British citizen but travel on Indian passport

Hi Experts,

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I can't seem to find it, so apologies for duplication if this topic already exists.

I got my UK citizenship certificate on 27th April 2013, and now have a UK Passport as valid from 16th May 2013. Previous to this, I have a valid Indian passport with ILR.

Now, I want to travel to India for a a short time, from 19th July - 22nd July, and I was wondering if I can still use my Indian passport to do that, or will I have to get an Indian visa? I understand that technically I am no longer an Indian citizen, so technically my Indian passport shouldn't be valid, but the consulate website losely states there is some sort of 90 day "grace period", and my understanding is that I should be able to travel during those 90 days on my Indian passport.

I want to apply for the OCI card as well, and I'm hoping to do so when I get back from India. If I do travel on my Indian passport, will it be illegal, or will there be a problem in getting the OCI at a future date? I'm just trying to avoid the hassle and visa fee for an Indian visa

Thanks in advance

As you got british passport so you can't use indian passport as you are not indian citizen any more.
If you travel on indian passport after getting british citizen you are going to have problem when you go to surrender your passport to apply for OCI CARD. They will fine penalty to you or might charge you with indian passport Act 1967 12 (1) (b) which is 50,000 rupee and five years prison sentence if found guilty.

So my advice is surrender you passport to indian ambassy and get surrender certificate first. The process for getting surrender certificate is 2 to 3 days.
After you get surrender certificate you can apply for tourist visa 6 month or 5 years long term visa which is given to indian person origin. And process time for this visa is 2 to 3 days only so still you got time to do this.

Hope this help. My advice to you is don't get OCI or PIO card because if you have any problem in india the british government will not help you. So it's better to get long term visa (5years)

kmittal82 wrote:Hi Experts,

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I can't seem to find it, so apologies for duplication if this topic already exists.

I got my UK citizenship certificate on 27th April 2013, and now have a UK Passport as valid from 16th May 2013. Previous to this, I have a valid Indian passport with ILR.

Now, I want to travel to India for a a short time, from 19th July - 22nd July, and I was wondering if I can still use my Indian passport to do that, or will I have to get an Indian visa? I understand that technically I am no longer an Indian citizen, so technically my Indian passport shouldn't be valid, but the consulate website losely states there is some sort of 90 day "grace period", and my understanding is that I should be able to travel during those 90 days on my Indian passport.

I want to apply for the OCI card as well, and I'm hoping to do so when I get back from India. If I do travel on my Indian passport, will it be illegal, or will there be a problem in getting the OCI at a future date? I'm just trying to avoid the hassle and visa fee for an Indian visa

Thanks in advance

Yes, you can travel on your indian passport till 26th July, but make sure you are back in UK by 26th July.

Indian government allows 3 months of grace period to use your Indian passport.

raheelmulla wrote: Hope this help. My advice to you is don't get OCI or PIO card because if you have any problem in india the british government will not help you. So it's better to get long term visa (5years)

That's not correct. OCI/PIO will receive consular assistance, as any other BC, from BHC / FCO in India should there be any need.

But still you need to contact the indian embassy before travelling by describing this situation and get it confirmed with them too.

I just got a reply from vfs, and they said that it is ok to travel within the 3 month grace period and I do not need to inform anyone about it.

AFAIK, the penalty is imposed only if you travel outside the 3 month grace period

Thanks for all your help folks!

Hi kmittal82,

I am in a similar situation.

Would you mind sharing your experience with the Immigration officers in the UK on your return from India? Also, any information on landing card filling would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

kmittal82 wrote:I just got a reply from vfs, and they said that it is ok to travel within the 3 month grace period and I do not need to inform anyone about it.

AFAIK, the penalty is imposed only if you travel outside the 3 month grace period

Thanks for all your help folks!

Hi kmittal82,
I am in exactly in same situation...please share your experience while returning to UK?

Sri

Hi, Can anyone please share their experience who travelled to India on Indian passport after acquiring British Passport.

I guess no-one would like to take risk, I would personally not, If you have a time then I would suggest to surrender your Indian passport and get a tourist visa.

pnakhat wrote:Hi, Can anyone please share their experience who travelled to India on Indian passport after acquiring British Passport.

There is absolutely no risk involved. Many availed this concession and travelled with indian passport during the grace period.

one such example http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=142501

ban.s wrote:

raheelmulla wrote: Hope this help. My advice to you is don't get OCI or PIO card because if you have any problem in india the british government will not help you. So it's better to get long term visa (5years)

That's not correct. OCI/PIO will receive consular assistance, as any other BC, from BHC / FCO in India should there be any need.

PIO will receive consular assistance.

However HO FOI requests in the past has revealed that British Government considers OCI as a dual citizenship and this can cause issues.

Hi experts,

I understand that we can travel to India with Indian passport after naturalisation or even after receiving British passport, if the travel is within the 3 month grace period.
I also understand that the Indian passport should be surrendered with in that grace period.
My query is:
Provided that the passport is surrendered with in 3 months grace period, do we have to pay a penalty when applying for OCI card.
If anyone has personal experience with this situation, please share it.
Thanks in advance

RA

the grace period means indian passport usage within that period will not attract any penalty during passport surrender.

ban.s wrote:the grace period means indian passport usage within that period will not attract any penalty during passport surrender.

