Jan 27, 2020, 12:52 pm
Last edit by: ExpatSomchai
FOREIGN PASSPORT "TIME TO EXPIRY" REQUIREMENT from Indian Govt:
If you already have a visa valid through your stay or have valid OCI then
- your passport should be valid through your departure date form India
(Since most of the other countries are lot more strigent, you may run into issues at the foreign origination or stopover airport. Be prepared to carry proof of the above rule)
If you need NEW visa or OCI then your foreign passport needs to have
a) minimum 6 months to expiry
b) two blank pages
NOTE: If you have stopover or layover where you have to collect bags and check-in again (rules of that stopover country will come into factor)
If you are connecting to a partner airline, have printouts (not screenshot on smartphone) of your entire ticket and preferably boarding pass in your hand if you are connecting in a country that has more stringent requirements.
If you already have a visa valid through your stay or have valid OCI then
- your passport should be valid through your departure date form India
(Since most of the other countries are lot more strigent, you may run into issues at the foreign origination or stopover airport. Be prepared to carry proof of the above rule)
If you need NEW visa or OCI then your foreign passport needs to have
a) minimum 6 months to expiry
b) two blank pages
NOTE: If you have stopover or layover where you have to collect bags and check-in again (rules of that stopover country will come into factor)
If you are connecting to a partner airline, have printouts (not screenshot on smartphone) of your entire ticket and preferably boarding pass in your hand if you are connecting in a country that has more stringent requirements.
Issues with Travel to India with less than 6 Months on Passport
Dec 28, 2015, 11:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 5
Issues with Travel to India with less than 6 Months on Passport
Hello All,
My wife's US passport will expire in June 2016 (valid Visa's). We plan to travel to India for 2 weeks in Feb. Can anyone report their entrance and exit experiences with less than 6 months left on the passport. We will fly from ATL-DOH-AMD. Will she have any issues traveling or should we just bite the bullet and renew the passort?
My wife's US passport will expire in June 2016 (valid Visa's). We plan to travel to India for 2 weeks in Feb. Can anyone report their entrance and exit experiences with less than 6 months left on the passport. We will fly from ATL-DOH-AMD. Will she have any issues traveling or should we just bite the bullet and renew the passort?
Jan 31, 2016, 3:46 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Liberty International...
Programs: OMNI Platinum
Posts: 9,721
Jan 31, 2016, 10:12 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
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Posts: 29,655
there is a chance that nothing will happen & all goes well but if i was in the op's position then i wouldn't take that chance....especially since he had ample time to renew the passport....something that he would have to do in any case in a few months time....
Feb 1, 2016, 8:21 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Liberty International...
Programs: OMNI Platinum
Posts: 9,721
I can only speak for myself and experience. Only issue I had was unable to check in online, but I had no issues at the Emirates counter.
Feb 2, 2016, 12:03 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
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Posts: 29,655
fair enough....i know someone who was not allowed to travel out of the country because she had 5 months left before her passport expired....this was in del about 5 years ago....like i said before, there is a strong likelihood that nothing will go wrong but why take that chance if you have ample time to renew the passport....
Mar 7, 2016, 8:06 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: PHX
Programs: AA, SPG, UR
Posts: 329
http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...try/india.html
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
Must be valid at time of entry
BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:
One page required for entry stamp
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
Must be valid at time of entry
BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:
One page required for entry stamp
Apr 1, 2016, 11:17 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,203
There is a difference between requirement for the validity of passport at time of applying for visa and at time of travel with valid visa already in hand.
Recent datapoint:
3 trips to India in last 2 months with valid 10 year multi-entry visa issued years ago. Passport expiry in April. No issues at all.
Recent datapoint:
3 trips to India in last 2 months with valid 10 year multi-entry visa issued years ago. Passport expiry in April. No issues at all.
