India Dual Citizenship Mega Thread (Merged)

The India Dual Citizenship will be Operational:

  • In 2003

    Votes: 4 20.0%

  • In 2004

    Votes: 11 55.0%

  • Sometime after 2004

    Votes: 4 20.0%

  • I am skeptical if this will happen

    Votes: 1 5.0%
  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
Hello everyone.I think i got the confusion somewhat sorted out.The law passed in 2003 allowed for dual citizenship for only those 16 countries.The new law provides for all countries.
There were some other changes as well which supposedly makes things simpler.I dont have much details of that-but seems it reduces processing time to 15 days.
So basically the old law was now replaced with a new law.
 
mangal969 said:
Hello everyone.I think i got the confusion somewhat sorted out.The law passed in 2003 allowed for dual citizenship for only those 16 countries.The new law provides for all countries.
There were some other changes as well which supposedly makes things simpler.I dont have much details of that-but seems it reduces processing time to 15 days.
So basically the old law was now replaced with a new law.
Click to expand...

I've been checking out these posts for the last couple of weeks, and like many NRIs & PIOs, was hoping that by 15th of August we would have the option of applying for OIC. Judging from the above articles, it seems that three bills have been passed since the last couple of years, with two amendment bills in this current year itself. I personally think that the whole process is now going to take a lot longer, since voting rights might be introduced, and NRIs & PIOs from all countries other than Pakistan, Bangladesh and a few others will be allowed to apply for OCI.

I have a question that I just can't find the answer to. I currently have a 5-year multiple entry X-Visa to India; if I wanted to stay in India for longer than the 6 months, I would have to register with the FRRO and I understand the same is also the case if I had a PIO card. Is it true that with a PIO card I would be able to conduct a business in India as a sole trader, but not so with a 5-Year X-Visa? With a PIO card, if I was to start a business in India, and once the 6-months are up, I could register with the FRRO. Would the reason for looking after my business be enough for the FRRO to allow me to stay in India for longer than the 6 months?

Another thing I would like to know is that with a 5-year multiple entry X-visa, once the 6 months are nearly over, would I not be able to go off to a neighbouring country such as Sri lanka and then return the next week back in India and then allowed to stay for another 6 months?

Thanks in advance for any help with the above questions.
 
nitindb said:
I've been checking out these posts for the last couple of weeks, and like many NRIs & PIOs, was hoping that by 15th of August we would have the option of applying for OIC. Judging from the above articles, it seems that three bills have been passed since the last couple of years, with two amendment bills in this current year itself. I personally think that the whole process is now going to take a lot longer, since voting rights might be introduced, and NRIs & PIOs from all countries other than Pakistan, Bangladesh and a few others will be allowed to apply for OCI.

I have a question that I just can't find the answer to. I currently have a 5-year multiple entry X-Visa to India; if I wanted to stay in India for longer than the 6 months, I would have to register with the FRRO and I understand the same is also the case if I had a PIO card. Is it true that with a PIO card I would be able to conduct a business in India as a sole trader, but not so with a 5-Year X-Visa? With a PIO card, if I was to start a business in India, and once the 6-months are up, I could register with the FRRO. Would the reason for looking after my business be enough for the FRRO to allow me to stay in India for longer than the 6 months?

Another thing I would like to know is that with a 5-year multiple entry X-visa, once the 6 months are nearly over, would I not be able to go off to a neighbouring country such as Sri lanka and then return the next week back in India and then allowed to stay for another 6 months?

Thanks in advance for any help with the above questions.
Click to expand...

From what information i have the voting rights are for NRI's and not PIO's hence out of the purview of the current bill.Though used interchangably,NRI's and PIO's are two distinctly seperate entities.

The currently passed laws allow for PIO's worldwide to apply for OIC.Pakistan & Banladesh have been kept out of the scheme.
Basically,hopefully,the OIC scheme should get implemented soon because there are no real excuses remaining.

About your business solution keeping tax issues aside,you cannot have a business on an X-Visa.You can do so on a PIO card.The sole trader issues are better discussed with an accountant/tax expert.

