Indian Passport Control

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lamborghini

Registered Users (C)
All,

I feel really sad to be posting this here as I know many of us have been waiting for our approvals for soooooo long (Real Canadian - very sorry to hear about your transfer to local center, Paccha really really sorry to hear about your RFE, especially since you and I have the same RD... take heart folks, my best wishes are with you), while there are others among us who have received our approvals and are looking at the future. I do not mean to rub it into anyone.

But July 16 has me a little concerned in travelling to India over Diwali on a Stamped passport with no physical card.. I was looking into the after GC approval thread and realized that I might go through a secondary inspection upon return as INS POE computers cannot pull info based on a stamped passport. That's o.k. I can live with another inspection.

I am more worried about the Indian passport control (in my eight years here I have always been worried when I go home... never been hassled but it has always felt like they will say - "Sir this passport is stolen", or "Sir it is not your picture in the passport" Or some such thing. Oh Wait! they won't even say "Sir" :D)

So my questions are to someone/anyone who has travelled on a stamped passport - Does the Indian Passport control do anything like ask for the physical Green Card or take note of the page where the passport was stamped or such and also do they enter any information regarding your green card #/A# in their computer etc. etc..??? I am especially talking about Delhi as from what I have heard from a family member of mine who has done extensive travel, Delhi passport control is the WORST of all of Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta etc etc.

Any help will be appreciated

cheers
:)
 
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Lambor,

Wishing u best for ur trip and though I haven't travelled with the passport stamped with GC approval, I think u should sail thru at the Delhi airport with no problems.

I understand, one example is never good, but I found staff over there quite OK (Aug-Sep'02).

Moreover, I don't think u will have to go thru 2nd inspection here in USA (I went thru that).

Don't worry (particularly when u can't do any thing more to this).:) :)
 
Thanks for your good wishes dma_va. You're cool :) We love you

Ah but you see I can do a little something. I get open tickets on an international airline (as my wonderful wonderful sibling works for the Airline) and thus I can go anytime I want --> as long as there is a seat on the plane. Heck sometimes I even travel on jump seats i.e. seats with no numbers on them which are reserved for staff members and are allocated on the Flight Captain's discretion....

So with that in mind I was thinking am I really risking something at the Indian Passport Control by not waiting for the physical card and trying to make it to Diwali... will they hassle me unnecessarily. Maybe I should just wait a few weeks for the card and go at the end of Nov - during thanksgiving.

Hence I posted here to see if anyone had any info


what can I say, July16 has made a chicken(65) out of me

:) :) :)
 
Chicken Lamborghini (Sounds like Makhani)

:D :D :D

With access to the Jump seat and all, better do the thanks giving thing, like I said earlier it is legal to travel with the stamped Passport.

But 911 has changed a lot of things, here in USA, and specially with the Indian POE, I dont even know if they understand the importance of the stamp. for which we have toiled years!!

so have a Cyber Dipawali, and a factual thanks giving.

;) :p :D
 
Guys,

Don't be too much worried about travelling on stamped passport. My brother travelled on stamped passport and did his immigration in Hyderabad and Newark (while returning). He did not face any problem what so ever. I also know couple of friends who travelled to India (Madras and Bombay) on stamp and they did not face any problems.

But I know one case in which Indian immigration guys created a fuss while returning to USA. The story was like this...

INS did not give I-551 stamp on my collegue's wife's passport, since her passport was having less than 6 months validity. Instead they issued an I-94 like card with I-551 stamp on it. While he was thinking of applying for a new PP, they got their plastic cards. After that she renewed her passport. But INS officials at Newark told her that she need not get I-551 stamp on her passport as she now has plastic card. So in effect, she has a plastic card but no stamp in her passport.

Corrupt Indian immigration guys at Bombay airport, insisted that she should have some kind of stamp on her passport. They refused to accept her plastic card saying .."Anybody can produce this card...for us Passport is the only valid document". Even the superior officers said the same thing. Later on, they let her go only after paying $200. My friends do not have time and patience to argue and take the matter to higher-ups. So they really do not have any option.

It is very sad that our beloved country is going to dogs because of such corrupt bastards. They would knowingly let go even a terrorist for $200, but harass educated and law abiding citizens.
 
lamborghini

My friend had been to India right after she got her passport stamped and she did not face any problems whatsoever.

