Asia - Pakistan visa and Indian visa in the same passport

Hi folks, I'm sure this won't be a problem, but...

I've got to go to India for business in about six weeks' time. I'd also like to go to Pakistan and see some friends whilst I'm nearby. I live in the UK and have a UK passport. I also have a US passport.

My UK passport has three used Pakistan visas from my visits to Pakistan over the past couple of years.

I will be applying for my visas at the respective high commissions in London.

My questions are these:

- Does it matter the order in which I apply for my visas? Will the Indian HC give me a hard time if I have a valid, unused Pakistan visa (plus three used ones)? Will the Pakistan HC give me a hard time if I have a valid Indian visa? I guess people do cross between the countries occasionally, so this shouldn't matter too much, right?

- Or should I apply for the visas using different passports - i.e., UK for Pakistan and US for India? Or does it matter? The Indian HC may give me a hard time for using my US passport as I do not have a residence permit for the UK in it (because I am a citizen) and thus they might require I use my UK passport anyway.

Your help and advice is much appreciated. Many thanks!

- Does it matter the order in which I apply for my visas? Will the Indian HC give me a hard time if I have a valid, unused Pakistan visa (plus three used ones)? Will the Pakistan HC give me a hard time if I have a valid Indian visa?
Absolutely no problem. In the passport that I just retired, I had an Indian multi-year visa first, then got a Pakistan visa, then got a second Indian multi. Neither country cared about the presence of the other's visa in my passport, either at the consulate or when I arrived. I have also traveled via Pakistan Airlines from Karachi directly to Mumbai--it would be pretty tough for either government to make a stink given that there are direct flights between the two countries.

The Indians may require six weeks to issue a visa if the applicant was previously a Pakistani citizen, has a wife or husband who is or was a Pakistani citizen or has a parent who is or was a Pakistani citizen.

Any applicant who also has a Pakistani passport will only be issued an Indian visa on their Pakistani passport. They will know if an applicant is a dual citizen because they will have exit stamps from Pakistan but no Pakistani entry stamps. An Indian visa on a Pakistani passport means that the applicant can only visit three cities in India in the order specified. The applicant also has to report to a police station on arrival at every city.

I am not sure but I think the same rules apply to those with Bangladeshi citizenship or connections with Bangladesh.

I know many US persons who have Indian and Pakistanis visas in their passport(s), and while issues can and do arise with one or both governments from time to time -- and the outcomes can be somewhat of a toss-up -- people eventually do get the visas and are allowed entry/exit.


Any applicant who also has a Pakistani passport will only be issued an Indian visa on their Pakistani passport. They will know if an applicant is a dual citizen because they will have exit stamps from Pakistan but no Pakistani entry stamps.

The Indian government doesn't always or even generally know if an applicant for an Indian visa has a Pakistani passport when the applicant is using a non-Pakistani passport.

In practice the Indian government does quite often issue Indian visas on non-Pakistani passports of dual-national Pakistanis who neither declare nor appear to necessarily have (or have had) Pakistani nationality.

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The Indian government doesn't always or even generally know if an applicant for an Indian visa has a Pakistani passport when the applicant is using a non-Pakistani passport.

In practice the Indian government does quite often issue Indian visas on non-Pakistani passports of dual-national Pakistanis who neither declare nor appear to necessarily have (or have had) Pakistani nationality.


If a Pakistani enters Pakistan on his Pakistani passport and leaves Pakistan, say, for UK on his British passport, the British passport will contain an exit stamp from Pakistan but no entry stamp. This is how the Indian Embassy staff recognises a dual citizen. I know of at least one person who was refused an Indian visa on his UK passport but offered one on his Pakistani passport (which happens to be much cheaper 65 pence vs 30 pounds at the time).

Cheers folks, I think my question has been answered.