS overnight receipt proving we had applied for a copy of her US naturalization cert which BTW costs only $380.00. For me my US passort wasn't enough. I also had to proved my birth cert. as well. I post this for two reasons. One, to vent a bit ans two, to let you know of what we had to do. If you are planning to go to India be aware of the new rules for obtaining a visa. I hope your experience isn't like our BUT it could be unfortunately. BTW the consular website tells you the same thing about requirements for ex-pats but clearly this doesnot apply to all cases. I almost forgot. There's one more thing. She had to get a form to renounce her Indian citizenship too. This is $20.00 but if an Indian became a citizen after June of this yr. and doesn't have the two docs I mentions then the cost is $175.00. All in all a 6 mos. visa for the two of us cost $238.00.

Kathie

As you probably know, I recently got a visa for India (we both opted for a 10 year visa) and I was surprised at the amount of documentation we had to provide. We had to provide birth certificates and copies of drivers licenses or utility bills to prove that the address we provided was current, as well as the visa forms and passport. But Travisa was most efficient. I loved being able to check the status of my visa online.

I was struck by how complicated it was for those born in India to get a visa, and your post confirms it. I'm sorry it was such an expense and hassle. Given that, I wonder why you didn't opt for a 10 year visa so you wouldn't have to do it again for a long time.

I hope your trip is wonderful and you'll feel all the hassle was well worth it.

doug_stallings

The process was pretty painless for me, but I was taken aback, I must admit, by the requirements to prove your citizenship with something in addition to a U.S. passport, and the annoying requirement to provide proof of address. This wasn't really an issue for me since my Driver's License is up to date with my address, but I have friends who recently moved and whose DLs are not up to date yet and must now find utility bills, have passports returned to different addresses to get around the problem, etc.

The thing I find most interesting is that naturalized U.S. citizens who are not of Indian descent do not have to provide proof of naturalization (except for the passport), while former Indian citizens do. Go figure.

Nevertheless, I mailed my passports last Thursday at 6pm and received them back yesterday, and Travisa answered all my questions quickly over the phone, albeit in the NYC office. I was a little worried about applying for my visa just 3 weeks before my trip, but it turned out to be a non-issue.

jacketwatch

Kathie: I think my wife will apply for an OCI card but not for a while. This app expereince had been enough for a while. BTW if you are the spouse of an ex-Indian citizen you MUST apply for an "entry" visa. I forgot about the DL too for proof of residence. For all the hassle the visas were ready in one day however. My issues have to do with the conflicting info different branches of the same agency tell you. The curt manner of the receptionist didn't help though the office manager was grat in facilitating this whole process.

skinnylizard

i think us Indians love paperwork... its not like people are going to run away to india and steal valuable jobs.. instead of welcoming people, we seem to make it harder.

apologies.. i am sure you will have a great time in India though !

jacketwatch

Kathie: We should have a copy of her US natural. cert in the not too distant future. Then its no hassle. We plan for a 4 day stay in Honk Kong on the return BTW. Really looking f/w to that.
SkinnlyL: yep, I agree. I would think its better to make tourism EASIER, not harder.
Doug: Interesting point about naturalized US citizens of non Indian descent. Try to figure that one out. I wonder if that applies if you are originally from Pakistan? It seems that much of these new regs came aftr the terrosim in Mumbai. BTW on my wifes app were were questions specifically asking if either of her parents were born in Pakistan. I wonder what would happen if the answer was "yes"

Smeagol

I had a frind (UK citizen) who missed a fantastic trip to Indian as his visa was delayed, delayed, delayed. HIS parents were born in Pakistan - he never got the Visa!!!!

jacketwatch

Actually Doug per the Travisa website I think it means naturalized citizens from countries other than India do need the birth cert. See below
Copy of Birth Certificate: A photocopy of the birth certificate or any government issued document that shows parents name, date of birth and nationality. Depending on your nationality at birth, these are the documents that are accepted.

◦US Born: Only birth certificates are accepted for applicants born in the US.
◦Indian Born: Those born in India can use their birth certificate, old Indian passport or school leaving certificate.
◦All Others: Those not born in the US or India should submit a birth certificate or any government document from the country of origin that has parents name, date of birth and nationality. Must be translated into English and notarized.

Kathie

Take a look at this thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...ndian-visa.cfm

Thursdays, who was not born in the US, reports on her experience. She received her visa even though she had visited Pakistan within the last 10 years.

Smeagol

Kathie i think the bigger issue is if you have relatives born in Pakistan.

jacketwatch

Kathie you got yours just B4 the requirements changed, at least for US citizens who used to be Indian nationals. As of June 1 the new rules are:
On June 1, 2010, the Embassy of India updated the requirements for former Indian Nationals.

Per requirements of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, an Entry visa is granted in the following circumstances:
•Applicant is a person of Indian Origin, defined as a person who has held Indian nationality, or a child or grandchild of a person who has held Indian nationality.
•Applicant is a spouse or child of a person of Indian origin.
•Applicant is a spouse or dependent family member of a foreign national coming to India on long term visa such as Employment, Business, Research or Student. In such cases, the visa duration granted is co-terminus with the period of the principal visa holder.

doug_stallings

People born outside the US do need a copy of a birth certificate, but what I meant is that they do not need a US naturalization certificate.

Of course that can still be trying.

thursdaysd

I have my (original!) birth cert safely stashed in a safe deposit box, but a friend who was naturalized 30 yrs ago does not have hers, and getting it from Argentina was proving a big hassle. She opted to skip India on her next trip. I did not need my naturalization cert - and that would be a problem too, as it says on it that it's a crime to copy it!!!

magical

All this in the hope to prevent terrorists from getting in!!!
I presume.

jacketwatch

Thursdaysd: I would imagine many others are doing what your friend did and just forgetting about going to India. I've been saying for a long time that India makes tourism difficult. Just imagine how good it could be with a proper infrastructure.
Doug: I thought you meant that all they needed was a passport. My misunderstanding but then again what is actually done is, well who knows???

doug_stallings

I agree that India has imposed some fairly silly requirements for paperwork, etc. that are particularly onerous if you are born anywhere but the U.S. (particularly if you were born in India), but it's actually easier and less painful for the typical American to secure a visa than from some other countries like Vietnam or Russia. But it's certainly expensive. I hope I like this trip because I've had to do much more in preparation and costs (for shots, medication for malaria, visas, etc) than for any other place I've ever gone.

Kathie

Doug, Vietnam is a more difficult visa than India? No way. Fill out a simple form, send it with your money order, photos and passport and you have it back within a week. No birth certificate, no proof of address, etc, etc. A totally routine visa. Or, have a travel agent in VN pre-arrange a visa for you. You pay the travel agent, get an email verification, take the email verification with you, along with photos and cash and you'll get your visa stamped into your passport at HCMC or Hanoi airports.

I haven't done a Russian visa, so can't comment on that.

Smeagol

My Visa for VN came thru in 5 days no hassel at all.

jacketwatch

I wonder if it depends on who you deal with. If I had called Travisaindia only and had not meet the that particular receptionist this would have been OK despite all the docs you need. Its dealing with conflicting info and poor attitudes that made this process so difficult.

thursdaysd

Agree with Kathie that Vietnam visas are no problem. Russia, on the other hand, is a real pain, requiring a (not free) letter of invitation and supposedly confirmed reservations for every night of your stay. If you really want to make life difficult try adding some of the Central Asian 'stans into the mix. I found Travisa very easy to deal with, but sounds like I was lucky - not that Travisa is responsible for the requirements.