Surrendering British Passport or Travel by Indian Passport?

[iramkk]

Hi All,

I am expecting my British PP delivered tomorrow or day after and have urgent travel requirements to India (Travelling on 25th December).

Could anyone please suggest which one of the following is the best option?

1. Go to India on Indian passport (using the 3-month grace period) and come back to UK on the Brith Passport?

2. Surrender Indian passport in person at the London VFS and collect in person. Then apply for Indian Visa?

3. Surrender Indian passport in person at the London VFS and get it back by special delivery. Then apply for Indian Visa?

Since there is only 9 working days between 11th and 25th, is it worth taking the risk in surrendering the passport and apply for a visa?

Thanks

[lifofifo]

#1 sounds like the most straight forward option to me. I recently did something similar and had no issues with surrendering the Indian passport later on.

[iramkk]

#1 sounds like the most straight forward option to me. I recently did something similar and had no issues with surrendering the Indian passport later on.

Thanks. I am planning for a stop over at Dubai as well. So I will just use the Indian passport (get the Dubai visa) from UK to Dubai and then Dubai to India. Then come back to UK on British passport. Is that correct?

So you mean to say there will be no issue while coming back at UK immigration because you dont have an exit entry?

[Ayyubi72]

Why would you want a Dubai visa on Indian passport? If you have money to waste, please send it my way.

Exit the UK, and if anyone checks show them UK passport.

Once you land in Dubai, hide your Indian passport in pocket and pass dubai immigration using Uk passport.

When leaving dubai, show them you UK passport. After passing their immigration, before boarding aircraft for India, hide you UK passport in pocket, and now take out your Indian passport.

Enter India using Indian passport. Exit India using Indian passport. (keep UK passport well hidden)

Upon arrival back in UK, show them UK passport.

Basically, you show the passport that the authorities of a certain country are most happy to see and let you enter and exit with.

Dubai is happy and willing to let you enter and exit on UK passport.

Indians are happy and willing to let you enter and exit on Indian passport.

Uk is happy and willing to let you enter using UK passport.

Once you are back in UK, surrender you Indian passport....... and carry on with whatever OCI procedures etc if you want to.

[samkma]

Why would you want a Dubai visa on Indian passport? If you have money to waste, please send it my way.

Exit the UK, and if anyone checks show them UK passport.

Once you land in Dubai, hide your Indian passport in pocket and pass dubai immigration using Uk passport.

When leaving dubai, show them you UK passport. After passing their immigration, before boarding aircraft for India, hide you UK passport in pocket, and now take out your Indian passport.

Enter India using Indian passport. Exit India using Indian passport. (keep UK passport well hidden)

Upon arrival back in UK, show them UK passport.

Basically, you show the passport that the authorities of a certain country are most happy to see and let you enter and exit with.

Dubai is happy and willing to let you enter and exit on UK passport.

Indians are happy and willing to let you enter and exit on Indian passport.

Uk is happy and willing to let you enter using UK passport.

Once you are back in UK, surrender you Indian passport....... and carry on with whatever OCI procedures etc if you want to.

I am sorry but that is not a sound advice Ayyubi72 - as an ex immigration officer in Bahrain I can tell from procedures that - Immigration officials in Middle east and other Asian countries check passports not just to verify the identity and visa status but also check exit entry stamps placed on the passport. You have to supply the airline your details known as API and this is saved and shared as well. Some countries do not have entry exit stamps but have landing slips.

So taking this into account I suggest travel in one passport ONLY.

[Ayyubi72]

I disagree with what you say.

When someone leaves UK, their passport, whether UK or Indian or any other, is not stamped.

So, when she boards UK, she has to show UK passport to the airline, and then pass dubai immigration on UK passport, and UK passport will be stamped with dubai entry.

Upon leaving dubai she again produces passport to dubai immigration, who will stamp the passport with dubai exit stamp.

When she arrives in India, she produces her Indian passport, and same while departing India.

I do not see a problem anywhere, and all this is fully legal.

[ban.s]

As India doesn’t recognise dual citizenship it’s better not to act as a dual citizen especially dealing with third parties i.e. Dubai immigration. I would apply for Dubai visa on Indian passport instead of using British passport.