She wanted to wait until she had received her card but her lawyer told her that the cards would arrive probably after six months or so. She didn't want to wait that long.

All worked out fine for her at Bombay and JFK.
 
Uncertainity at all stages...

When you have valid H1 and applied for AOS...we are afraid to use valid H1 (though 100s of friends on this site say it is ok) to make a trip without AP. If we have an AP then we are afraid about the procedural issues of using it. Now Mr.Lambo has received approval and he thinks twice about going. The lady got the plastic card but faces problems! Who posted the messages saying "Enjoy your freedom...."? :D :rolleyes:

But once you made the trip safely....you are the veteran ;)

I wish Mr.Lomb to take a calculated ($200) risk and enjoy your Diwali in India with your family and paint the city GREEEEEEEN :)
 
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dont worry

Dont worry, the GC stamp is well recognised in Indian airports. Many European nations dont know what it is and need to call their American expert to verify.
 
u should be just fine .....

As per my exp... i find Delhi better than Bombay ...infact the immigration officers in India are well informed about the visa and visa stamps ....

its not a problem .... infact the last time I travelled from Delhi with an expired visa stamp ( had the CP visa approval packet with me) ... i had not given him the visa packet initially ... the guy looked at the visa stamp ... checked the date and said this is expired, do you have a visa packet ... then i showed him that and there were no further questions ...

while in Amesterdam, the officers there do another round of interview and check for flights to the US, I showed just my passport .. it had the expired visa in it and he did not even ask for the VISA PACKET !!!!!!!!!!!
 
Do children require no stamping if they receive Plastic Cards directly

krishnagc,

Thanks for the info.
My children directly received Plastic Cards (also welcome letters) along with my 485 Approvals.During my stamping, I asked IIO explaining the situation whether they need stamping in Passport or not.They clearly mentioned that as they received cards, there is no need of passport stamping. I asked one more guy and he repeated the same thing.
But in forum I read that Bombay Immigration gave trouble saying that they donot honour Green Card and passport must be stamped to allow the passengers board the plane(Of course, they took the bribe $200 and let in).

I plan to India in Dec 02 and I am worried about the situation.
Please post if you have similar experience. And please tell us how I can tell the corrupted Indian officals that this is the rule ?
It is catch 22 as INS refuses to stamp and Indian Immigration make money out of it.

Any help is appreciated.

Adhra
 
Guys,

My kid had a problem at Chennai Airport last year.

He was born here (US), and I got a passport for him when he was 3 months, since we had to make a trip to India. It was not a problem at that time. However when my wife and my son went through Immigration (India) at Chennai Airport, the guy with 2 pounds of ponds powder on his face had the adocity to ask my wife if he was really her son :mad:

My wife got really furious and showed my kids Birth Certificate. Anyhow after 45 minutes of argument, the powerboy let them through.


On her way back to US, the same inspector would not let my kid past the Immigration. My wife immedieatly called the US Embassy, and left a message stating that the Immigration folks are not letting her son (US Citizen) through Immigration. My wife left my sons name, passport number, place of birth and his SSN #. Someone from the Embassy called back the Immigration guys, and my kid was allowed to board the plane. :=)

So the powder boys can be real finiky!! I guess it depends on what mood there are in when you hand them your passport.
 
Hi Guys


I had a different kind of experience at Delhi Airport.

This time when I was coming back (Dec. 2001), Officer (a young guy) at Immigration desk started asking about my qualifications/College etc., then he started asking abt my school and teachers name and all that. I was confused why this guy is asking all this :confused:

I gathered all the courage I had and asked that guy why are you asking all these questions, he said abe saale main tera classmate huin, and I was shocked :eek: I couldn't recognize my classmate :o and then we had a long talk you know abt what :p
 
Stamped Passport

Our experience was totally different. We all had our cards with us but the immigration official at Bombay (Patil Bhau) did not check anything. He just stamped the passport and waved us on. When we were coming back the immigration official only asked me if I had the card and took my word for it. The guy who was stamping my wife's passport kept looking at the GC and my wife's face for about 1 minute ( I guess he was half blind). So I guess it varies from person to person. Travelling on a stamped passport shuld be just fine. Don't worry. Have a nice trip and SHUB DEEPAVALI!!
 
Ram,

Welcome back.

Do we take it as 30 seconds if both his eyes were fine or 2 minutes? Just kidding...........:D :D ;)
 
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