Indian travel after getting Canadian citizenship

[TorontoFerrari]

Hi All,
I am Indian citizen, living in Toronto with Canadian PR. My family also has the same status. We applied for Canadian citizenship last year & today we received the citizenship ceremony invitation which is on June 1st week.
My family has to travel to India on June 30th (I will be travelling 3 weeks after), we have no time to get the OCI/Indian visa. To do so, we need to get the Canadian Passport first, surrender the Indian passport & then apply OCI/Indian visa.

I am looking at Consulate Genera Indian website & it says as follows:

“Even after acquiring the Canadian citizenship, the Indian passport can be used to travel for 3 months from the day of getting the Canadian citizenship. However, penalty will be charged if the passport is used after 3 months.”

Does that mean we can travel on Indian passport (along with Canadian passport) as our travel dates (mentioned above) falls under 3 months grace period?

Whats the definition of 3 months grace period? I mean we should be back to Canada with in 3 months? what will happen if we fly with in 3 months but come back to Canada after 3 months? is that be considered with in grace period?
i already asked Consulate Genera India but didn't get any answer, except whatever its on website its correct.

Does anyone face this issue? Can i travel using both Canadian & Indian passport? Whats going to happen at airport when using both passports?
I have an option to reschedule my Canadian ceremony date but little hesitant of doing that.

Thanks in advance for your help....

 

[rajmalhotra7]

Hi All,
I am Indian citizen, living in Toronto with Canadian PR. My family also has the same status. We applied for Canadian citizenship last year & today we received the citizenship ceremony invitation which is on June 1st week.
My family has to travel to India on June 30th (I will be travelling 3 weeks after), we have no time to get the OCI/Indian visa. To do so, we need to get the Canadian Passport first, surrender the Indian passport & then apply OCI/Indian visa.

I am looking at Consulate Genera Indian website & it says as follows:

“Even after acquiring the Canadian citizenship, the Indian passport can be used to travel for 3 months from the day of getting the Canadian citizenship. However, penalty will be charged if the passport is used after 3 months.”

Does that mean we can travel on Indian passport (along with Canadian passport) as our travel dates (mentioned above) falls under 3 months grace period?

Whats the definition of 3 months grace period? I mean we should be back to Canada with in 3 months? what will happen if we fly with in 3 months but come back to Canada after 3 months? is that be considered with in grace period?
i already asked Consulate Genera India but didn't get any answer, except whatever its on website its correct.

Does anyone face this issue? Can i travel using both Canadian & Indian passport? Whats going to happen at airport when using both passports?
I have an option to reschedule my Canadian ceremony date but little hesitant of doing that.

Thanks in advance for your help....

Try Indian e-Tourist Visa (eTV)

http://www.cgitoronto.ca/eoi.php?id=etourist_visa

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

 

[buddha]

Hi All,
I am Indian citizen, living in Toronto with Canadian PR. My family also has the same status. We applied for Canadian citizenship last year & today we received the citizenship ceremony invitation which is on June 1st week.
My family has to travel to India on June 30th (I will be travelling 3 weeks after), we have no time to get the OCI/Indian visa. To do so, we need to get the Canadian Passport first, surrender the Indian passport & then apply OCI/Indian visa.

I am looking at Consulate Genera Indian website & it says as follows:

“Even after acquiring the Canadian citizenship, the Indian passport can be used to travel for 3 months from the day of getting the Canadian citizenship. However, penalty will be charged if the passport is used after 3 months.”

Does that mean we can travel on Indian passport (along with Canadian passport) as our travel dates (mentioned above) falls under 3 months grace period?

Whats the definition of 3 months grace period? I mean we should be back to Canada with in 3 months? what will happen if we fly with in 3 months but come back to Canada after 3 months? is that be considered with in grace period?
i already asked Consulate Genera India but didn't get any answer, except whatever its on website its correct.

Does anyone face this issue? Can i travel using both Canadian & Indian passport? Whats going to happen at airport when using both passports?
I have an option to reschedule my Canadian ceremony date but little hesitant of doing that.

Thanks in advance for your help....

I suggest you don't go by the 3 month grace period. They say that but they won't let you leave India on a Canadian passport if you enter
using an Indian passport.

 

[neoseal]

I have traveled within the grace period without any problems. You show Indian passport on arrival to India and show Canadian passport on exit. On exit from India, if the immigration officer notices that you don't have Indian visa in Canadian passport or OCI he will question how did you enter , at that point you can show Indian passport. Also keep your citizenship certificate and a print out from high commission website stating grace period, just in case. There are many people who have traveled without problems, someone else may also chip in their experience here.

 

[buddha]

I would still not recommend travelling to/from India using two passports, even during the grace period.
The very fact that they have not explained this situation fully on their web page mentioning grace period and that the
consulate has not replied to queries relating to this, shows the usual lackadaisical attitude of Indian officialdom which can easily
extend to the Indian immigration counter.

 

[TorontoFerrari]

I have traveled within the grace period without any problems. You show Indian passport on arrival to India and show Canadian passport on exit. On exit from India, if the immigration officer notices that you don't have Indian visa in Canadian passport or OCI he will question how did you enter , at that point you can show Indian passport. Also keep your citizenship certificate and a print out from high commission website stating grace period, just in case. There are many people who have traveled without problems, someone else may also chip in their experience here.

Thanks for your reply. Whats the definition of 3 months grace period? I mean we should be back to Canada with in 3 months? what will happen if we fly with in 3 months but come back to Canada after 3 months? is that be considered with in grace period?

