Onward journey with Indian PP, Return with British PP

[prasi]

I tried my best not to create another duplicate of a topic discussed before. My apologies if I am doing so.

Here is my travel plan:

-> attended UK ceremony on : 11th May
-> entering India with Indian passport on: 1st June (will carry British PP in bag and can show if needed)
-> entering UK with British passport on: 20th August (will carry Indian PP in bag and can show if needed)

Here are my 2 questions:

1) When I leave India, would Indian border officials ask for my Indian passport and put leaving stamp on it or do they put leaving stamp on my British passport ? (note: my entry stamp on arriving to India would be on Indian PP)

2) When I leave India, if they put return stamp on my Indian passport, I have to pay fine when I surrender my Indian passport. isn't it ? (because my return journey is 90 days after citizenship ceremony)

Please advise

Many Thanks

[prasi]

May I request kind attention of fellow members to this post ?

Thanks

[lijogrg444]

1) When I leave India, would Indian border officials ask for my Indian passport and put leaving stamp on it or do they put leaving stamp on my British passport ? (note: my entry stamp on arriving to India would be on Indian PP)

You are travelling to UK , so you need to show

Indian passport+UK visa (PR card)
or
UK passport +Indian visa/OCI

As in your situation , you cant show Uk passport as it doent have an Indian Visa. Also the problem with showing indian passport+PR card is that , by a new guidance from UKBA you are required to send back your Biometric card back within 5 days ,failing this you can be liable to £1000 fine


2) When I leave India, if they put return stamp on my Indian passport, I have to pay fine when I surrender my Indian passport. isn't it ? (because my return journey is 90 days after citizenship ceremony)

Yes . if its more than 3 months after citizenship you will be paying the fine when surrendering indian passport for OCI

[prasi]

1) When I leave India, would Indian border officials ask for my Indian passport and put leaving stamp on it or do they put leaving stamp on my British passport ? (note: my entry stamp on arriving to India would be on Indian PP)

You are travelling to UK , so you need to show

Indian passport+UK visa (PR card)
or
UK passport +Indian visa/OCI

As in your situation , you cant show Uk passport as it doent have an Indian Visa. Also the problem with showing indian passport+PR card is that , by a new guidance from UKBA you are required to send back your Biometric card back within 5 days ,failing this you can be liable to £1000 fine


2) When I leave India, if they put return stamp on my Indian passport, I have to pay fine when I surrender my Indian passport. isn't it ? (because my return journey is 90 days after citizenship ceremony)

Yes . if its more than 3 months after citizenship you will be paying the fine when surrendering indian passport for OCI

Thanks for your reply. I am a bit confused. To rephrase, my question was:

While leaving India on which passport do they put the leave stamp ? Is it my choice or is there any rule as per Indian law to put leave stamp on same passport on which they put entry stamp ?

After reading your reply I have another question if you dont mind:

If my return journey is within 90 days, can I leave India just by showing both passports ? (as I dont have Indian Visa/OCI and UK BRP card to show)

[alien.uk]

If you use the Indian Passport at either of the borders after getting the British Passport, then you are liable to pay a penalty of 150£ (I think)

Bottomline - You cannot use the grace period of 90 days if you have British Passport in your hand.

[secret.simon]

-> attended UK ceremony on : 11th May
-> entering India with Indian passport on: 1st June (will carry British PP in bag and can show if needed)

Are you sure you will get your first British passport in three weeks? It typically takes longer. You are cutting it very fine.

While leaving India on which passport do they put the leave stamp ? Is it my choice or is there any rule as per Indian law to put leave stamp on same passport on which they put entry stamp ?

To the best of my knowledge, they would put the exit stamp in the same passport (and ideally on the same or adjoining page) as the entry stamp. The reason is simple. It is closing the loop in showing that when you entered and when you exited India.

Caution: I am not aware of any rule to this effect, but this is the logic that I suspect the Indian immigration officer would use.

If you use the Indian Passport at either of the borders after getting the British Passport, then you are liable to pay a penalty of 150£ (I think)

Bottomline - You cannot use the grace period of 90 days if you have British Passport in your hand.

This is incorrect information. The grace period of ninety days applies irrespective of acquisition of another passport. Nothing on the HCI website or the BOI.gov.in website suggests that the ninety days limit is conditional on the lack of acquisition of another passport.

[prasi]

Are you sure you will get your first British passport in three weeks? It typically takes longer. You are cutting it very fine.