Apr 1, 2016, 11:40 pm
#11
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Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,369
http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...try/india.html
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
Must be valid at time of entry
BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:
One page required for entry stamp
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
Must be valid at time of entry
BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:
One page required for entry stamp
Jul 12, 2017, 11:53 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Hi
I would like some help- my daughter's passport is expiring 4 days after we return to the UK from India. Her passport is valid during the whole trip but only expires once we are back. So I would like to know if she would face any problems here in London or in Indian immigration for not having 6 months validity on passport. I am really short on time as we travel in 12 days.
I would like some help- my daughter's passport is expiring 4 days after we return to the UK from India. Her passport is valid during the whole trip but only expires once we are back. So I would like to know if she would face any problems here in London or in Indian immigration for not having 6 months validity on passport. I am really short on time as we travel in 12 days.
Jul 12, 2017, 11:54 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
Hello All,
My wife's US passport will expire in June 2016 (valid Visa's). We plan to travel to India for 2 weeks in Feb. Can anyone report their entrance and exit experiences with less than 6 months left on the passport. We will fly from ATL-DOH-AMD. Will she have any issues traveling or should we just bite the bullet and renew the passort?
My wife's US passport will expire in June 2016 (valid Visa's). We plan to travel to India for 2 weeks in Feb. Can anyone report their entrance and exit experiences with less than 6 months left on the passport. We will fly from ATL-DOH-AMD. Will she have any issues traveling or should we just bite the bullet and renew the passort?
Jul 14, 2017, 5:33 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 124
Hi
I would like some help- my daughter's passport is expiring 4 days after we return to the UK from India. Her passport is valid during the whole trip but only expires once we are back. So I would like to know if she would face any problems here in London or in Indian immigration for not having 6 months validity on passport. I am really short on time as we travel in 12 days.
I would like some help- my daughter's passport is expiring 4 days after we return to the UK from India. Her passport is valid during the whole trip but only expires once we are back. So I would like to know if she would face any problems here in London or in Indian immigration for not having 6 months validity on passport. I am really short on time as we travel in 12 days.
However, it is advisable to contact your local citizens or a local solicitor directly and discuss this issue with them. This way you would have an idea of how to manage this renewing possport.
Jun 27, 2018, 12:48 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 1
Yes , you can travel with OCI and less than 6 months on Your passport
Yes , You can travel to India with Less than 6 months Validity on your US passport as long as you have an OCi .My Daughter travelled in the 3rd week of June 2018 with the US passport expiring late October. The airlines in SFO understand OCI and the immigration officers in Bangalore told us that the 6 month rule does not apply to OCI holders. They are very courteous at the immigration counters in India.
A couple of my friends travelled with ~3 months on the passport for a 3-4 week trip and had no issues either.
I had earlier emailed the FRO office in BLR and here is their response. They replied within two days . I had also emailed the Immigration offices in Kochi and Mumbai and they also confirmed the same. Thanks to Shree Sushma Swaraj the immigration officers respond within 2 biz days
Here is the official response :
“Your daughter's passport should be valid during the entry, stay period and exit from India, along with a valid OCI card. There are no other restrictions on the validity of passport as such for OCI card holders.
Team FRRO support,Bureau Of Immigration,
Bengaluru International Airport,
Bangalore - 560 300,
INDIA
Tele : +91 80 2200 1302,
Fax : +91 80 2200 1320
E-mail : [email protected]
Alt e-mail: [email protected]”
A couple of my friends travelled with ~3 months on the passport for a 3-4 week trip and had no issues either.
I had earlier emailed the FRO office in BLR and here is their response. They replied within two days . I had also emailed the Immigration offices in Kochi and Mumbai and they also confirmed the same. Thanks to Shree Sushma Swaraj the immigration officers respond within 2 biz days
Here is the official response :
“Your daughter's passport should be valid during the entry, stay period and exit from India, along with a valid OCI card. There are no other restrictions on the validity of passport as such for OCI card holders.
Team FRRO support,Bureau Of Immigration,
Bengaluru International Airport,
Bangalore - 560 300,
INDIA
Tele : +91 80 2200 1302,
Fax : +91 80 2200 1320
E-mail : [email protected]
Alt e-mail: [email protected]”