In my view there “might” be a problem leaving Dubai with the UK passport. Considering OP’s outbound journey from Dubai is for India and there is no visa on arrival facility in India for British passport holders, hence the immigration officer may doubt his ability to enter India with a BP without an Indian visa. Now you may explain the grace 3 months period etc but you will definitely endure additional hassle.

Also considering OP would be travelling from Dubai to India, the immigration officer in India “may” query missing Dubai exit stamp on the Indian passport.

[samkma]

As India doesn’t recognise dual citizenship it’s better not to act as a dual citizen especially dealing with third parties i.e. Dubai immigration. I would apply for Dubai visa on Indian passport instead of using British passport.

In my view there “might” be a problem leaving Dubai with the UK passport. Considering OP’s outbound journey from Dubai is for India and there is no visa on arrival facility in India for British passport holders, hence the immigration officer may doubt his ability to enter India with a BP without an Indian visa. Now you may explain the grace 3 months period etc but you will definitely endure additional hassle.

Also considering OP would be travelling from Dubai to India, the immigration officer in India “may” query missing Dubai exit stamp on the Indian passport.

As I have said in my earlier post I am speaking from my experience in border control especially in GCC countries - you are only allowed to use 2 passports for travel if both countries of which you hold the passport from allow dual citizenship by law.

Don't take exit entry stamps placed on a travel document and API for granted! they are there for a reason. API is shared with immigration by airlines.

[iramkk]

Hi,

Got the British PP and applied for the UAE tourist visa online 10 days back for my 3-day stopover in Dubai, but it is still in the processing stage, despite contacting them.

My flight is Tuesday morning and I am wondering whether to cancel the stopover completely and change the flights or go via Dubai immigration using my British PP and complete Indian immigration using Indian PP? Need urgent advice.

Thanks

[askmeplz82]

As India doesn’t recognise dual citizenship it’s better not to act as a dual citizen especially dealing with third parties i.e. Dubai immigration. I would apply for Dubai visa on Indian passport instead of using British passport.

In my view there “might” be a problem leaving Dubai with the UK passport. Considering OP’s outbound journey from Dubai is for India and there is no visa on arrival facility in India for British passport holders, hence the immigration officer may doubt his ability to enter India with a BP without an Indian visa. Now you may explain the grace 3 months period etc but you will definitely endure additional hassle.

Also considering OP would be travelling from Dubai to India, the immigration officer in India “may” query missing Dubai exit stamp on the Indian passport.

As I have said in my earlier post I am speaking from my experience in border control especially in GCC countries - you are only allowed to use 2 passports for travel if both countries of which you hold the passport from allow dual citizenship by law.

Don't take exit entry stamps placed on a travel document and API for granted! they are there for a reason. API is shared with immigration by airlines.

Exactly I agree with you ; don't play with the rules in GCC countries

[iramkk]

I am not getting what you meant.

You mean to say I have to cancel my dubai stopover and then travel to India on my Indian passport and then return to UK on my British one?

Thanks

[iramkk]

As India doesn’t recognise dual citizenship it’s better not to act as a dual citizen especially dealing with third parties i.e. Dubai immigration. I would apply for Dubai visa on Indian passport instead of using British passport.

In my view there “might” be a problem leaving Dubai with the UK passport. Considering OP’s outbound journey from Dubai is for India and there is no visa on arrival facility in India for British passport holders, hence the immigration officer may doubt his ability to enter India with a BP without an Indian visa. Now you may explain the grace 3 months period etc but you will definitely endure additional hassle.

Also considering OP would be travelling from Dubai to India, the immigration officer in India “may” query missing Dubai exit stamp on the Indian passport.

As I have said in my earlier post I am speaking from my experience in border control especially in GCC countries - you are only allowed to use 2 passports for travel if both countries of which you hold the passport from allow dual citizenship by law.

Don't take exit entry stamps placed on a travel document and API for granted! they are there for a reason. API is shared with immigration by airlines.

Exactly I agree with you ; don't play with the rules in GCC countries

I followed your advice and applied for Dubai visa using my Indian passport but they have not come back to me yet.

[FaeLLe]

Travelling using an Indian passport when holding a UK one is illegal as per indian immigration laws.

If you are searched or questioned and they realise you have a UK passport then you will be liable for prosecution.

My honest opinion is to NOT TRAVEL till you get your UK visa and apply for a tourist visa for immediate travel and you get your OCI / PIO sorted out in the future.