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Any foreigner who wants to enter into India
must have a valid visa affixed on his or her
passport. This can be obtained from the
Indian Consulate in your country. Foreign
nationals of Indian origin, their spouses
and children can obtain visas from the
Consulate. Foreign nationals of Indian
origin, their spouses and children can
obtain Entry Visas valid upto 10 years.
Tourist Visas can be obtained for six
months, one year and 10 years. Visas of the
appropriate type should be obtained by
students, businessmen, journalists and
others who want to visit India for
professional purposes.
Validity of visas : All
types of visas are valid for the indicated
period from the date of issue (and not
repeat not from the date of first entry into
India). Post-dated visas are not issued at
any case.
Application form and picture
requirements : All applicants for Entry
and Tourist visas are required to fill out
an application form and provide one recent
passport size photograph. Applicants for
Business, Research, Journalist and some
other types of visas are required to submit
two forms duly filled in and two pictures.
Visas to non-residents :
Visas can also be issued to persons who
normally do not live in the jurisdiction of
this Consulate (this also includes people
holding Tourist / Business visas) after
obtaining clearance from the Indian Mission
under whose jurisdiction the applicant
normally resides. This however takes a few
weeks. The applicant may, however, pay an
additional charge for clearance by fax or
telex.
Restricted area permits :
Persons desiring to go to a restricted area
should fill in special forms and apply well
in advance as clearances are required before
a permit can be issued to travel to these
places. It takes at least 6 to 8 weeks to
receive the Government of India's clearances
in such cases.
Requirements for student
visas : Firm letters of admission from
Universities, recognized Colleges or
Educational Institutions in India are
required for issuance of Regular Student
Visas.
Applicants are also required to produce
satisfactory evidence of financial support.
In case of admission in a medical or a para-medical
course, the applicant has also to produce a
'No Objection Certificate' from the Ministry
of Health, Government of India, to obtain a
Student Visa.
Applicants for Student Visas who want to
pursue graduate or post-graduate studies in
Engineering / Technology are required to
produce a similar 'No Objection Certificate'
from the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (Department of Education).
Provisional Student Visas for a period of 6
months can however be issued on production
of a Provisional Admission Certificate
issued by a University / recognized
Educational Institution in India. It can be
changed to a regular student visa in India
itself subject to completion of the
formalities listed above. However, no change
of institute / purpose is allowed.
The entry of foreigners, stay, movements and
departure is regulated by the Acts passed by
the Indian Parliament and rules framed
hereunder by the Central Government from
time to time.
Foreigners who enter India should have a
valid passport, visa or other accredited
travel documents. All foreigners should
enter India through authorized check post or
airport only. They are subjected to
immigration check at the airport or check
post.
All foreigners who enter India or depart
from India either by air or sea shall
furnish a true statement of particulars
setting it out in form 'D' embarkation card.
The civil authority under Foreigners Order
1948 has powers to impose restrictions on
the movement of any foreigner in India. The
authority can also refuse a foreigner entry
into India if he/she does not posses a valid
passport, or is insane or is suffering from
any infectious disease or has been convicted
for an extradition offence or if his/her
entry is prejudicial to the interest of the
country.
All foreigners who desire to stay in India
beyond 180 days have to register themselves
at the Foreigners Registration Office within
two weeks of their arrival. Those who
intended to stay for less than 180 days but
ended up staying longer also have to
register themselves. Any violation of this
provision makes them liable for prosecution
under section 5 of the Registration of
Foreigners Act, 1939.
The State Registration Officer in the State
capital functions as the liaison office
between the Foreigners Registration Officers
(FRO) and the government. The Foreigner
Registration Officer is the primary agency
to regulate the registration, movement,
stay, departure and also for recommending
the extension of stay in India.
A foreigner who enters India on a valid visa
shall report before the Foreigners
Registration Officer within two weeks of
arrival and get himself registered. He has
to produce 6 sets of photos, passport
copies, visa page, etc. Thereafter the FRO
will issue registration certificate and a
residential permit upto the validity of the
visa period.
A foreigner coming to India on a tourist
visa valid for 6 months need not register
his name. However this depends on the
condition noted on the visa.
Children of foreigners under 16 years of age
residing in India need not register their
name as they are exempted from Registration
(Exemption) Order 1957. But they will be
issued a residential permit for their stay
in India. They should also obtain extension
for their stay from time to time.
Foreigners who wish to stay in India beyond
the visa period should apply for extension
of stay 90 days before his Residential
Permit is due to expire. The Central
Government has delegated limited powers to
the FROs to grant extension of stay to
foreigners and in all other cases the
following documents are to be sent to the
State government.
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Application duly filled and signed
by the foreigner in duplicate.
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Photostat copy of the valid passport
along with visa page.
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HIV certificate issued by a
recognized medical institution.
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Copy of the registration certificate
and residential permit.
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Financial guarantee given by an
Indian citizen on a Rs. 10 stamp
paper.
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Photostat copy of the bank account
and remittance and letter given by
the bank manager.
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Police report in English issued by
the jurisdictional police station
where the foreigner resides.
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Receipt for having paid the
prescribed fee to the RBI under head
of account OAS-0070.
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In case of businessmen, the
agreement between the firm and the
Government of India.
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In case of employment visa, letter
of consent of the firm where the
foreigner is employed.
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