Getting back to Canada after travelling to India on an Indian passport

[footyluv]

@karthik2479 - I'd agree with you on this. It's better to pay the penalty fees (if applicable) and avoid travel via 3rd country.

@vic2015 - I'd suggest you try calling the FRRO office in India. Most likely you'll need to apply for an exit permit. You can then exit/fly out using your Canadian passport.

 

[vic2015]

You May get fined Rs. 10000 for having used your passport once for travel. But I think if it’s within the grace period of 3 months it should be ok. While it says no penalty for travel after acquiring citizenship - it won’t be possible to enter Canada or at least board the flight by just showing citizenship certificate to the airline staff as your PR card is already cut. So in my opinion you are overthinking - just show the Canadian passport for exit immigration -come back and apply for surrender and OCI - worst case they will fine you 10k or maybe nothing at all if you have done it within 3 months - while they use the term foreign citizenship for the 3 month grace period they might just consider the foreign passport as well. (As in use the term interchangeably)

I've only travelled during the 3 month grace period. Not outside it.

But, I do want to visit Kathmandu, Nepal via the land border because I'm close to it, I don't know if I can show my Canadian passport to get the visa by entering it through the land border.

 

[vic2015]

@karthik2479 - I'd agree with you on this. It's better to pay the penalty fees (if applicable) and avoid travel via 3rd country.

@vic2015 - I'd suggest you try calling the FRRO office in India. Most likely you'll need to apply for an exit permit. You can then exit/fly out using your Canadian passport.

I tried calling FFRO, they don't pick up the phone.

 

[forw.jane]

The problem is not the 3-month grace period. The problem is that you traveled on an Indian passport while you also possessed a Canadian passport. That is illegal according to that 3-month grace period rule. There is a possibility of getting into a lot of trouble while exiting India!

The reason they give you that 3-month grace period, after obtaining another country's citizenship is because you may not be able to obtain that other country's passport in a timely manner. So they allow you to use the Indian passport.

That is why (as others have suggested), the easiest and best thing for you to do would be to EXIT INDIA TO A PLACE LIKE NEPAL ON YOUR INDIAN PASSPORT (don't say anything about your Canadian passport). Then book a ticket from Nepal to Canada and exit Nepal on your Canadian passport (I don't think Nepal would care about that, because you never had anything to do with that country).

You will still have to deal with the consequences when applying for OCI and surrendering your Indian passport, but at least you would be able to return to Canada without any hassles.

NOTE: while notifying the authorities and applying for an "exit permit" is an option, this is highly bureaucratic India we're talking about. You don't know what kind of problems that will lead to and how kindly they will look upon breaking the law!

That's why, in my opinion, I think the above suggestion is much simpler! You are not breaking any law by traveling to a "3rd country"!

@vic2015, On top of what @747-captain above please go through this article on the negative impact of travelling on Indian passport while holding passport of another country - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/no-relief-for-man-who-visited-other-nations-using-indian-passport-after-obtaining-belgian-citizenship/articleshow/98750694.cms?from=mdr

 

[747-captain]

I've only travelled during the 3 month grace period. Not outside it.

But, I do want to visit Kathmandu, Nepal via the land border because I'm close to it, I don't know if I can show my Canadian passport to get the visa by entering it through the land border.

It seems they might have changed the rules recently (see link). You most likely will get fined the Rs. 10,000 if you use your Indian passport to leave India (Of course, it depends on the officials who process your exit). But it appears that having a Canadian passport during that 3 month period may not be an issue, after all.

https://eoi.gov.in/eoisearch/MyPrint.php?0834?001/0005#:~:text=A grace period of three,acquisition of a foreign passport.

Canadians can get a "visa on arrival" at the the Nepal airport (and also some land borders), according to he travel advisory page). So, if you choose this option, there might not be any penalty, as long as you exit on your Canadian passport.

 

[vic2015]

It seems they might have changed the rules recently (see link). You most likely will get fined the Rs. 10,000 if you use your Indian passport to leave India (Of course, it depends on the officials who process your exit). But it appears that having a Canadian passport during that 3 month period may not be an issue, after all.

https://eoi.gov.in/eoisearch/MyPrint.php?0834?001/0005#:~:text=A grace period of three,acquisition of a foreign passport.

Canadians can get a "visa on arrival" at the the Nepal airport (and also some land borders), according to he travel advisory page). So, if you choose this option, there might not be any penalty, as long as you exit on your Canadian passport.

I've read that link several times before. The rule says that if you don't surrender for 3 years AND travel on it once, you'll get fined 10000. I don't think you can read one part of the sentence separately from the other. I won't be using my Indian passport to leave India anyway.

 

[akbardxb]

Whatever route you choose, please update here, if you'd like to. Much has been written about a 3 month grace period, but not heard of anyone successfully using it without consequences.

 

[vic2015]

Whatever route you choose, please update here, if you'd like to. Much has been written about a 3 month grace period, but not heard of anyone successfully using it without consequences.

