"U" visa sticker without OCI card

[hp1mah]

Hello all,

I have OCI with a life long "U" visa sticker in my US passport. I have a trip to India planned for Sunday and realized that I cannot find my OCI card. I still have the "U" visa sticker in my passport, just not the physical OCI card itself. According to the following site, I should still be able to enter India:

https://www.in.ckgs.us/oci/index.shtml

However, I want to double check, since I know that they no longer provide the "U" visa when applying for OCI. Will I be able to enter India with only the "U" visa sticker?

Thank you for your help!!

[visak]

Check with airlines if you are allowed to board the flight without OCI card. I know that there is no need to show U visa if you show OCI card, but I don't know if you can travel with U visa alone. If airlines says NO, you can apply for eTV (electronic tourist visa) valid for 30 days. Good Luck with your trip.

[ronnyg]

Not sure what happened with the original poster, but wanted to share a recent data point at DEL.

I lost my original OCI card and applied for a replacement, but it wasn't going to arrive in time for my trip. I sent an email to my local consulate as well as CKGS asking about using my U visa for entry, very well expecting it to be lost in the abyss that is Indian bureaucracy, and that's precisely what happened.

My research discovered some old links, from Air India, the San Francisco Consulate and the Government of India, stating that it was allowed.

From http://www.airindia.in/u-sticker-vis...rd-holders.htm

http://www.cgisf.org/notice/display/135

"Also, if they are not carrying OCI card, but carrying foreign passport bearing ‘U’ visa sticker, the entry is allowed."

and from:

http://www.boi.gov.in/content/visa-requirement

Passengers who are carrying old cancelled passports having Life Long Indian "U" Visa Sticker affixed on it along with new passport are allowed entry into India.

It seemed as if the info was from before they stopped issuing and requiring U visas, so I wasn't sure it would stand. As a precaution, I went ahead and applied for an e-visa anyway to avoid hassles.

At check-in, I presented my e-visa and boarded without issues.

I was flying in business class, so on arrival, I headed over to the dedicated immigration counter, which happened to also be designated for OCI holders. I wasn't planning on trying to use the U visa, but thought to give it a shot, and handed over my current passport along with old passport containing the U visa, no OCI card--all with visions of rotting in an Indian jail for attempting to enter without proper documentation.

The following exchange took place in Hindi:

Immigration Officer: Show me your OCI card
Me: I don't have it.
IO: [muttering]...You should keep it with you.
Me: yes
IO: [typing on computer]...You also have an e-visa?
Me: Yes, I got both since didn't know if I'd be able to use my U-visa [or I may have just said "yes", it was some ungodly hour and I don't remember for sure]
IO: [steps away for 10 seconds]. Do you want to enter on the e-visa or the u-visa?
Me: [surprised], if you allow it, then U-visa
IO: [more typing, scans the visa...] This (U) visa has lifelong validity...[switching to English] keep the OCI card with you next time. blah blah blah.... [stamps passport and hands it back]

So yes, I was able to enter without the OCI card, using only the U visa.

A few caveats if you're going to try this:

This may have been just my luck, the officer may have been in a good mood or more lenient to a biz class passenger, etc.

Also, who knows if the airline would've allowed be to board without my e-visa, I didn't try.

Just sharing my experience.

[ronnyg]

2nd entry, no questions, no problem

Shortly after my first entry using the U visa, I had to travel again. I simply showed my U visa, both at checkin and intermediate checkpoints in FRA. The officer at FRA said I might have problems entering India without the OCI card, I just confidently replied, "No, no problems", and he let me go. At DEL, I got absolutely no questions, they scanned the visa and stamped in within seconds and I was on my way.


I finally got my replacement OCI months after applying, but good to know that the U visa is still considered a valid life long visa, and I will be guarding that old passport that contains it very carefully as a backup.

Not sure what happened with the original poster, but wanted to share a recent data point at DEL.

I lost my original OCI card and applied for a replacement, but it wasn't going to arrive in time for my trip. I sent an email to my local consulate as well as CKGS asking about using my U visa for entry, very well expecting it to be lost in the abyss that is Indian bureaucracy, and that's precisely what happened.

My research discovered some old links, from Air India, the San Francisco Consulate and the Government of India, stating that it was allowed.

From http://www.airindia.in/u-sticker-vis...rd-holders.htm

http://www.cgisf.org/notice/display/135

"Also, if they are not carrying OCI card, but carrying foreign passport bearing ‘U’ visa sticker, the entry is allowed."

and from:

http://www.boi.gov.in/content/visa-requirement

Passengers who are carrying old cancelled passports having Life Long Indian "U" Visa Sticker affixed on it along with new passport are allowed entry into India.

It seemed as if the info was from before they stopped issuing and requiring U visas, so I wasn't sure it would stand. As a precaution, I went ahead and applied for an e-visa anyway to avoid hassles.

At check-in, I presented my e-visa and boarded without issues.

I was flying in business class, so on arrival, I headed over to the dedicated immigration counter, which happened to also be designated for OCI holders. I wasn't planning on trying to use the U visa, but thought to give it a shot, and handed over my current passport along with old passport containing the U visa, no OCI card--all with visions of rotting in an Indian jail for attempting to enter without proper documentation.

The following exchange took place in Hindi:

Immigration Officer: Show me your OCI card
Me: I don't have it.
IO: [muttering]...You should keep it with you.
Me: yes
IO: [typing on computer]...You also have an e-visa?
Me: Yes, I got both since didn't know if I'd be able to use my U-visa [or I may have just said "yes", it was some ungodly hour and I don't remember for sure]
IO: [steps away for 10 seconds]. Do you want to enter on the e-visa or the u-visa?
Me: [surprised], if you allow it, then U-visa
IO: [more typing, scans the visa...] This (U) visa has lifelong validity...[switching to English] keep the OCI card with you next time. blah blah blah.... [stamps passport and hands it back]

So yes, I was able to enter without the OCI card, using only the U visa.

A few caveats if you're going to try this:

This may have been just my luck, the officer may have been in a good mood or more lenient to a biz class passenger, etc.

Also, who knows if the airline would've allowed be to board without my e-visa, I didn't try.

Just sharing my experience.

[princegoa]

U visa

Thanks this is great info,we have a trip planned for end of this month.

[texasTamilan]

Lost my OCI card.. travel on U visa sticker

I just realized that I lost my OCI card. I am intending to apply a replcement, but have to leave US for India as early as next week. So, planning to apply for Lost OCI on return.

However, I am planning to take a chance by attempting to travel with just U sticker on the passport. Wish me some luck and I will post my experience later.

Thanks