Hi ban.s,

Thanks for the quick reply. So no penalty while we surrender or apply for OCI card? If so, I am going to book my tickets right now !

Also, one more query: does it matter whether I apply for British passport before I travel to India or apply on my return?

Thanks
RA

No penalty during passport surrender. It is a pre requisite for OCI application.

Doesn't matter whether you apply for British Passport before of after travel. The 3 months grace period starts from the date of naturalisation irrespective of when the passporrt was acquired. However if you have a British Passport then at UK border you can enter as a British Citizen, else you have to enter as an Indian citizen with indian passport, completing the landing card etc - as you have done in the past. You also have to submit Indian passport for British passport application - so if you have travel needs, then you have to plan accordingly.

ban.s wrote:No penalty during passport surrender. It is a pre requisite for OCI application.

Doesn't matter whether you apply for British Passport before of after travel. The 3 months grace period starts from the date of naturalisation irrespective of when the passporrt was acquired. However if you have a British Passport then at UK border you can enter as a British Citizen, else you have to enter as an Indian citizen with indian passport, completing the landing card etc - as you have done in the past. You also have to submit Indian passport for British passport application - so if you have travel needs, then you have to plan accordingly.

Hi ban.s,

Thanks for your reply. I have now decided to travel in Indian passport as I will not have enough time to apply for British passport.

Just one more query: My husband has to travel to Prague and Germany as soon as we return from India( which will still be within the 3 months grace period). He plan to apply for Schengen visa as soon as we get back from India (as again no time to apply for British passport).

I presume that travel to Schengen countries is allowed during 3 months grace period, without penalty?

Your advice is much appreciated.

RA

Hi,

I also have another travel need, family trip to srilanka
from india..I presume that it should be ok we will be within the grace period.
could anyone pls confirm that its ok to travel not just to
India but also to other countries like srilanka.
Also in relation from my previous query, is it ok to apply
for schengen visa during grace period?

Can anyone pls help...

RA

that's correct - any travel within the grace period of 3 months from naturalisation should be ok.

Thank you Ban.s

Hi
I am from Canada. I am in the similar situation though.
As per the discussions in the topic, I am seeing may people did travel with Indian passport after naturalisation.
Just wanted to know while exiting India, if the immigration officer asks for a valid Canadian visa or permanent resident card, how to manage. I have to handover my permanent resident card, which means I don't have any other proof other than my Canadian passport and as I understand its not a good idea.

Please let know your suggestions

Thanks

var001 wrote:Hi
I am from Canada. I am in the similar situation though.
As per the discussions in the topic, I am seeing may people did travel with Indian passport after naturalisation.
Just wanted to know while exiting India, if the immigration officer asks for a valid Canadian visa or permanent resident card, how to manage. I have to handover my permanent resident card, which means I don't have any other proof other than my Canadian passport and as I understand its not a good idea.

Please let know your suggestions

Thanks

That's correct - you'll need to show both airlines in India and Immigration authorities that you'd be able to enter the destination country with your Indian passport and visa (unless you get visa on arrival). UK do not cancel /invalidate the ILR/PR hence it doesn't create any issue here.
If you travel with canadian passport and don't hold a valid canadian entry permit, then you shouldn't use Indian passport.

also see a similar incident --> http://www.immigrationboards.com/other- ... 54693.html

Hi Guys, ban.s,

I'm in a kind of weird situation. Though it is related to the grace period but it is not exactly same as mentioned in previous posts.

Details:
British Naturalisation Date: 08 Dec 2014
British Passport Received: Yes
Indian Passpot: Not surrendered yet
End of Grace Period: 08 Mar 2015

Travelling to India: 20 Feb 2015
Returning from India: 15 Mar 2015 (7 days after the grace period ends)

Questions:

• > Do i need to get an indian Visa just for these 7 days or is there a work around?
  > Can i use Indian passport to enter India and use British passport to leave india? This way i won't be violating the grace period.

TilharBoy wrote:Hi Guys, ban.s,

I'm in a kind of weird situation. Though it is related to the grace period but it is not exactly same as mentioned in previous posts.

Details:
British Naturalisation Date: 08 Dec 2014
British Passport Received: Yes
Indian Passpot: Not surrendered yet
End of Grace Period: 08 Mar 2015

Travelling to India: 20 Feb 2015
Returning from India: 15 Mar 2015 (7 days after the grace period ends)

Questions:

• > Do i need to get an indian Visa just for these 7 days or is there a work around?
  > Can i use Indian passport to enter India and use British passport to leave india? This way i won't be violating the grace period.

Considering you have more than a month before your travel, please surrender your passport and apply for visa.
If you use Indian passport you'll have to pay £145 penalty during surrender and you can't use two separate travel documents for entry and departure from India.

Thanks ban.s.
You have been a great help to all those who come to this forum with queries. Great job.