New Visa Requirements?
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,687
that's just the way it is....they are very careful about giving a visa to anyone with pakistani ties....
#48
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Nice
Programs: Marriott Titanium, AA Concierge Key, Delta, United, Emorates, and others
Posts: 4,694
Interesting that they're becoming just as stupidly bureaucratic as the USA. I'm dealing with that now since my mother-in-law has no birth certificate, but has had US visas in the past and has had a passport for almost 50 years. No dice, they want the birth certificate. She'll not be going to the USA any more.
#49
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 269
When was Pakistan created? 1947? My dad was born in 1948, so it's very feasible that my dad might be considered "Pakistani". (He was indeed born in modern day India) Asking about my grandparents? Now you're really digging ...
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,687
people born before 1947 are not considered pakistani if they moved to india immediately after independence....
#51
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: ORD
Posts: 746
Hence they're making sure that all who apply are not hiding their pakistani origin to avoid extra visa scrutiny.
http://tinyurl.com/ydv78js
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
How ever would the average Indian consulate/embassy worker have a clue about which submitted birth certificate copy is legitimate or not, even if only dealing with a limited subset of the states (as is their normal desire)?
I doubt they are calling up the state vital records offices about each and every birth certificate issued and getting a timely response so as to turn over visas as quickly as they do currently.
These latest requirements smack of political-bureaucratic stupidity laced with CYA thinking of the worst sort.
I doubt they are calling up the state vital records offices about each and every birth certificate issued and getting a timely response so as to turn over visas as quickly as they do currently.
These latest requirements smack of political-bureaucratic stupidity laced with CYA thinking of the worst sort.
U.S. passport has place of birth on it. Even if the Indian Embassy had asked David Coleman for a birth certificate, his birth certificate would have merely confirmed the U.S. as his place of birth.
#53
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
Yeah, that occurred to me, too. A colleague is getting her 5-year Indian visa transferred because it was in a now-expired US passport. (After researching on FT we decided that hoping she could get by with the old passport containing the valid visa plus the new passport was too chancy.) She still needs an invitation from our office in India. She still needs a letter from one of our officers saying that she won't become dependent on the government of India. And yes, after I suggested she look into it, she needs a birth certificate. The only difference is that it's cheaper to transfer the old one than to buy a new one.
Gotta love government bureaucracies. But then I hear what my colleagues in India endure to visit the UK, Switzerland and the US and I don't feel as bad.
Gotta love government bureaucracies. But then I hear what my colleagues in India endure to visit the UK, Switzerland and the US and I don't feel as bad.
#54
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,661
India and the USA have (assuming it hasn't recently been abrogated) a bilateral treaty on this issue that specifically permits each other's nationals to have full validity of visas regardless of passport expiry, as well as to enter each other's countries up to the last date of passport validity.
#55
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: New York, New York
Programs: AA Gold, Alaska MVP; Free Agent Super Duper Diamond Treasure Chest ;)
Posts: 4,682
Now with this OCI thing, turns out she will be traveling to India for the rest of her life (she is 5 now) with her infant passport, as well as an unexpired one, and the little OCI booklet. Probably not a question for this thread, but seems pointless to have the OCI booklet as well as a stamped "visa".
#56
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: New York, New York
Programs: AA Gold, Alaska MVP; Free Agent Super Duper Diamond Treasure Chest ;)
Posts: 4,682
Many people my age have parents/ grandparents who were born in what is now Pakistan. They moved to India during the partition. What would, for instance, pre-independence Lahore be considered if you wanted to answer whether your grandparents were born in Pakistan? It was all India back then.
#57
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 1 AU
Programs: Support the Tyrants Travel Club
Posts: 2,708
My daughter has her "Lifetime" visa, that she received with her OCI card, stamped on a passport that has since expired. She was allowed entry last week with the expired passport with the visa in it along with a valid US passport.
Now with this OCI thing, turns out she will be traveling to India for the rest of her life (she is 5 now) with her infant passport, as well as an unexpired one, and the little OCI booklet. Probably not a question for this thread, but seems pointless to have the OCI booklet as well as a stamped "visa".
Now with this OCI thing, turns out she will be traveling to India for the rest of her life (she is 5 now) with her infant passport, as well as an unexpired one, and the little OCI booklet. Probably not a question for this thread, but seems pointless to have the OCI booklet as well as a stamped "visa".
#58
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: New York, New York
Programs: AA Gold, Alaska MVP; Free Agent Super Duper Diamond Treasure Chest ;)
Posts: 4,682
I'm not sure but I dont remember there being a separate visa stamped on the passport with a PIO card. Is there?
#59
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
My daughter has her "Lifetime" visa, that she received with her OCI card, stamped on a passport that has since expired. She was allowed entry last week with the expired passport with the visa in it along with a valid US passport.
Now with this OCI thing, turns out she will be traveling to India for the rest of her life (she is 5 now) with her infant passport, as well as an unexpired one, and the little OCI booklet. Probably not a question for this thread, but seems pointless to have the OCI booklet as well as a stamped "visa".
Now with this OCI thing, turns out she will be traveling to India for the rest of her life (she is 5 now) with her infant passport, as well as an unexpired one, and the little OCI booklet. Probably not a question for this thread, but seems pointless to have the OCI booklet as well as a stamped "visa".
Sorry. OCI is an entirely different scenario. OCI would be meaningless if it expired with the passport.
#60
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
India and the USA have (assuming it hasn't recently been abrogated) a bilateral treaty on this issue that specifically permits each other's nationals to have full validity of visas regardless of passport expiry, as well as to enter each other's countries up to the last date of passport validity.