Comment posted Another Round of Frustration at the FRRO by Abdullah K..
@ Sharell – “I already have a visa. I’m entitled to be here (just like every other foreigner who has a visa). I just need to register myself as being here.”
If the hassles at FRRO gets too much for you, you can alternatively get it done at the office of Superintendant of Police in your area. It is usually quicker, especially if you go with someone who is well versed with bureucratic processes in India.
@ Sharell – “So what actually happens in the USA after you’ve been allowed to enter on a long term visa? Do you have to keep reporting your movements to the authorities?”
Compared to the painful and humiliating process of getting a US visa for a non-WASP, I think the Indian FR process is a walk in the park. I had my tourist visa process outsourced to a travel agent, but that didn’t stop me from the sickeningly rude and insulting US border and custom officials. Apparently, I am not the only one, as Chicago lost its Olympics bid of 2016 because of the same attitude.
@ PGB – “…if India gets the national ID project going (largest of it kind) … it may make a lot of things easier.”
Issuing fresh national IDs to more than 1 billion people is no cakewalk. I think it would take years for the process to materialise and then more years for the bureaucratic controls to come in place to prevent the wrong types of people getting the card. Most likely, a national ID card system would be just another bureucratic hurdle for Indians to justify their existence.
Recent comments by Abdullah K.
- Why Do Indian Women Like White Men?
@ satish – “Confine your observations to things you know about, you risk sounding a fool. You need to look up jihad and genocide in the dictionary. They don’t mean “non-violent persuasion”.”
It was the Inquisition, not jihad. And the Inquisition isn’t unique to the Portuguese, it was spread all over the Catholic world. Unlike you, it is not my type of harp on topics that I know a rat’s tail about.
- Mumbai, Monsoon & Malaria
@ Sharell – “Awww, gee, you’ll make me blush, Abdullah!
”Aha! Thats what makes you adorable. :p
- Have You Paid a Bribe in India?
@ satish:
I’d be lying if I said this one didn’t make me chuckle. You know, if I wasn’t leaving India tomorrow, we could have been friends. You have a sly wit that a lot of Indians lack. - Why Do Indian Women Like White Men?
@ satish – “The Portugese were no angels. Their atrocities are well documented by the present day Catholic community.”
No, they weren’t. They were humans, with human faults and weaknesses. Their atrocities were not unique and exceptional for that era. It was a period of religious people acting out their high moral fibre.
@ satish – “At least the British didn’t unleash a Christian jihad or commit cultural genocide.”
They didn’t? Why do you think the people of many North East Indian states are Christians? And how come the Indian middle class subscribes to Victorian ideals over the liberal values of traditional Hinduism?
@ satish – “There are no feelings of revenge towards the Brits, if anything a feeling that our cultures and history are inter-twined.”
Actually it is more complex than that. There is a definite public resentment against the British rule, that is more pronounced among the older generations. The new Indians on the other hand, have no colonial roots and prefer not to associate today’s Britons with the colonial past of their yesteryears. However, the awe and fascination for the Anglo-Saxons goes across generations.
- Why Do Indian Women Like White Men?
@ Mohit Gupta:
That was an interesting ‘filmy’ eloquence. In reality, the Portuguese in Goa weren’t ‘white masters’, they were equals. They blended in and even married the local Goan people, unlike the British who decided that “the natives are too low to marry or socialise with”. If you want to salvage your national pride, pay back the British and cut back that little man complex.
I am not disrespectful of Indians. Indians are my friends, neighbours and acquaintances. I respect them. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you are the ambassador of India.
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Sharell, if you don’t have a PAN and want to oen a bank account, then you fill out the Form 60 which the banker would give you to fill out. It’s simple for me to say. However there would be problems at the practical stage.
PGB: I applied for my Voter’s ID for the first time in 2003. You read it correct. It is 2003. And I got it last week only with the wrong age. They made me 7 years younger! Now that is a wonderful surprise had it been real life. But just to be 7 years younger on the Voter’s ID?
Lol, “problems at the practical stage”. I love it!
Interesting Jurate. Do let me know how you go.
Ramit — those babus really must think that time does stand still!
Hi Sharrell,
Thanks for the infos again. Actually, im planning to enter India with Tourist Visa to get married there n hopefully i can do something in terms of work permit. Coz a friend of mine who was teaching at the Delhi Univ had to wait for a year for his work visa to be ready, even though the Portuguese and the Indian gov have an agreement on that issue. Let’s hope for the best…
By the way, I’ve heard there are different marriage acts… the hindu act n the foreign act. Which one u advise? I think I cant go for the hindu act coz im not hindu, bt my bfr is…
@RAMIT
Dear Ramit, of course I was not hurt or offended. I’m not that nationalist or prejudiced against people LOL I have heard about the tales and troubles Indians go thru at the Foreign embassies there. I just wanted to know what the prob was coz as I told u my bfr is coming next year… he’s Indian and he’s coming to meet my family and mk the arrangements for our wedding in Delhi. I might need sm extra infos on that and on the paperwork I need to settle in India. I’ll definitely mail you in case I need sm extra infos. Do you think if i contact directly or fax to the Portuguese Embassy it will b easier for my bfr to get it? I feel terrible coz i’ve been there in March, for the 2nd time, and i could hv taken care of his visa by then… If I had known!!! Thanks for all the information and ur patience with this firangi.
