Hi,
I am planning to go to India on an entry visa next week - for the first time after being a US citizen. Since I'll be in India for some time, I would be applying for OCI in Delhi.
Since the OCI process takes at least a month to a few months to complete, I would need to register at the FRRO during the first 14 days of my visit.
Now, this is the info I got at the site: indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com. which handles India visa at San Francisco:
"Long Term Visa Holders Registration:
Registration formalities for foreigners visiting India on Long Term Visa
List of documents required at the time of registration with the Foreigners Registration Officer.
(i) Photocopy of the passport and initial visa.
(ii) Four photographs of the applicant.
(iii) Details of residence in India.
(iv) HIV test report from one of the WHO recognized institutions from people in the age group of 15 to 60 years, if the foreigner is visiting India on a visa for more than one year.
...
"
Please note the (iv) part which is an HIV test. I had not heard of it earlier. Does anyone have experience with this ? Have you been on a >1 yr visa and registered at FRRO with/without needing the test ? At Delhi FRRO ?
Since I would be filing for OCI pretty soon after reaching India, I'm debating whether to apply for a 6-month or 1-yr visa instead of the 5-yr visa which I was going to go for - just to bypass this requirement. (Not that I'm fearing it or anything - it's just another unnecessary hassle)
The reason for applying for the 5-yr visa was to bypass any kind of delays in OCI, and that in case I'm not able to complete OCI in a year, I would not have to go through the hassle of getting another visa and another subsequent FRRO registration (which is needed for every new visa). BTW, I understand the need to go out of the country before 6 months on the visa and that's not a problem.
Any ideas - anyone ? Should I get the 6 months / 1 yr visa to get around the HIV test ? And is it safe to assume that I'll get OCI during that time ?
I am planning to go to India on an entry visa next week - for the first time after being a US citizen. Since I'll be in India for some time, I would be applying for OCI in Delhi.
Since the OCI process takes at least a month to a few months to complete, I would need to register at the FRRO during the first 14 days of my visit.
Now, this is the info I got at the site: indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com. which handles India visa at San Francisco:
"Long Term Visa Holders Registration:
Registration formalities for foreigners visiting India on Long Term Visa
List of documents required at the time of registration with the Foreigners Registration Officer.
(i) Photocopy of the passport and initial visa.
(ii) Four photographs of the applicant.
(iii) Details of residence in India.
(iv) HIV test report from one of the WHO recognized institutions from people in the age group of 15 to 60 years, if the foreigner is visiting India on a visa for more than one year.
...
"
Please note the (iv) part which is an HIV test. I had not heard of it earlier. Does anyone have experience with this ? Have you been on a >1 yr visa and registered at FRRO with/without needing the test ? At Delhi FRRO ?
Since I would be filing for OCI pretty soon after reaching India, I'm debating whether to apply for a 6-month or 1-yr visa instead of the 5-yr visa which I was going to go for - just to bypass this requirement. (Not that I'm fearing it or anything - it's just another unnecessary hassle)
The reason for applying for the 5-yr visa was to bypass any kind of delays in OCI, and that in case I'm not able to complete OCI in a year, I would not have to go through the hassle of getting another visa and another subsequent FRRO registration (which is needed for every new visa). BTW, I understand the need to go out of the country before 6 months on the visa and that's not a problem.
Any ideas - anyone ? Should I get the 6 months / 1 yr visa to get around the HIV test ? And is it safe to assume that I'll get OCI during that time ?