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Can I Hold both British and Indian passports-Is there any ri

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:31 pm
by vinodk537
I got British Passport recently. Can I travel to India with my Indian passport showing my Indefinite Leave and return to UK showing my Indefinite Leave on my Indian passport at the port of entry in UK.-Is ther any risk If i Keep both passports

Re: Can I Hold both British and Indian passports-Is there an

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:44 pm
by Family
vinodk537 wrote:I got British Passport recently. Can I travel to India with my Indian passport showing my Indefinite Leave and return to UK showing my Indefinite Leave on my Indian passport at the port of entry in UK.-Is ther any risk If i Keep both passports
You have to surrender Indian Passport, as you have acquired BC. Before travel to India, either you have to get Indian Visa, or PIO/OCI.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:47 am
by MyHSMPApplication
It is illegal to travel in Indian Passport after getting the British PP.

So suggest you surrender it ASAP and either apply for an Indian Visa or PIO or OCI.

The problem with the Indian visa is that you are not allowed to return to India within the next 6 months or so unless the situation is exceptional for which I believe you will have to get prior approval from the Indian embassy.

So if you have time in hand suggest you apply for PIO or OCI

KR
PG

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:51 pm
by nnj10
As others said, the Indian Constitution does not allow its Citizen to hold "dual nationality", so you will have to surrender your Indian Passport.

For the last few years, every PBD (Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held every January in India), PM M.M. Singh and his government gives carrot to NRIs but has taken no concrete action to amend constitution to allow dual nationality.
Hoping for some "magic" in next few years though :)

Re: Can I Hold both British and Indian passports-Is there an

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 8:43 am
by osteophytes
vinodk537 wrote:I got British Passport recently. Can I travel to India with my Indian passport showing my Indefinite Leave and return to UK showing my Indefinite Leave on my Indian passport at the port of entry in UK.-Is ther any risk If i Keep both passports
You can but it is illegal. If they find out, you have to pay penalty. Some people do use it and as long as you are prepared to pay the fine you can travel. For each trip you make using the Indian PP you have to pay 10000 rupees. But there is a cap at 50000 rs. Renewal might cause more problems.

Here is the link (scroll down and see the table)

http://hcilondon.in/renunciation.php

indian passport

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:26 pm
by vinodk537
How can they find out if i travel with only indian passport.I think so many people are keeping Indian passport and travelling with it eventhough they got British citizenship.
Have you come across anyone

Re: indian passport

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:42 pm
by osteophytes
vinodk537 wrote:How can they find out if i travel with only indian passport.I think so many people are keeping Indian passport and travelling with it eventhough they got British citizenship.
Have you come across anyone
Good question. But in the future if you decide to surrender your passport for what ever reason, they will go through the passport and look for entry/exit stamps.

If you want to keep it forever and keep renewing it, then it becomes a major issue if they find out.

How they find it - no one can predict.

Here are a few situations I can think of
1) During one visit, they might check your hand baggage for a different reason and see your UK passport
2) Some one might complain
3) If you are travelling to a country other than UK from India using Visa Waiver Programme they might not let you fly because of lack of visa to that country on Indian passport etc etc

And I do know people who keep using it. At the end of the day, it is not legal and it is your call.

Hi Osteophytes

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:50 pm
by vinodk537
Have u come across any one using Indian passport after getting British citizenship?

Shall I again get Indian citizenship If I surrender Indian passport If i want

Re: Hi Osteophytes

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:45 pm
by osteophytes
vinodk537 wrote:Have u come across any one using Indian passport after getting British citizenship?

Shall I again get Indian citizenship If I surrender Indian passport If i want
There are people who are doing it but it is illegal!!!

You can get Indian citizenship back. You have to be an OCI for 5 years and in the last 12 months of that 5 year period, you should live in India. But you have to give up UK citizenship.