Can you please provide a link about the consequence about using the 3 month grace period? The link posted above was for a person who used his Indian passport for 5 years after getting a foreign citizenship. I don't intend to do anything like that. I will pay any fine in Canada for getting OCI but I want to avoid it before that if I can.

 

[abbas.pasha]

Can you please provide a link about the consequence about using the 3 month grace period? The link posted above was for a person who used his Indian passport for 5 years after getting a foreign citizenship. I don't intend to do anything like that. I will pay any fine in Canada for getting OCI but I want to avoid it before that if I can.

https://eoi.gov.in/eoisearch/MyPrint.php?0834?001/0005
https://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/pdf/passports_act.pdf

 

[The N]

Can you please provide a link about the consequence about using the 3 month grace period? The link posted above was for a person who used his Indian passport for 5 years after getting a foreign citizenship. I don't intend to do anything like that. I will pay any fine in Canada for getting OCI but I want to avoid it before that if I can.

Why can't you surrender your Indian Passport and get surrender certificate at Passport Seva Kendra in India?

Then travel with Canadian Passport and surrender certificate?

 

[vic2015]

Why can't you surrender your Indian Passport and get surrender certificate at Passport Seva Kendra in India?

Then travel with Canadian Passport and surrender certificate?

Because I wanted to travel quickly. I have a place to live waiting for me in Ottawa and it's only available for a month. Find a place to live in big cities has been a nightmare and I wanted to avoid it.

Whatever route you choose, please update here, if you'd like to. Much has been written about a 3 month grace period, but not heard of anyone successfully using it without consequences.

So I crossed into Birgunj from Raxaul. I told them my situation and they said that they can't stamp my Canadian passport with a Nepalese Visa because the entry stamp was on my Indian Passport and it didn't have any exit stamp.

I've applied for surrendering my passport in India now and I'll probably get the appointment date of 25th May in Delhi. (It's hard to book. It will show the available times after 5PM today.) Trying to reschedule my flight. Not sure what date to book so that I have enough time left to get the surrender certificate and use it to apply for exit permit.

 

[abbas.pasha]

Because I wanted to travel quickly. I have a place to live waiting for me in Ottawa and it's only available for a month. Find a place to live in big cities has been a nightmare and I wanted to avoid it.


So I crossed into Birgunj from Raxaul. I told them my situation and they said that they can't stamp my Canadian passport with a Nepalese Visa because the entry stamp was on my Indian Passport and it didn't have any exit stamp.

I've applied for surrendering my passport in India now and I'll probably get the appointment date of 25th May in Delhi. (It's hard to book. It will show the available times after 5PM today.) Trying to reschedule my flight. Not sure what date to book so that I have enough time left to get the surrender certificate and use it to apply for exit permit.

Thanks for sharing thee update. On whatever website you booked your appointment for surrender, what is the timeline mentioned for the cancellation?

 

[sajjarapu]

Because I wanted to travel quickly. I have a place to live waiting for me in Ottawa and it's only available for a month. Find a place to live in big cities has been a nightmare and I wanted to avoid it.


So I crossed into Birgunj from Raxaul. I told them my situation and they said that they can't stamp my Canadian passport with a Nepalese Visa because the entry stamp was on my Indian Passport and it didn't have any exit stamp.

I've applied for surrendering my passport in India now and I'll probably get the appointment date of 25th May in Delhi. (It's hard to book. It will show the available times after 5PM today.) Trying to reschedule my flight. Not sure what date to book so that I have enough time left to get the surrender certificate and use it to apply for exit permit.

Hi,
Did any of the Indian authorities tell you about any penalties for traveling to india on indian passport ?? I intend to do the same

 

[Shiv9122]

@vic2015 can you please let me know if you have travelled to Canada, if so how? My family is in similar situation. My baby was born in India and now she has both Indian and canada passport as i am Canada citizen. No one is providing clear information, even FRRO as well as the Indian consulate.
You information will be much valuable to me
Personally?
Thank you

 

[vic2015]

@vic2015 can you please let me know if you have travelled to Canada, if so how? My family is in similar situation. My baby was born in India and now she has both Indian and canada passport as i am Canada citizen. No one is providing clear information, even FRRO as well as the Indian consulate.
You information will be much valuable to me
Personally?
Thank you

Yes, I'm back in Canada. I had a helluva time getting back. Do a 'walkin' to the Passport RPO in Delhi if you can't get an appointment to surrender your passport. 1) Surrender your Indian passport at RPO Delhi, (Not, Post Office Passport Seva Kendra). Do it in Delhi or a big RPO. They know what they are doing. 2) Apply online for an exit permit or a Visa (if you want to stay longer) on the FRRO website. 3)Print and carry the exit permit with you. Exit permit will give you couple of weeks to leave India.

The Canadian Embassy in Delhi is useless. They will just take 50 CAD from you to write a useless letter which is not needed by the Indian authorities.