…….I mean in a nutshell … by Vishnu Hathiramani vishnu@skybroadband.com.ph
Updated April 12 on my return from India.
OCI CARD PROBLEM. A must Read!
So you are holding a non-Indian Passport.
There are only three ways to enter India. Either with an Indian embassy issued visa, your PIO card or your OCI card.
The visa is common knowledge for all of you, the PIO card stands for PERSON OF INDIAN ORIGIN and the OCI gives you the right of an OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF INDIA.
I used to hold a PIO card previously, which cost me US$ 275 granting me a 15 years visa validity entry to India and various privileges. Just a card was issued and you could bring it to India and enter. No sticker stamped on the passport, and the Airline would just look at the card before accepting you.
In this global world, the Indian government went one step further and came out with a brilliant idea called the OCI card. Technically, it is a back door entrance to you as an Indian citizen, bypassing bilateral meetings and agreements between governments. I believe now China is looking at this concept. OCI card also treats you equally as an Indian citizen, except limiting your power to enter the election sphere [cannot vote or be voted upon, and other election related matter], and buying two kinds of properties: Plantation and Agriculture. You can still celebrate if our Sindhi brother L K Advani becomes our Prime Minister. Remember many of you celebrated when OBAMA became the President. Either you pay US$ 300 for a first time applicant or pay additional US$ 25 and upgrade your card from PIO to OCI. I did that earlier.
On April 1st when I entered India, I presented my valid non Indian passport and the OCI card. Much to my horror, they wanted to see my previous passport where they had put a sticker of the OCI CARD. Either produce that old passport or I may have to be put back on the same flight. I was lucky since I explained my side to the officer that I the one promoting this OCI card to many, more so on my website, and definitely the original card should suffice. God was on my side.
I was granted 96 hours PTL [permit to land] with a payment of US$ 40. Within 96 hours I was able to get my previous expired passport into India, went to the FRRO office with all the documents and the two passports [valid and expired] and regularized my stay.
I am bringing up this matter with the Indian chamber, the Indian Embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs [MEA] India. My points are clear:
1. The sticker [which they want to see] is one page and an exact replica of one of the 4 pages OCI card I am holding. So why the need for the sticker?
2. If this is a lifetime visa, it means to say that you would have to carry with you this expired passport for life. This should be made clear.
3. Nowhere does it say on the 4 page OCI card that this is not valid for entry.
4. Nowhere does it say on the passport sticker that you need to carry with you this sticker whenever you enter India.
5. The 4 page OCI card is a matter of debate. 2 Immigration officers told me that this is not needed, but 3 officers told me that this is needed. Everyone agreed that the sticker is needed both to enter and exit. Imagine for whatever reason you cannot produce this, then what?
6. The Indian Embassy told me that the 4 pages OCI card could serve you as your Indian I>D.
Basically I could go on and on, explaining the various concerns, but I JUST WANT TO INFORM MY READERS TO ALWAYS CARRY BOTH YOUR OCI CARD STICKER AND CARD AND YOUR VALID FOREIGN PASSPORT to avoid this legal un clarified issue.
By the way, the PIO holders were not issued any sticker hence they could enter India with their PIO card only. Yet some officers do not know this. This happened recently in Bangalore.
I even found out that this is a daily occurrence, with more people getting send back than being granted 96 hours PTL. Thank God I am not an argumentative person. My blood pressure is in control as confirmed by Hinduja hospital, since I had a previous appointment set on the next day of the problem.
Life has to go on, but life must have a meaning to it. Community service is one such meaning. Put life in your days, not days in your life. How true.
Comments are most welcomed. I wish this issue could be bought up at the next PBD meet in January.
THE NANO: A car of the century.
Did you know that a book on NANO has just been released? I just bought a copy.
I even was able to see a NANO during my visit to India.
Jhule Lal. Vishnu Hathiramani. Manila