Surrendering passport + visa application

Hi Guys,

Just been to the VFS center today to surrender my Indian passport and apply for a visa. I was told that I could not apply for a long term entry visa until I got my surrender certificate although I surrendered my passport on the same day which doesn't seem to make sense. The clerk asked me to take a tourist visa instead which I did not realising that I could not re enter India for 2 months after the visa expires.

Can I ask HCI to hold my visa application until they issue me a surrender certificate and then issue me the long term entry visa, or is it the VFS I should be querying this with

Do I come back to the UK after the 6 month tourist visa expires and apply for a long term entry visa this time, hoping that I would not have to wait 2 months to go back.

I am not looking at getting PIO or OCI for the time and would appreciate any advice

Thanks

If you have a British Passport (I assume that is the reason why you surrendered your Indian Passport) then you need a visa to go to India. You can apply for a short term visa because you have never travelled to India on your British Passport (one of the qualifying factors to get a long term visa. Does not matter if you had a Indian Passport before. That become defunct when you acquired British citizenship).

If you have to go to India urgently then apply for the short term visa and go. If you can wait, then get the surrender certificate and apply for OCI (don't know why you do not want to do this) and then you will be able to travel to India whenever you want (its like a life-long visa).

Also the time taken to get a surrender certificate is usually 5 working days from the day you surrendered your Indian Passport.

Hi Krazydude,

Thanks for replying, appreciate your time. But please do read the post completely before replying

Yes I had taken up British Citizenship. I was indeed looking to travel soon but wanted the long term entry visa as I would want to spend more time there.

I know that the Indian passport becomes invalid after I acquire a different citizenship and I did not want to apply for OCI or PIO as they do not give full rights in the country and then you do not get consular protection & help in India by the British consulate

I have already submitted my application but the VFS clerk changed my long term entry to tourist as he told me that I could not get a long term entry. I had only read up on the long term entry and that I could apply for a visa and surrender at the same time so I was under the impression that I would get that visa. But the clerk hurried me and was quite confusing in trying to explain so I went ahead and applied for the tourist visa

My Question was could I ask them now to hold this application until I get a surrender certificate and give me a long term entry

tribalboy wrote: I know that the Indian passport becomes invalid after I acquire a different citizenship and I did not want to apply for OCI or PIO as they do not give full rights in the country and then you do not get consular protection & help in India by the British consulate

As a citizen of UK you should get consular protection as OCI or PIO are just visas and they are not passports. In any case, as former Indians why do we need the protection while in India?.

This has been covered quite a few times on this board. Look at one of those discussion here

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... 879879e3af

I dont think OCI & PIO holders have same rights as someone one who only holds a British passport, most people are unaware of this.

My Question was could I ask them now to hold this application until I get a surrender certificate and give me a long term entry

Simple reply - No

If you have already applied for a short term visa, you will either get it or it will get rejected. You can ask for your passport back and your application to be cancelled in which case there will be no fee refund and you will be without any Indian visa.

You will not be able to apply for a long term visa right now (or after you get your surrender certificate) and I explained this why.