US passport, Indian Visa and renounciation certificate

D

desicowboy

Registered Users (C)
I got US passport recently. Have planned a trip to India, leaving on 10/20. I wonder what is the best approach? Get Visitor Visa, Entry visa, PIO or OCI from Indian consulate?

Considering short time, I am thinking of applying for visitor visa. Can person of Indian origin (Indian citizen before naturalization) apply for visitor visa?

Can I also get Indian passport cancelled and renounciation certificate in same application?

How long it takes to get visitor visa?

Thx
 
I am also wondering about the same questions. Can anybody shed some light on this?

I mean what are the pros and cons of just getting a visitor visa vs applying for OCI? My main concern if I go for the OCI route is that I will have to cancel the indian passport and I am not sure whether that will cause some problems in accessing my indian domestic bank accounts with SBI etc.
 
For getting any Indian visa (or PIO or OCI), you (as a former Indian Citizen) have to get your Indian passport and get the surrender certificate after paying $275. There is no escape from this requirement.

You can designate your Indian bank account as NRO accounts (you were required to do so once you became an NRI)
 
Thanks. But when I went to the travisa site, what I read is that if you provide an notarized affidavit saying that I cannot find my indian passport, then they will accept that in lieu of surrendering the actual passport.

From the travisa site :
"If do not have your most recent Indian passport, your naturalization date will determine what requirements are needed.
If you were naturalized over 10 years from today, you must provide two (2) copies of a deemed surrender certificate form.
If you were naturalized less then 10 years ago, you must provide an Affidavit of Loss and either a copy of your birth certificate or a school leaving certificate."

So as the above note says, can I apply for an OCI if I "am not able to find my Indian passport"?

Thanks
 
So in essence you're going to say that you lost your passport and pretend that you are still an Indian citizen?

Look, what you can still do is this. Get OCI. Forget the Indian passport. Since you probably have a PAN card, that will be your ID in India, so you can keep your bank accounts the way they are.

With OCI, as opposed to a visa, you can freely go to India and do what you want (except the most high-level things, of course).
 
Thanks caceconleche.

No, I am not going to pretend that I am still an Indian citizen. I will correctly apply as a US Citizen. I was just thinking of applying for a OCI / renunciation-certificate WITHOUT an Indian passport; after determining that I am not able to find my Indian passport.

So basically my question is : If I am not able to find my Indian passport, can I still get a renunciation certificate and OCI? Will there be any problems later on?

Thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top