 

[gopr]

@TorontoFerrari - I traveled to India 17 days after my Citizenship ceremony but I applied for e-visa (50USD) and got it in 2 days. I used the same photo I used for Cdn passport app (I was told by BLS lady that using a proper photo and providing proper flight ticket docs are important for evisa). I would suggest doing the evisa online if time is off essence. I surrendered my Indian passport on the same day as I picked up my CDN one and got the surrender certificate and cancelled passport before my travel date. This was in Vancouver.

I was told at BLS with surrender process I could have applied for the long term india visa and got it on time, but I think that is a risky move(processing is 10-15 days and they will hold on to the passport).

 

[TorontoFerrari]

I heard that eVisa is for 60 days, my family is going for more than 60 days actually. Now i have the option either apply 6 months validity visa or OCI.
So now my question are:
1). Can i surrender Indian passport without Canadian passport in hand? I mean based on Canadian citizenship certificate which i will get on the day of citizenship oath.
I am looking at the BLS checklist for passport surrender & it says "If you have not applied for your passport, please write a written declaration to the Consulate General of India with an explanation of the same".
So it looks like i can surrender Indian passport without Canadian passport.
2). Can i apply OCI on the same day of surrendering the Indian passport?
3). Whats the process time for 6 month visa & OCI?
By doing above (1& 2) i will save atleast 2-3 weeks. I may get our Indian visa before our travel.

Thanks.

 

[CanadianPermanentResident]

Hi TorontoFerrari, I am exactly in the same situation as you were. Could you please let me know, how did you manage this?

 

[ramkris]

I heard that eVisa is for 60 days, my family is going for more than 60 days actually. Now i have the option either apply 6 months validity visa or OCI.
So now my question are:
1). Can i surrender Indian passport without Canadian passport in hand? I mean based on Canadian citizenship certificate which i will get on the day of citizenship oath.
I am looking at the BLS checklist for passport surrender & it says "If you have not applied for your passport, please write a written declaration to the Consulate General of India with an explanation of the same".
So it looks like i can surrender Indian passport without Canadian passport.
2). Can i apply OCI on the same day of surrendering the Indian passport?
3). Whats the process time for 6 month visa & OCI?
By doing above (1& 2) i will save atleast 2-3 weeks. I may get our Indian visa before our travel.

Thanks.

You can take 1 year valid visa in which you dont need to surrender Indian passport and it takes 10 days or less .

 

[kot81]

I heard that eVisa is for 60 days, my family is going for more than 60 days actually. Now i have the option either apply 6 months validity visa or OCI.
So now my question are:
1). Can i surrender Indian passport without Canadian passport in hand? I mean based on Canadian citizenship certificate which i will get on the day of citizenship oath.
I am looking at the BLS checklist for passport surrender & it says "If you have not applied for your passport, please write a written declaration to the Consulate General of India with an explanation of the same".
So it looks like i can surrender Indian passport without Canadian passport.
2). Can i apply OCI on the same day of surrendering the Indian passport?
3). Whats the process time for 6 month visa & OCI?
By doing above (1& 2) i will save atleast 2-3 weeks. I may get our Indian visa before our travel.

Thanks.

Hi TorontoFerrari, ramkris,
I am in a similar situation to bith if you. I need to travel to india and stay for more than 60 days(around 5 months) after getting the Citizenship. But, I want to apply for OCI from India. But, need a visa other than eVisa(since eVisa is valid for maximum 60 days only). But, I can’t wait too many days after getting the Canadian passport. Could each of you please let me know, what did you do regarding this ?

 

[aeropostale]

Hi TorontoFerrari, ramkris,
I am in a similar situation to bith if you. I need to travel to india and stay for more than 60 days(around 5 months) after getting the Citizenship. But, I want to apply for OCI from India. But, need a visa other than eVisa(since eVisa is valid for maximum 60 days only). But, I can’t wait too many days after getting the Canadian passport. Could each of you please let me know, what did you do regarding this ?

Hi Kot81,

The updated rules states that
"The length of continuous stay mustn't be longer than 90 days -- except for citizens of US, UK, Japan and Canada. Citizens of these countries can stay for up to 180 days at a time."
So, with a evisa and canadian passport you should be good for 5 months.

 

[kot81]

Hi Kot81,

The updated rules states that
"The length of continuous stay mustn't be longer than 90 days -- except for citizens of US, UK, Japan and Canada. Citizens of these countries can stay for up to 180 days at a time."
So, with a evisa and canadian passport you should be good for 5 months.

Aeropostale,
Thank you for the clarification! Could you please tell me whether you available if the eVisa, or did you travel via some other visa? Pls advise

thanks,
Kot81

 

[aeropostale]

Aeropostale,
Thank you for the clarification! Could you please tell me whether you available if the eVisa, or did you travel via some other visa? Pls advise

thanks,
Kot81

I'm sorry I did not understand your questions.

I'm not a Canadian citizen yet. I traveled to India with my son who holds a Canadian passport with Indian eVisa. The immigration officer in India mentioned to us that he can stay upto 6 months.

 

[kot81]

I'm sorry I did not understand your questions.

I'm not a Canadian citizen yet. I traveled to India with my son who holds a Canadian passport with Indian eVisa. The immigration officer in India mentioned to us that he can stay upto 6 months.

Thank you, my question was this - whether we can stay in eVisa for more than 60 days with a Canadian passport. I am asking this since the Consulate General of India - Toronto website mentions only max 60 days stay in the eVisa; there is no mention of special allowance of stay more than 60 day’s mentioned for citizens of specific countries (in our case, Canada).