URGENT!! Travel to India on e-visa right after oath without Surrender Certificate experience

[sajjarapu]

Hi All,

I'm curious if anyone travelled to India right after oath without surrender certificate, and travelled on e-visa ?

I called e-visa helpline and they are saying at the immigration control in India, they will ask me to show that I've surrendered my Indian passport. Can someone confirm with your experience please ?

Thanks,

 

[akbardxb]

Hi All,

I'm curious if anyone travelled to India right after oath without surrender certificate, and travelled on e-visa ?

I called e-visa helpline and they are saying at the immigration control in India, they will ask me to show that I've surrendered my Indian passport. Can someone confirm with your experience please ?

Thanks,

You don't have to carry your surrender certificate anywhere. I've been to India twice since becoming a Canadian. Wasn't asked to show it.
My daughter travelled on e-visa - no questions asked about SC; as late as Feb '23.

 

[sajjarapu]

You don't have to carry your surrender certificate anywhere. I've been to India twice since becoming a Canadian. Wasn't asked to show it.
My daughter travelled on e-visa - no questions asked about SC; as late as Feb '23.

Thank you, then it’s wired the last on the phone said it’s needed.
it’s unfortunate that there is no reliable information coming from concerned authorities. I’ve been trying to contact Any department that could answer my questions, i keep getting bounced from one office to other, and no one is taking the responsibility to answer.

 

[lr108]

Isn't it true you can use your Indian passport for upto 3 months since becoming a foreign citizen?

"A grace period of three months is allowed from the date of acquisition of foreign citizenship, for the purpose of travel on an Indian Passport. Therefore, no penalty will be leviable for travel on an Indian passport within three months of acquisition of a foreign passport. "

 

[lr108]

Thank you, then it’s wired the last on the phone said it’s needed.
it’s unfortunate that there is no reliable information coming from concerned authorities. I’ve been trying to contact Any department that could answer my questions, i keep getting bounced from one office to other, and no one is taking the responsibility to answer.

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

 

[sajjarapu]

Isn't it true you can use your Indian passport for upto 3 months since becoming a foreign citizen?

"A grace period of three months is allowed from the date of acquisition of foreign citizenship, for the purpose of travel on an Indian Passport. Therefore, no penalty will be leviable for travel on an Indian passport within three months of acquisition of a foreign passport. "

That’s true we see it online, but i called passport seva india, consulate of n toronto, evisa ppl none of them are confirming that. No one seems to know about it

 

[CANADA-1]

Hi All,

I'm curious if anyone travelled to India right after oath without surrender certificate, and travelled on e-visa ?

I called e-visa helpline and they are saying at the immigration control in India, they will ask me to show that I've surrendered my Indian passport. Can someone confirm with your experience please ?

Thanks,

if you have Canadian passport plus e visa good to go passport surrender within 3 years after that u have to pay penalty

 

[abbas.pasha]

Isn't it true you can use your Indian passport for upto 3 months since becoming a foreign citizen?

"A grace period of three months is allowed from the date of acquisition of foreign citizenship, for the purpose of travel on an Indian Passport. Therefore, no penalty will be leviable for travel on an Indian passport within three months of acquisition of a foreign passport. "

and how would one plan to come back ?
Show the Indian passport at Indian immigration.. They will ask for the status in canada e.g. visa, PR etc .. or at that point of time are you going to say hey I have a Canadian passport too eh

 

[lr108]

if you have Canadian passport plus e visa good to go passport surrender within 3 years after that u have to pay penalty

Wonder how long it takes to get the evisa vs surrendering passport + getting OCI

 

[lr108]

and how would one plan to come back ?
Show the Indian passport at Indian immigration.. They will ask for the status in canada e.g. visa, PR etc .. or at that point of time are you going to say hey I have a Canadian passport too eh

Great question. Perhaps you can surrender Indian passport when in India (after using it for the travel from Canada to India) and then use Canadian passport from that point including to come back to Canada. It sounds a bit complicated and probably can be used in emergency situations. For normal scenarios it's better to avoid, I guess.

 

[sajjarapu]

Wonder how long it takes to get the evisa vs surrendering passport + getting OCI

I called BLS and they told me surrender certificate takes 6 weeks ! you may try calling and check too to see if they are consistent with their answers.
e-visa usually takes 24-72 hours

 

[sajjarapu]

if you have Canadian passport plus e visa good to go passport surrender within 3 years after that u have to pay penalty

Thank you, have you or your acquaintances followed this ?

 

[abbas.pasha]

Great question. Perhaps you can surrender Indian passport when in India (after using it for the travel from Canada to India) and then use Canadian passport from that point including to come back to Canada. It sounds a bit complicated and probably can be used in emergency situations. For normal scenarios it's better to avoid, I guess.

"better to avoid" sounds better...

 

[lr108]

I called BLS and they told me surrender certificate takes 6 weeks ! you may try calling and check too to see if they are consistent with their answers.
e-visa usually takes 24-72 hours

Can you combine Surrender certificate and OCI into 6 weeks or its like 6 weeks plus 6 weeks?

 

[akbardxb]

Can you combine Surrender certificate and OCI into 6 weeks or its like 6 weeks plus 6 weeks?

You cannot apply for surrender & OCI on the same day. BLS also needs to pay salary to their employees so have to fleece you with exorbitant courier charges, multiple trips, photo-rejection-scam etc etc.