Valid OCI Card and Valid Indian Visa

[Vedic 0]

Hello,

 

I am a US Citizen. I was born in India and became a naturalized US citizen in 2017. I have been traveling to India almost every year on Indian Visa. I got my Indian Visa renewed for 10 years in 2018 which is valid till 2028. I used to travel to India every year until Pandemic since Indian government invalidated the regular visas. However, due to the pandemic my standard regular Indian Visa was invalid, I ended up applying for my OCI card which I got it approved in May 2022. I used that to travel to India in Aug 2022. 
Recently we moved to a different town and due to that moving process some of my documents are misplaced. One of them was my OCI Card, however, I do have my US Passport and in it my Indian Visa attached. According to my Indian Visa, it is still valid till 2028. So unlike the Passport renunciation process, my Indian Visa was not canceled or scratched out. 

So, the question is - can I travel to India on this Indian Visa that is attached to my US Passport, even though I was approved my OCI Card? OR will I have to get my OCI card anyway before my India trip.
 was thinking about requesting my new OCI card after I come back from India. 

Any advice?

 

 

Thank you!

 

Regards,

Vedic

 

 

 

[Mike E 11,740]

36 minutes ago, Vedic said:

So, the question is - can I travel to India on this Indian Visa that is attached to my US Passport

 

36 minutes ago, Vedic said:

I got my Indian Visa renewed for 10 years in 2018 which is valid till 2028. I used to travel to India every year until Pandemic since Indian government invalidated the regular visas. 

You have answered your own question.

 

e-visas are back right? If so, they are easy IME, and maybe on your next trip to India, you can fix your OCI problem

[JeanneAdil 6,539]

U.S. nationals, including U.S. dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. U.S. dual nationals may also be required by the country of their foreign nationality to use that country's passport to enter and leave that country.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/Advice-about-Possible-Loss-of-US-Nationality-Dual-Nationality/Dual-Nationality.html#:~:text=U.S. nationals%2C including U.S. dual,enter and leave that country.

[Mike E 11,740]

OP is a US citizen who does not have a foreign passport, and adults cannot hold Indian and non-Indian citizenship per the Indian constitution.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mike E

[Vedic 0]

@Mike E - Thanks for the response. 
So does that mean I can travel to India using my Indian Visa and I do not have to worry about my OCI being lost right now? 

Wont they ask me at the port of entry in India that I used my OCI card last year to travel to India but now I am using my Indian visa?

 

Appreciate your prompt responses...

[Mike E 11,740]

22 minutes ago, Vedic said:

@Mike E - Thanks for the response. 
So does that mean I can travel to India using my Indian Visa and I do not have to worry about my OCI being lost right now? 

Wont they ask me at the port of entry in India that I used my OCI card last year to travel to India but now I am using my Indian visa?

 

Appreciate your prompt responses...

Let’s try this again:

 

9 hours ago, Vedic said:

used to travel to India every year until Pandemic since Indian government invalidated the regular visas. However, due to the pandemic my standard regular Indian Visa was invalid

I truly fear for what will happen to you at an Indian port of entry when you use that invalid visa.

 

You can do this https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html and have a visa in hand next week.

[Vedic 0]

@Mike E - Thanks for the response.
I wanted to be clear that I did have a valid Indian tourist visa (validity 10 years) until the Indian government made it temporarily invalid during the pandemic. So I ended up getting my OCI, which is what I lost. 

But anyways, I did hear back from the embassy in an email (after 10 email reminders) and they have confirmed that Indian government started accepting the tourist visa we got before the pandemic. So, even though I do not have my OCI card, I can still use my Indian tourist visa to travel to India this coming December..

 

[Mike E 11,740]

Consistency from the Indian government on visa issues has never been my experience. Safe travels.