Emergency travel !!

[Indobrit1123]

Hi everyone,

I recently received my British passport and I need to travel to India on an emergency. I have both Indian and British passport but don’t have an OCI or Indian VISA.
What are my options to travel?

1. can I travel on my Indian passport while going to India and come back on my British passport?
2. can I apply for my visit visa ? I heard e visas are cancelled but I can see appointment are available for visas?
3. If we can’t apply for visit visa is there any other visa option available ?

I am not getting appointments for passport surrender and OCI so that’s out of question as I need to travel urgently.

Please can you tell me the options ?

Thanks for all the advice!

[secret.simon]

Really more of a question for the "Other Countries" forum as it is more about Indian immigration requirements and moved accordingly.

The UK has no issue with you travelling on your other passport.

[rainbowbutterfly]

Hi everyone,

I recently received my British passport and I need to travel to India on an emergency. I have both Indian and British passport but don’t have an OCI or Indian VISA.
What are my options to travel?

1. can I travel on my Indian passport while going to India and come back on my British passport?
2. can I apply for my visit visa ? I heard e visas are cancelled but I can see appointment are available for visas?
3. If we can’t apply for visit visa is there any other visa option available ?

I am not getting appointments for passport surrender and OCI so that’s out of question as I need to travel urgently.

Please can you tell me the options ?

Thanks for all the advice!

Hi

Once you acquire foreign citizenship you can travel within a grace period of 3 months from date of becoming citizen provided you have not got the foreign passport. Once you have a foreign passport, you cannot travel on Indian passport even in grace period.

I know of somebody who called up HCI and was asked to send email to an ID with the proof of emergency and was issued emergency visa. The Emergency that usually constitutes as urgent in nature are death in family (blood relatives) and/or serious ailments along with documentary evidence. No other conditions are usually considered as emergency.
I would suggest, please call up HCI (they have emergency numbers and email IDs on their website).

Hope this helps.

[katanayi]

Once you obtained british passport, you have either apply EVisa or ready to pay fine when you apply for surrendering indian paspport.

They dont consider any emergencies even death in family. This is my experience, my wife has to pay panality due emergency travel after death in family.

[rainbowbutterfly]

Once you obtained british passport, you have either apply EVisa or ready to pay fine when you apply for surrendering indian paspport.

They dont consider any emergencies even death in family. This is my experience, my wife has to pay panality due emergency travel after death in family.

It is mentioned in HCI website about the grace period of using Indian Passport and rules around it. Any use after acquiring British passport is not allowed. It is also mentioned that GoI no longer issues monetary fines for using Indian passport beyond grace period, although it is not clear how the penalty is levied.

I know of a family who did travel to India during this pandemic after demise in their family on an emergency visa after getting their British Passport (both of Indian Origin)

[sams4u29]

[quote=katanayi post_id=2020650 time=1626073185 user_id=42137]
Once you obtained british passport, you have either apply EVisa or ready to pay fine when you apply for surrendering indian paspport.

They dont consider any emergencies even death in family. This is my experience, my wife has to pay panality due emergency travel after death in family.
[/quote]

Were you saying that your wife travelled on Indian Passport (after getting British Passport) and she had to Pay fine- If Yes how much fine was she asked to Pay?

[katanayi]

Were you saying that your wife travelled on Indian Passport (after getting British Passport) and she had to Pay fine- If Yes how much fine was she asked to Pay?[/quot]

It was about 163 gbp(not remember exact amount, this was in 2019). They wont proccess your surrender certificate untill you pay.

It is very clear on VFS site, even we misunderstood intially. Once you aquire british passport, grace period gets invalid.

[rainbowbutterfly]

Were you saying that your wife travelled on Indian Passport (after getting British Passport) and she had to Pay fine- If Yes how much fine was she asked to Pay?[/quot]

It was about 163 gbp(not remember exact amount, this was in 2019). They wont proccess your surrender certificate untill you pay.

It is very clear on VFS site, even we misunderstood intially. Once you aquire british passport, grace period gets invalid.

Hi

Please refer to this link of HCI London (it is official and supersedes all information provided by VFS as this is from GoI)

https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/page/surre ... -passport/

Refer to Questions:
1. Can I use my Indian Passport to travel after naturalisation?
2. How much is the penalty for misusing Indian Passport.

It's all mentioned clearly.

Thanks

[sams4u29]

Many Thanks for the reply