Hey Wilson,
You can carry your old passport as long as its not cancelled (very important).
The Kanadian passport office (when you apply for a new passport) will
clip the old one in the corner, making it inactive (if you decide to
keep it).
You can try and let them know you have a life-long visa in it, ask to
see a senior officer cause the little ***ck at the counter won't
understand what you are saying.
There is a senior person at the deshi commission (very civil person)
who confirmed this is the way its to be done; he is a knowledgable
person.
My question is what are the rules about staying away from, say Kanada.
In the Euro zone, one can stay away as long as you want but in
Kanada...?. This is important cause there are many a senior
citizen/retiree homes in Goa for example.
On Sat, Jul 23, 2011 at 8:13 AM, Wilson Coelho
wilson_coe...@hotmail.com wrote:
Hi Gabe! With reference to your post below particularly with reference to PIO
/ OCI This will entitle them to stay in India for 15 years or 30 years
respectively without any need for a visa. The PIO and OCI cards are
renewable. to the best of my knowledge and belief OCI is valid for
lifelong as per the stamp fixed on the passport whereas you have quoted that
it's valid for 30 years. Secondly, the Indian mission here in Canada informs
the holders of OCI that they should transfer the Visa from old passport to
new passport. When this writer contacted the Indian mission in Canada, they
were not sure but stated that it is advisable. The writer also contacted the
Immigration Office in Bombay to clarify the matter and it has been clearly
told that so long as one carries the old passport is good enough to enter
India repeat to carry old expired passport with the Lifelong Visa stamped
along with the New Foreign Passport is a must. The transfer of the Visa
Stamp from old passport to new foreign passport is done at a cost of Dollars
25/- presently. This is confusing to the minds of the fellow OCI holders
abroad. Will u please check with our NRI Commissioner and revert back on
this issue so that minds are clear.Wilson Coelho (Toronto/Goa/Kuwait)
Message: 3
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:09:09 +0100
From: Gabe Menezes gabe.mene...@gmail.com
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!
goanet@lists.goanet.org
Subject: [Goanet] India moves to give long term visas Goans settled
abroad
Message-ID:
caafx5v5_fjnbyu4tazd3pvzdm_czheh-b2sstbi2vaxnbwi...@mail.gmail.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
India moves to give long term visas Goans settled abroad
LONDON: Union Home Ministry has advised Indian missions abroad to extend
long-term visas to Goans settled abroad, NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro
has said.
Inaugurating a two-day global Goans Convention at the Indian Gymkhana near
Osterley here, Faleiro said he had taken up the issue with the Union home
minister after receiving several complaints from Goans holding foreign
passports that some of our Embassaies and High commissions abroad issue them
tourist visas, lasting three to six months.
Faleiro, a former Union Minister of State for External Affairs, said that
the Union Home Minister agreed that the procedure being followed is not
correct and that Goans settled abroad must be given long-terms visas or X
(extendable) viasas.
The minister informed me that his Ministry is advising the Missions
concerned as well as the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, Goa to
ensure that long term visas are issued to them and these visas are extended
from time to time, Faleiro.
He advised all Non-Resident Goans holding foreign passports to apply at the
earliest for a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) or OCI (Overseas Citizen of
India) card.
This will entitle them to stay in India for 15 years or 30 years
respectively without any need for a visa. The PIO and OCI cards are
renewable.
