India Visa, Australian passport, UK (EU) passport

[nickykim]

My daughter is off to India in late Jan on an invitation to see how a major overseas infrastructure project works (she's just finished first year Engineering). As an Australia she needs a visa. To apply for a visa her passport must have 12 months currency. Her Australian passport expires in November 2013 and she doesn't have the $ to renew it early. Also we are off to visit family in NZ for Xmas so don't want to be without an Australian passport.

However, she also hold a UK passport and can apply for the visa on this passport.

So I think the plan is that she will leave Australia on her Australian passport and enter India on her UK passport. Then leave India on her UK passport and enter Australia on her Australian passport.

Obviously, if there are any issues "in country" she will need to seek support from the UK as opposed to Australia. Can anybody see any other issues with this?

As a uni student she doesn't want / need to spend $ renewing her Australian passport early.

Nicky Kim

 

[TonyHancock]

I tend to travel overseas on my British passport rather than my Australian one, and without any issues. I have not been to India but can count China, Brazil, Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, and Thailand on my list.

 

[simongr]

I have done exactly this - travel to India on uk passport but travel out of Oz with Oz passport

 

[TonyHancock]

I have done exactly this - travel to India on uk passport but travel out of Oz with Oz passport

I should qualify my post and confirm exactly what simongr has said. Leave OZ on my Oz passport and enter the overseas country on my UK passport.

(On a completely separate not I'd love to hear about your travels to India simongr. It is a country that fascinates me.)

 

[whatmeworry]

India is a strange country when it comes to visa's. For example New Zealanders are granted a visa upon arrival but Australians have to apply prior. I would seriously consider India as a travel destination if I didn't have jump hurdles getting a Visa.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I am fascinated by the subject of the travel.....see how infrastructure projects work in India!!

what project is it?

 

[Sprucegoose]

India is a strange country when it comes to visa's. For example New Zealanders are granted a visa upon arrival but Australians have to apply prior. I would seriously consider India as a travel destination if I didn't have jump hurdles getting a Visa.

Aus was the same in the 90's then we relaxed and got more tourists.

I am sure India reciprocate our requirements? Didn't Gillard fix this on her trip?

 

[adrian]

India is a strange country when it comes to visa's. For example New Zealanders are granted a visa upon arrival but Australians have to apply prior. I would seriously consider India as a travel destination if I didn't have jump hurdles getting a Visa.

My partner used visa on arrival 2 years ago, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. The immigration officers at first said that they had never heard of it... then, didn't want to process it... would have to fly back instead. Was eventually processed after a couple of hours waiting in a holding room in the very early hours on the morning. Lots of calls to Sydney and the local contact in India in the meantime....

Process may have improved in the last couple of years, but I would be cautious of using visa on arrival in India.

 

[simonpenny408]

I do this all the time. Just got back from Bangalore on Monday. No issues. Bonus is that Indian visa is much cheaper for my UK passport than my Australian one (over $100 cheaper for 12 month multiple entry)

 

[nickykim]

She will be impressed if it is cheaper to get the visa on her UK passport.

The arrangement is "informal" so I'm reluctant to post identifying details. It has come through a friend of her great aunt who we had lunch with on our trip to Brisbane three weeks ago.

Once she has been and come back I will see if she will post a trip report.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Obviously, if there are any issues "in country" she will need to seek support from the UK as opposed to Australia. Can anybody see any other issues with this?

Nicky Kim

It would be far more sensible to seek help from the Australian government if there were 'in country issues' and your daughter wanted to get back to Australia. The Australian embassy won't care how she got there, or what passport she used. As an australian citizen she is entitled to Australian consulate assistance.

(If there was rioting in Delhi and governments were evacuating their citizens, why fly to London when Sydney is where you live?)