Can I travel on 2 passports (Indian and Canadian) - URGENT?

[enthuuu]

Hello everyone,

I am currently living in France, and hoping to travel to India over summer, around 1st week of July. I became Canadian citizen in Feb 2020, so my 3 months grace period is over now. I wanted to obtain my OCI card but everything got shut down and couldn't apply for one. Now I need to travel to India and I still got Indian passport. Currently, no Indian visas are being issued, so I wont be able to get the visa on my Canadian passport. My questions-:

1) is it safe to travel to India on Indian passport, and actually return to France on Canadian one? The reason I wanna do this is that there's a penalty for travelling on Indian passport after grace period and it is on per trip basis. If I have to pay, I will have to do it for only 1 trip

2) Is it actually possible to surrender my Indian passport while I am in India and apply for OCI there? If so, what would be my status there as Canadian citizen since I would not have an Indian passport, visa or OCI?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[hardnut]

Hello everyone,

I am currently living in France, and hoping to travel to India over summer, around 1st week of July. I became Canadian citizen in Feb 2020, so my 3 months grace period is over now. I wanted to obtain my OCI card but everything got shut down and couldn't apply for one. Now I need to travel to India and I still got Indian passport. Currently, no Indian visas are being issued, so I wont be able to get the visa on my Canadian passport. My questions-:

1) is it safe to travel to India on Indian passport, and actually return to France on Canadian one? The reason I wanna do this is that there's a penalty for travelling on Indian passport after grace period and it is on per trip basis. If I have to pay, I will have to do it for only 1 trip

2) Is it actually possible to surrender my Indian passport while I am in India and apply for OCI there? If so, what would be my status there as Canadian citizen since I would not have an Indian passport, visa or OCI?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Indian immigration won't let you leave on the Canadian Passport if you entered using the Indian passport. It is not just the question of penalty. They will turn you back to get an exit permit from the FRRO if you want to leave urgently or go through the surrender passport + X visa + OCI process if you have the time.
Surrendering your Indian passport , getting an Indian X visa for your status and then applying for OCI while in India ( optional) are routinely done in India with FRRO ( foreign regional registration office)
But you will have to make sure FRRO is working these VIRUS days.

 

[enthu]

Ah ok. Sounds good traveling on Indian passport after grace period is not problematic afterall since people apply for visa and OCI from frro routinely. I think I will do the same thing if frro is working else just come back on Indian passport only.
Thanks a lot, it was very helpful!

 

[hardnut]

Ah ok. Sounds good traveling on Indian passport after grace period is not problematic afterall since people apply for visa and OCI from frro routinely. I think I will do the same thing if frro is working else just come back on Indian passport only.
Thanks a lot, it was very helpful!

You won't be able to exit on the Indian Passport for Canada as you won't have a Canada PR.
So think carefully before you go. Ask relatives in India to find out if FRRO is working.

 

[enthuuu]

No buddy, I have Canadian passport and I will return to France as I live here now. I will come back to France on Indian passport if FRRO is not working. My main worry was about travelling on Indian passport after grace period, but looks like that not big of an issue.

 

[hardnut]

No buddy, I have Canadian passport and I will return to France as I live here now. I will come back to France on Indian passport if FRRO is not working. My main worry was about travelling on Indian passport after grace period, but looks like that not big of an issue.

You have a Canada Passport but if you are exiting on an Indian Passport ,Canada Passport does not matter. You cannot show 2 passports to the Indian immigration officer. He will want to see a visa on the INDIAN passport for the country you are going to.
Since you are going to France, you will need a Schengen visa on your Indian passport.

 

[enthuuu]

Yes, I do have a long stay French visa on both passports

Just curious, if I enter in India with Indian passport, do I have to apply for a exit permit or a fresh visa with FRRO (for Canadian passport)? Looks like FRRO is working and all applications are online anyway. I am considering to apply for either exit permit or visa as soon as I arrive there, in order for me to have enough time to even get an OCI while I am staying there until end of August.

 

[hardnut]

Yes, I do have a long stay French visa on both passports

Just curious, if I enter in India with Indian passport, do I have to apply for a exit permit or a fresh visa with FRRO (for Canadian passport)? Looks like FRRO is working and all applications are online anyway. I am considering to apply for either exit permit or visa as soon as I arrive there, in order for me to have enough time to even get an OCI while I am staying there until end of August.

If you have a french visa then it is fine.

If you plan to apply for an OCI in India , now I saw on the website that you have to be ordinarily resident in India ( 6 months).
Visit https://ociservices.gov.in/
I suggest to call FRRO for your requirements in your city when you get there, the phone nos. are on the website.
(anyway there are no walk ins at FRRO now, you need an appointment before you visit. )

 

[enthuuu]

Really? 6 months requirement I am hearing first time. I thought people have been applying for OCI in India frequently.

 

[hardnut]

Really? 6 months requirement I am hearing first time. I thought people have been applying for OCI in India frequently.

I am just quoting what is written on the website. It is new to me too. You can check yourself on https://ociservices.gov.in/

 

[canuck78]

Hello everyone,

I am currently living in France, and hoping to travel to India over summer, around 1st week of July. I became Canadian citizen in Feb 2020, so my 3 months grace period is over now. I wanted to obtain my OCI card but everything got shut down and couldn't apply for one. Now I need to travel to India and I still got Indian passport. Currently, no Indian visas are being issued, so I wont be able to get the visa on my Canadian passport. My questions-:

1) is it safe to travel to India on Indian passport, and actually return to France on Canadian one? The reason I wanna do this is that there's a penalty for travelling on Indian passport after grace period and it is on per trip basis. If I have to pay, I will have to do it for only 1 trip

2) Is it actually possible to surrender my Indian passport while I am in India and apply for OCI there? If so, what would be my status there as Canadian citizen since I would not have an Indian passport, visa or OCI?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Forget all your passport issues. It is an incredibly bad idea to visit India In the next few weeks as the number of covid cases explode in India. First of all there is a good chance you may get stuck in India for potentially months and France may refuse your entry if you try to return like the EU is doing to the US. You also risk getting sick in a country with a huge shortage of healthcare.

 

[trk1]

No buddy, I have Canadian passport and I will return to France as I live here now. I will come back to France on Indian passport if FRRO is not working. My main worry was about travelling on Indian passport after grace period, but looks like that not big of an issue.

If you travel out of France with one passport (Say Canadian), and enter back with a different passport(Indian) , you will face the same dilemma I believe. The officer will insist on seeing the stamp on the valid passport that holds the visa. They know that India stamps both entry and exits

I am not a legal expert..please view it as another opinion.

 

[smash1984]

Is it even legal to hold Indian and Canadian passport at the same time?

My understanding is that India requires you to give up your citizenship if you acquire the citizenship of another country? Is that right?

 

[PMM]

Hi

Is it even legal to hold Indian and Canadian passport at the same time?

My understanding is that India requires you to give up your citizenship if you acquire the citizenship of another country? Is that right?

1. There is 3 months grace period to hold the Indian passport.

 

[sydcarton]

Hi



1. There is 3 months grace period to hold the Indian passport.

Please note that this 3-month grace period only applies when the person is unable to acquire a passport of their new nationality.