I would suggest this-Go to India on your X-visa (if you're not there already) and when you go to India apply for your PIO card at the FRRO.When the card is issued at that time register at the FRRO.It should make the future extensions easier.
 
mangal969 said:
Basically,hopefully,the OIC scheme should get implemented soon because there are no real excuses remaining.
Click to expand...

Hey mangal969,

We can ONLY hope, because I felt excited about this in 2003, but India's politicians and bureaucrats have really mastered the art of accomplishing nothing, yet staying busy and in the news! Over the past 2+ years, they have gradually created more confusion over the subject. So I really want to read the final outcome and the fine print before before getting excited about this again.
 
Just for information

Please refer to your e mail addressed to the President regarding
Citizenship Amendment Ordinance 2005. The Bill seeking to replace the
above Ordinance has since been passed by both Houses of Parliament and
received the assent of the President on 24.8.2005.
With best wishes,
J.R. Krishnan,
Addl.PS to the President
 
just wondering....abt ppl from india

people act very weird. they come to america..go through this laborious GC process and get the GC, when the US govt makes a mistake they do not say anything , take the crap and go with it and try suck up as much as they can and get the GC...which is fine.
but then there comes a point in life when they try to become a US citizen, they go ahead and make that choice. its the person's conscious decision that should be arrived at after looking at all the pros and cons.
if you are an indian citizen looking to become a US citizen, then you might have a lot to consider, the fact that you might lose your indian citizenship.
and many of these guys go ahead and do that and now they sit here and complain about indian laws. now you have chosen to make a decision that you know very well the problem existed.

someone argued about the difference between PIO cases and india and PEM cases in USA. yeah when you chose to become a US citizen stop trying to get benefits from india. what else do you want? agreed india is a 3rd world nation, i mean exactly what you did you do improve it? all these guys did was to run away from india and swear oath to another country, now why even bother to get dual citizenship. why incase america runs you out you want shelter back in the 3rd world nation???
when you do not want to live in india and want to spend the rest of your life in some other place why bother with voting rights..property rights...etc...
 
Hey Michael boy
Because Indians are the cleverest people in the world than Jews. They know how to make money and how to spend it. Not like the foreigners who live on a weekly basis.
 
I agree with Michael

I agree with Michael when it comes to Indians complaining about India after taking the US citizenship.
They know very well what they are getting into but still want More More More . Yes, the Non resident Indians have contributed a lot to the Forex reserves, economy etc etc but what have they done to improve India on a social basis?
How many have thought about even opening schools,hospitals, small scale industries , awareness programs to help the masses? A fraction !!
And many people here want to have the dual citizenship for the sake of buying agricultural land and run back to their country in case they are drafted for armed forces service.
Lets not forget that US has given us a lot too !!
The education / skills which were taught in India could not have been used there to much extent. USA gave us an opportunity to learn more in life and I hope with that comes the maturity of being fair to both the countries.

And "Mr Mangal Pandey" did u forget that many people in India even live on a daily basis?? How are you going to help them after taking the dual citizenship? For whatever reasons people don't like Jews , but they are an enterprising community atleast helping their own. Many of them contribute back to the society be it in the form of donations,scholarships, land for hospitals, rooms, libraries or even a bench/ lamp in the park. I am not a jew but I appreciate their efforts and actions to help their own people.

SO, please don't be like an employee who signed the contract and fights with his employer everytime to get more out of it.

PS- Think twice before posting any dirty remarks to my post !! :)
 
Guys,

We are all in this country with individual needs, goals and priorities. So none of us here have the right to say what other people should do or do not. Also its individual's choice to acquire a specific country's citizenship or deny it.

I think a person's contributions to country, people or society is irrespective of his/her citizenship status. Also you can contribute to any country's society as long as it benefits to the needy and poor people irrespective of color/creed/nationality. In the global sense person can contribute to the country by living there or living outside, it does not matter.

The name "Dual citizenship" itself is very confusing. Govt. of India declared earlier this facility is more like a lifetime visa to the country born natives who become foreign nationals. OIC will surely improve in near future. We all know govt. related
tasks take its own sweet time to improve things.