Thanks for your reply. I have actually applied my citizenship and UK passport together using JCAP application. I now already have British PP to hand - delivered automatically in 6 days after completing the citizenship ceremony. The JCAP process is very fast and is automatic and there is also no PP interview for JCAP applicants - Thanks to JCAP !

To the best of my knowledge, they would put the exit stamp in the same passport (and ideally on the same or adjoining page) as the entry stamp. The reason is simple. It is closing the loop in showing that when you entered and when you exited India.
Caution: I am not aware of any rule to this effect, but this is the logic that I suspect the Indian immigration officer would use.

Thanks again.

[iamnew]

UK authorities would not care if you travel with two passports as long as one is valid british passport

Indian authorities will not allow the use of one passport to enter and different one to exit the country. You will be caught. If you use indian passport to exit you need to show valid visa to enter UK and NOT the UK passport. The problem is If you keep BRP that long, you may face £1000 fine

[prasi]

UK authorities would not care if you travel with two passports as long as one is valid british passport

Indian authorities will not allow the use of one passport to enter and different one to exit the country. You will be caught. If you use indian passport to exit you need to show valid visa to enter UK and NOT the UK passport. The problem is If you keep BRP that long, you may face £1000 fine

Many thanks for this reply it answered all my questions and based on this, the conclusion is:

Because of new UK HO rule to return the BRP in 5 days after attending ceremony, the only options left to travel to India are either an Indian Visa in British PP or an OCI card attached to British PP. So, the conclusion is that we can not travel to India quoting 90 day grace period allowance to use Indian PP.

Thanks again.

[t2ict]

The best option (for immediate travel to India) is to get e-tourist visa to travel to India if your trip is less than 30 days. The procedure is very simple as you've to apply on-line and the visa will be granted in less than 48 hours by email.

[tamilmaran]

Awating for your update...? what your really did this summer...?

[rmukherjee]

I tried my best not to create another duplicate of a topic discussed before. My apologies if I am doing so.

Here is my travel plan:

-> attended UK ceremony on : 11th May
-> entering India with Indian passport on: 1st June (will carry British PP in bag and can show if needed)
-> entering UK with British passport on: 20th August (will carry Indian PP in bag and can show if needed)

Here are my 2 questions:

1) When I leave India, would Indian border officials ask for my Indian passport and put leaving stamp on it or do they put leaving stamp on my British passport ? (note: my entry stamp on arriving to India would be on Indian PP)

2) When I leave India, if they put return stamp on my Indian passport, I have to pay fine when I surrender my Indian passport. isn't it ? (because my return journey is 90 days after citizenship ceremony)

Please advise

Many Thanks

Hi, India does not AT ALL like people entering with one passport and leaving with another. You will get into trouble. My explicit advice is - Do NOT do this.

When did you get your naturalisation? The grace period is for 90 days following getting your naturalisation, not getting your passport. If you are within your grace period, you can go to India with your Indian passport, then return to UK with your ILR card + Indian passport. I have done this and the Border Agency are ok with it as long as you have your ILR card.

If you are NOT within your grace period, then you have to surrender your Indian passport, then apply for Indian eVisa. Surrendering an Indian passport takes a visit to a VFS centre + a week max of waiting time for the "surrender certificate".

[rmukherjee]

Here are my 2 questions:

1) When I leave India, would Indian border officials ask for my Indian passport and put leaving stamp on it or do they put leaving stamp on my British passport ? (note: my entry stamp on arriving to India would be on Indian PP)

2) When I leave India, if they put return stamp on my Indian passport, I have to pay fine when I surrender my Indian passport. isn't it ? (because my return journey is 90 days after citizenship ceremony)

Note that, nowadays, airlines are required to keep records of who flew on them and on what passport (search for "Advance Passenger Infomation System"). Any discrepancy is investigated.

[rmukherjee]

I have done this and the Border Agency are ok with it as long as you have your ILR card.

I just realised, this was before the new Home Office rule and you have to return the BRP now. So travelling with ILR card is not ok anymore.

[prasi]

THIS THREAD CAN BE CLOSED:

The conclusion is:
Because UK home office is asking you to return the BRP after attending citizenship ceremony, the only way to travel to india are:
1. Get British PP
2. Surrender Indian PP
3. Either get a visa in British PP or
4. Apply OCI

I had to change my travel plans. I applied for OCI and awaiting outcome.