IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE TRAVELLING TO INDIA

Dear applicant,

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE TRAVELLING TO INDIA

(Courtesy of Cyril Rapose)

Thank you for your query,

Please note that there should be a gap of at least 2 months between two visits to India on a Tourist Visa. This ruling applies to short term Tourist visas i.e. 6 Months and 1 year and does not apply to the long term entry visa for 5 yrs or any other visa category. Applicants who require re-entry to India within 2 months owing to their itineraries e.g. travelling to a third country from India using Indian port as the hub and returning after a few days, will now have to support their applications with a detailed itinerary and the same will be considered by the HCI for the second entry.

For applicants who have to travel again for any other reason will have to make an application to the HCI, London and it will be considered on case specific basis. These applicants will have to attend the HCI in person and submit this request form with a misc fee of £7 and their case will be decided on individual basis at High Commission of India’s discretion. If they are given a re-entry, the HCI will stamp a re-entry stamp on their passports which will enable them to re-enter India within 2 months of their last entry.  Where permission is accorded in such cases, registration with the local FRRO/FRO would be required within 14 days of arrival in India. Processing time of the request will be 3-4 working days.

However, those holding Tourist Visas, who after initial entry into India plan to visit another country and re-enter India before finally exiting, could be permitted more than one entry, as the case may, be subject to their submission of a detailed itinerary and supporting documents i.e. confirmed Air tickets.

For applicants making a request for a fresh tourist visa with multiple entries cannot travel to the third country from India. This is valid for travel to India and return to UK only. Applicants who wish to travel to a third country e.g. London – Delhi (stay 1 week) – Kathmandu (1 week) – Delhi (2 week stay) – London, will apply for 6 months/Double entry visa only and will not be given a multiple entry. Similarly, applicants requiring 3 or 4 entries in India in one single trip due to such itinerary will be given only THOSE MANY ENTRIES on the visa and NOT a MULTIPLE ENTRY visa. For such cases, requiring double or more entries by virtue of the travel itinerary, applicants are requested to provide a detailed travel itinerary along with the applications at point of submission.

Any applicant who has applied for a 6M or 1 Yr multiple entry visa who after the grant wishes to change the itinerary to travel to a third country from India will not be allowed to do so and hence will be forced to re-apply for an appropriate entry visa for the trip.

The restriction applies to the date of travel and NOT to the date of application. Hence, if the applicant is applying for a visa within 2 months of the last exit from India but not travelling till beyond 2 months, we can accept the visa application. However, please note that even though the visa validity starts from the date of issue, the immigrations may deport the applicant if he enters India within 2 months of the last exit.

Applicants who hold a valid 6 Months/ Multiple entry Tourist visa issued but not travelled to India so far e.g. Visa applied in November but applicant travelling in Feb, if travelling to a third country from India, can make a request for the Re-entry permit through FRRO/FRO offices upon their arrival in India. The re-entry permit given here will be only for those applicants who have travelled at least ONCE on the Tourist visa which is still valid for multiple entries.

Tourist Visa Re-entry request form can be downloaded by clicking on the following link: http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/visa-forms.aspx

Please note – In view of the spread of the Swine Influenza A (H1N1) all passengers traveling to India will be screened at the International Airports in India on their arrival. This will also involve quarantine and even hospitalization, if detected, with any symptoms connected with the flu.

In case of requirement to visit India within 2 months, permission should be sought from the High Commission of India, London or the Indian Consulates at Birmingham and Edinburgh directly without going through VF Services (UK) Ltd. Where permission is accorded by High Commission of India in such cases, registration with the local FRRO/FRO would be required within 14 days of arrival in India .  Processing time of the request will be 3-4 working days.

However, applicants  , who after initial entry into India plan to visit another country and re-enter India before finally exiting, could be permitted more than one entry, as the case may be subject to their submission of a detailed itinerary and supporting documents . For such cases, the tourist visa will be issued for those specific entries only and not multiple entry.

In view of the change in the Tourist Visa procedure, applicants who hold a valid 6 months multiple entry visa & wish to travel back to India within 2 months, Government of India has fixed Pounds Seven (£7/-) as ‘Miscellaneous Charge’ for according permission to re-enter India within Two months of last exit. The re-entry permit will be granted on discretionary basis only for urgent travel requirements.