So let's try to keep the forum pleasant and clean and make healthy debates :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
sunny914 said:
I agree with Michael when it comes to Indians complaining about India after taking the US citizenship.
They know very well what they are getting into but still want More More More . Yes, the Non resident Indians have contributed a lot to the Forex reserves, economy etc etc but what have they done to improve India on a social basis?How many have thought about even opening schools,hospitals, small scale industries , awareness programs to help the masses? A fraction !
Click to expand...
sunny914 said:
First of all it is the government of india that has made this law,mostly with the purpose of extracting a higher forex turnaround from the PIO's.What Indians here are moaning and groaning about is the obvious lethargy shown by the government in implementing it's own laws ! ! ! Indians living in India are either too pre occupied or have accepted this lethargy as a way of life !Somehow being out of the system shows you the flaws of the system.
About the contribution part,let me tell you that there have been proposals from NRI's/PIO's for building schools and hospitals caught up in the red tape for years (or maybe even decades)! ! ! Monetary contribution is by far the simples method right now of "giving back to the motherland".And while we are on the topic,what percentage of resident Indians are contributing to the social causes of India ? I am pretty sure you would be stunned if you checked in terms of relative ratios !
This is exactly the attitude of distrust that has developed between resident and non resident indians.Residents feel that you deserted your country for economic gain and now you want a way back in....and you did nothing for the country.Well fact of the matter is that everyone contributes in their own small way.And it is these little contributions that help accelerate the progress of a nation.The chinese are a very good example of that.
And many people here want to have the dual citizenship for the sake of buying agricultural land and run back to their country in case they are drafted for armed forces service.
You cannot buy agricultural land even if you are a dual citizen.You can only inherit it.As a dual citizen you can only buy land for building a house or an office which no doubt will be a contribution to the local and national economy.
Lets not forget that US has given us a lot too !!
The education / skills which were taught in India could not have been used there to much extent. USA gave us an opportunity to learn more in life and I hope with that comes the maturity of being fair to both the countries.Very true....but i dont think taking overseas citizenship is in any way a betrayal of the US.Remember "overseas citizenship" is a coined phrase like "permanent resident".I dont think that this will be a question of divided loyalty.

So, please don't be like an employee who signed the contract and fights with his employer everytime to get more out of it.
This is more like asking your former employer to give you some benefits (like continued access to the cafeteria) while working for your new employer :)
Click to expand...
 
I am an Indian citizen. I have paid enough taxes to the Indian government. I have every right to criticize GoI. It is in the constitution. Look it up.
:mad:
 
SF consulate also has new information.

http://www.cgisf.org/oc/index.html

[*] Indian missions would be authorized to grant OCI within 15 days for applicants having no criminal record.

[*] OCI will be issued a new type of visa called ‘U’ visa which is multi-purpose, multiple entry with no time limit on length of stay and no requirement of police reporting.

[*] OCI would be granted all rights in the field of economic, financial and educational fields, in parity with NRIs. ( They would not however have any rights respect to acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.)***
 
Fortunately, the existing OCI applicants need not have to re-apply for OIC with the new prescribed form.
 


The Government of India is currently in the process of preparing a scheme to register 'Overseas Indian Citizens' (OCI) and to provide them with a special life long visa. The Citizenship Act (1955) was recently amended by the Parliament in this regard and assent of the President is awaited.

Somebody explain to me why, to establish a category of lifelong visa (i.e. the new U visa), parliament needs to amend the Citizenship Act.
 
Thanks for all the information. I am glad to see the details of the finalized scheme on the Ministry of Home Affairs Web site in INDIA.

http://mha.nic.in/oci-main.htm

I am a PIO Card Holder and and I have applied for OIC through a Indian Consulate in the US during November 2004.

I look forward to receiving the OCI soon.

I only hope that there will not be a problem for my refund of $250.00 in my case as I am an existing PIO card holder. As per the new regulations specified, PIO card holder only need to pay $25.00 towards the registration fee. I have already submitted a copy of my PIO Card to the Consulate at the time of application and I have just contacted them to alert this matter!
 
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