MR and Visa Questions
 

Hello everyone,

I apologize if this question has been asked. I did a quick search and didn't really find any information. My question deals with Visas and MRs.

I'm a US citizen (if that matters) looking at doing a MR from ORD-DEL two weekends in a row. Each weekend, I would be in India for 30 hours and stay overnight at a hotel near the airport and then head back to ORD. What kind of visa should I use? Will a transit visa work in this case? I know I've read some posts about issues with tourist visas and multiple entries within 2 or 3 months.

Thanks in advance,

glenny84

I am not sure if transit visa will get you 30 hour access.
At any rate, you cannot enter, exit and re-enter India two weekends in a row unless you have a Business visa.
Its the new visa rules with tourism.

Thanks for your response--I guess I will try to go to PVG instead for the second weekend. :) Now the only question is about the transit visa. I read on the India Visa site that "The Transit visa is valid for direct transit only for a maximum period of 3 days." So I assume this can be used to go back to the US?

I am not sure that u can leave the airport with this visa.. would be a good idea to do a proper search on this since technically u r not on transit to another place but returning to ur starting location..

This is what i was concerned about too.

a transit visa will allow you to leave the airport but if you get that the first time then you will not be given another visa for your second trip a few weeks later....

also, when applying for the transit visa, they may question you on the fact that you are flying back 30 hours later....what you want to tell them is on you....i don't think these people quite understand the concept of a mr....

I decided not to take the second trip, so I'm looking at only getting one visa. I wonder if I should just get a tourist visa then. I don't plan to go back to India until next year at the earliest and this would avoid the hassle of having to explain myself. Do you think I would be questioned in DEL or should I be fine?

I would go for a tourist visa since IMO, u r not on transit but on a short stopover ..

tourist visa will be better....i don't think you would be questioned in delhi but rather when you are getting your visa....