Ah, I did the same thing. Came with a tourist visa and got married. The good thing is you don’t have to register yourself at the FRRO if you have a tourist visa. The fun starts when you want to convert your tourist visa to an X Visa, in order to stay here longer. I’m not sure what you’ll be able to do about a work permit. I have no experience at all when it comes to that unfortunately. I’m lucky I work for a company based in America so I’ve been able to completely bypass the system in India. As for the legalities of getting married — it’s the Special Marriages Act. There’s more info in this post (and also a link to the legislation). How to Legally Marry an Indian in India
Karin: The visa application would be handled by VFS in New Delhi. VFS is a company in India which handles visa applications and document processing for most European countries. If your Bf has had a US visa earlier that would be very helpful. If he doesn’t don’t despair, embassy staff is usually very silly in terms of their demands. They would ask for the very illogical of documents. Be patient. Try doing a google search for VFS Portugal. Look for the short term visa section in the website that you’d find. That should help a great deal.
What I’d suggest is, be very clear with he would say in the interview. Chances are, that he would not need a interview once you send the sponsor letter over.
Another trick that might work is that you could call the embassy in Delhi directly from Lisbon, and try to be connected with the Visa officer straightaway. Have a copy of the sponsor letter ready with you and fax it to him alongside. Explain your case to him (Make sure you speak in your own language, not english). That should help. Once you explain to him that the person is only travelling to Lisbon for a brief visit, he should be convinced.
But I still think you both should have gone to the embassy together when you were in Delhi in March. But don’t fret, I’m sure there would be other chances.
Let me shut up now befre Sharell kicks me off her blog for having strange conversations on her personal space.
My apologies Sharell.
Sharell: I know for sure that the lease deed between you and your landlord is considered valid address proof for numerous reasons. But as I said earlier, there are chances of varied problems at the practical stage.
Hey Ramit, no need to apologise. It’s great that you can help Karin out. I wish someone could give me such useful advice about getting an Australian visa for my husband.
What? He still doesn’t have a Aussie Visa? How come? Why? That’s strange!
You’re kidding me, right?
Idon’t know when my husband will be visiting Australia with me because of the huge process required to go through just to get him a visa.
- Don’t stress, It took my partner the standard week to get his tourist visa, I have all the info for you. Compared to the FRRO, you could call it pleasant experience!!!!
Thanks V, that’s such a relief to know. I was really expecting the worst after dealing with so much bureaucracy here (and hearing other people’s horror stories elsewhere)!!
Ramit — he really doesn’t have a visa. The opportunity hadn’t really come up for him to visit yet, and now I’ve planned an impromptu trip home in November/December there just didn’t seem time to arrange everything. His paperwork is in appalling condition and I wasn’t sure he’d have the necessary documents.
But that doesn’t mean you will not even try! You should try! It’ll be easier if you could arrange from your parents to send him a sponsor letter. Try finding out a bit more about it though. Another thing that you could probably do is go to the embassy and talk to the Visa officer there. He cannot refuse a meeting with you because you are still a Aussie Citizen on Indian soil. He’ll be in big trouble if he refuses to meet with you. A few phone calls here and there should get things rolling. Let me know what happens. But dont’ be shy to meet the Visa officer directly. He cannot refuse you. Being a Aussie citizen, you have the right to just walk in to the embassy and demand to speak with whosoever is in charge.
All the best!
See this website. It should help. Good luck. Keep me posted.
http://www.vfs-au-in.com/
Thank so much, for all the info and encouragement but I really do think I’ll have to leave it until next time. We were planning on visiting Oz next year, but my mum called and wants me home for Christmas. So I’m aiming to go mid November. Before then I have to deal with the FRRO, including registration and PIO application, and more travel for work. I don’t think I could handle the visa application process in between all that. It might make me a little bit mental!
V tells me the Mumbai office is in a mess so we’d have to go to Delhi. Next time, definitely next time!!! 
Believe me Sharell, the Visa process would be easier than the visits to the FRRO & stuff. Try doing it. And if you get any obstacles on the way, you can always use your rights as an Australian citizen. Go for it. All the best.
Oh and Qatar Airways has a wonderful new flight to Melbourne! Have fun!
If the hassles at FRRO gets too much for you, you can alternatively get it done at the office of Superintendant of Police in your area. It is usually quicker, especially if you go with someone who is well versed with bureucratic processes in India.
Compared to the painful and humiliating process of getting a US visa for a non-WASP, I think the Indian FR process is a walk in the park. I had my tourist visa process outsourced to a travel agent, but that didn’t stop me from the sickeningly rude and insulting US border and custom officials. Apparently, I am not the only one, as Chicago lost its Olympics bid of 2016 because of the same attitude.
Issuing fresh national IDs to more than 1 billion people is no cakewalk. I think it would take years for the process to materialise and then more years for the bureaucratic controls to come in place to prevent the wrong types of people getting the card. Most likely, a national ID card system would be just another bureucratic hurdle for Indians to justify their existence.
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