Conversion of evisa to oci in India

[PeachShark]

Hi All,
I have applied for my OCI card and it takes around 7 weeks to receive it. As I need to travel to India urgently and stay there for almost an year, Im thinking of applying for evisa, travel to India and after 2 months convert my evisa to oci (oci will be shipped to me from Canada by my friend) via e-frro center.

Could anyone share their experience about the above process?

 

[johnjkjk]

I was interested in this and asked this question recently on the OCI thread. e-visa and tourist visa cannot be converted to OCI. Apparently you will need entry visa (X1), which takes 1 month after surrender (2-3 weeks) in Canada (OCI takes 2 months+ surrender). And in India, there's the unknown hassle, corruption and inefficiency of dealing with Indian bureaucracy (someone said avoid frro if you can).

And you can only apply for OCI in India after staying there for more than 6 months (I.e. establish India as your place of ordinary residence). So you would need to renew your x1 entry visa to stay longer than 6 months.

So if you don't mind the potential hassle in India, you can potentially save 1 month by getting an entry visa as compared to OCI. The alternative would be to return to Canada when you can, get OCI and go back, but it would be a 2 month process and I don't know if there is a "Tatkal" option for OCI (if there is, let me know)

 

[PeachShark]

Thanks for your response.
If I can’t convert evisa or tourist visa to OCI, can I exit India for 2 days and go to near by country (For Ex: Malaysia or Singapore) and return back to India on OCI?

 

[johnjkjk]

Thanks for your response.
If I can’t convert evisa or tourist visa to OCI, can I exit India for 2 days and go to near by country (For Ex: Malaysia or Singapore) and return back to India on OCI?

If you mean you want to apply for OCI and meanwhile enter India on e-visa, I think it may be allowed but don't you need to submit your original Indian and Canadian passport for verification/stamping?

Don't know whether you need to return to Canada or if Singapore is ok. E.g. when you reenter India, perhaps they could ask how you got your OCI in hand without going to Canada? Or would they not care? I don't know.

I suggest you ask this question on the OCI process thread.
There are very knowledgeable people the OCI thread. I am also interested to know how this would work as I may do the same.

 

[CANADA-1]

Hi All,
I have applied for my OCI card and it takes around 7 weeks to receive it. As I need to travel to India urgently and stay there for almost an year, Im thinking of applying for evisa, travel to India and after 2 months convert my e visa to oci (oci will be shipped to me from Canada by my friend) via e-frro center.

Could anyone share their experience about the above process?

e visa enough to stay india - just find cheep airfare and destination before 180 days visit and come back like kathmandu,dhaka,dubai,sri lanka,thailand,myanmar ,maldiv

 

[johnjkjk]

e visa enough to stay india - just find cheep airfare and destination before 180 days visit and come back like kathmandu,dhaka,dubai,sri lanka,thailand,myanmar ,maldiv

Hi the question is, would it be ok to take such a short trip and re-enter India with OCI (sent from Canada when ready)? Would immigration walas ask how OCI was obtained without giving back to Canada? Or Would they not care?

and which of your stated locations has visa on arrival/ E visa for Canadians?

 

[CANADA-1]

Hi the question is, would it be ok to take such a short trip and re-enter India with OCI (sent from Canada when ready)? Would immigration walas ask how OCI was obtained without giving back to Canada? Or Would they not care?

and which of your stated locations has visa on arrival/ E visa for Canadians?

1-kathmandu---The Nepal visa fees are as follows: If you wish to visit Nepal for 15-days, you need to pay 30 USD for the visa. If you wish to visit Nepal for 30-days, you need to pay 50 USD for the visa. If you wish to visit Nepal for 90-days, you need to pay 125 USD for the visa

2-The fee for a visa on arrival is $50 USD (plus tax), payable in US dollars only. You do not need to bring a passport/visa photo for a visa on arrival. The visa on arrival is only valid for 15-30 days. A longer stay will require that you apply for an extension and this can be time consuming and is not guaranteed

3-dubai-What Does a Dubai Visa for Canadians Cost? There are no payments needed in advance of entering the country or on arrival. Once you get to Dubai, as a Canadian citizen you will be able to receive your Visa on Arrival. You do not have to pay for your Visa on Arrival in the UAE

4-Visitors from Canada with a valid ETA will be issued with a Sri Lanka visa on arrival for Canadians immediately, with no application paperwork necessary fee,USD 60

5-Applicants can apply for the METV at all Thai Embassies, Consulates-General as well as Honorary Consulates worldwide. The application fee is 250 CAD, with a visa validity of six (6) months and the duration of stay of up to sixty (60) days per visiT

6 There is no visa fee when visiting Maldives on visa on arrival However, you need to pay the visa on arrival rate which is 666.69 Maldivian Rufiyaa. 44 USD

CHEAPEST WAY GO TO DUBAI GET 30 DAY VISA FOR FREE IF YOU WANT EXPLORE DUBAI IS OK OTHER WISE SAME DAY YOU CAN COME BACK YOU WILL BE FINE

NOTE -IF YOU USE OCI FLY INDIA TO CANADA TOTALLY DEPEND ON DESK IMMIGRATION OFFICER MAY ACCEPT OR NOT NEVER KNOW DONT KNOW WHAT FACE OF

 

[surya.sudhakaran91]

@PeachShark @johnjkjk : could you please confirm what are the possibilities as I m in the same boat and in desperate need of this answer

 

[johnjkjk]

@PeachShark @johnjkjk : could you please confirm what are the possibilities as I m in the same boat and in desperate need of this answer

It's allowed to get evisa whilst OCI is pending (search Google for an MEA tweet regarding this).

Then it Could be technically possible to re-enter India with OCI by visiting Singapore, Nepal etc. Whether airport babus complain about why you didn't go back to Canada is another matter. And if OCI verification is done and they find you're in India.. may require some explanation to the often dim-witted official.

@PeachShark did you actually attempt this?

 

[surya.sudhakaran91]

I was reading some visa can be directly converted to OCi without exit. Are you aware if evisa can be done?

 

[abbas.pasha]

I was reading some visa can be directly converted to OCi without exit. Are you aware if evisa can be done?

https://ociservices.gov.in/
Foreign nationals cannot apply for OCI in India while on Tourist Visa, Missionary Visa and Mountaineering Visa. Moreover, the foreigner has to be ordinarily resident of India to be eligible to apply for OCI registration in India.
Note: 'ordinarily resident' will mean a person staying in a particular country or in India for a continuous period of 6 months.

 

[surya.sudhakaran91]

We are nớt applying, we already have the oci it’s just the exit from country can be avoided if it’s directly converted

 

[abbas.pasha]

We are nớt applying, we already have the oci it’s just the exit from country can be avoided if it’s directly converted

Best is to check with FRRO

 

[diwakarsharma]

Hi @PeachShark
I am currently in India on an e-tourist visa, and I received my OCI after arriving in India. However, I am unable to convert the e-tourist visa to OCI while in India. If I travel to Nepal and return to India with my OCI, will I be permitted to stay in India on OCI status? Will my e-visa automatically convert to OCI? Additionally, if I later return to Australia (as I am an Australian citizen) with my Australian passport and OCI, would there be any issues?
Thanks in advance.

 

[ankurbhatia17]

I am in the same boat, have already applied for OCI but have to travel to India on Entry Visa for indefinite period. Is it possible to ask a friend/ family to carry/ courier OCI card to me in India? I can make a quick short trip to Nepal/ Dubai and reenter India on OCI