Best Visa Option for Children to visit India

[bluepearl]

Hi all members on this very helpful forum, need a bit of advise for my UK born minor kids who very recently obtained British citizenship, to visit India in Xmas holidays...

as a background, we parents hold ILR and kids recently registered as British Citizen on our ILR basis. 8yo Son still has visa BRP valid 2 yrs more and we never applied one for 3yo daughter, obtained her BC directly.

Intended visit to india will start before 3months of obtaining BC but will exceed it by about 2 weeks

Q1: is 3month grace period to visit on indian PP absolute? will eve as a minor they need to pay penalty on later surrender date if they travel on indian PP?

So need advise on best option that I have concluded reading other post here on this great forum:

Option 1 : get their British standard 3week service PP and apply for Indian tourist visa. Ofcourse involves additional cost and more visits to VFS

Option 2 : Get British fast track 1 week service British PP then OCI. I think for xmas time we have insufficient time

Option 3 : this option is most time and money saver. they visit on Indian PP. issue is they will be in India when 3 months grace will end and how to sort daughter NOT having a BRP. Can we show Indian customs her British PP and BC certificate while enter and exit India?

Please can members guide me for best option as I need to work on tight schedule

Thanks in advance

[rmukherjee]

The best option would have been to use the JCAP service which some councils offer - gives the passport and citizenship certificate together. However since you have not had a chance to do that, get the British passport as soon as possible.

My child was registered soon before a planned India trip. I used these guys to get the passport done, I think they got the passport done same day (or maybe 1 day, it's been a while): passportservices.co.uk Obviously other fast track services exist.

After you get the passport, surrender the Indian passport (takes a week max).

After that get an e-Visa (TVOA) for your kids. Or you can even get a traditional tourist visa (takes another week) but you have to go to VFS again and it costs more than an e-Visa. However these are valid for more than 3 months so they're desirable for some people.

OCI is not recommended as it takes 2 months at least, with lots of scope for delays.

Option 3 : this option is most time and money saver. they visit on Indian PP.

Please don't do this as you could run into trouble, for the following reason:

These days, if you get British citizenship, you are supposed to return your BRP within 5 days. You are otherwise liable for a large fine (up to £1000).

Because of this rule change (that you have to hand in the BRP within 5 days of receiving naturalisation / registration) the 3 month grace period is irrelevant for the UK now, because if you leave the UK on an Indian passport you won't be able to enter using the same passport as you won't have a BRP. Leaving using Indian passport and entering using British passport is NOT recommended.

Also, immigration officers in the UK can easily tell if you try to enter the country with a BRP after you have become a citizen.

[bluepearl]

@rmukherjee,
Hi, thanks and sorry for delayed response,

Unfortunately our council do not offer JCAP service, just NCS

I enquired PP office and they do not offer same day service for child first PP. I am sceptical how the firm you mentioned could do it? So I have booked 1wk fast track service.

For India visit, a bit of more research / introspection and I have ruled out option 3. Shortcuts can be trouble in long run in life Thanks for concurring with me...

I am trying to find out how long it could take for OCI if we both parents are still Indian and kids would have renounced their indian citizenship a week back. Any help on that would be great. One source who had Indian PP told me for her son it took only a week but then that was 4years back....

If I can get OCI sorted within 6 weeks, then thats preferred route

Forum members, any advise on the OCI time frame please?

Thanks in advace

[lemony]

Forum members, any advise on the OCI time frame please?

Even though the India Gov website says 6 weeks, i have come across only a few lucky ones who has got it in that time frame. 2-3 months seems to be the standard time from submitting the application and getting back the OCI booklet+British PP at hand. My case: Application submitted 6th June.16 , OCI received at B'ham CGI on 26th July, PP submitted 21st Sep and everything back on 28th Sep. I had to take a tourist visa to go to India in July. Simply double the cost for me unfortunately!

[bluepearl]

My case: Application submitted 6th June.16 , OCI received at B'ham CGI on 26th July, PP submitted 21st Sep and everything back on 28th Sep

@lemony
Apart from 26Jul-21Sep gap it seems you got things done in about 7 weeks... guess you were away during the gap.

Wondering if it could take same time for children especially with Indian parents...

Forum members please share your experiences on the time frame

Thanks

[rmukherjee]

I enquired PP office and they do not offer same day service for child first PP. I am sceptical how the firm you mentioned could do it? So I have booked 1wk fast track service.

They do an in-person application at the HMPO office. HMPO has an 1 day premium service.

Re OCI timelines, there is a whole thread with sample timelines. The "initial application -- file goes to New Delhi -- comes back to the UK" cycle takes pretty much 6 weeks. After that you have to go again and that adds a week or two. All in all, 2 months minimum, assuming there are no screwups or documentation issues.

[vinny]

I enquired PP office and they do not offer same day service for child first PP. I am sceptical how the firm you mentioned could do it? So I have booked 1wk fast track service.

They do an in-person application at the HMPO office. HMPO has an 1 day premium service.

Unfortunately, not available for children.

[rmukherjee]

Unfortunately, not available for children.

*shrug* It was when I applied. Perhaps it's different for registered nationals, not sure.

[vinny]

Perhaps they had changed their policy afterwards.