India Employment Visa

[hmcomposites]

For all you expat pilots at India National Airlines and Corporate Aviation, please advise on how to secure the India Employment Visa. As a United States citizen and passport holder, an Aviator with previous flight experience in India, there is now considerable delay and no response from the India Consulate or Government. I followed the process outlined in the India Embassy web site, United States, with no current success after 3 1/2 months. All serious input would be appreciated, Thank you.

[Rosiemoto]

did you try driving/flying to the nearest Indian consulate in the USA?

I've been to the one in SFO - drop off the stuff in the a.m. pick it up in the late p.m. same day...

did you have any luck so far?

[hmcomposites]

Rosimotto, thanks for the reply. I have sent you a PM.

[hmcomposites]

Seriously folks, if anyone has experience with this, I welcome a PM, specifically from USA Pilots working as expat's in India, with India Employment Visa's.

[aq737pdx]

I Can't PM. I Don't post unless I have constructive input to offer.
I was advised to avoid the SFO consulate because they are taking a long time with E-Visa. I don't really know how it is possible to avoid them if you are a resident of one of the 8 western states covered by the SFO consulate.
But I have had success getting the India E-Visa using one of the agents in SFO, FedEx overnight each way. It took a week.

You say that after 3 and a half months you still don't have the E-Visa. So you have been with out your passport for 3 and a half months?

[itsbrokenagain]

Apparently there is and has been for at least 8 mths some issue with them issuing visas to US citizens, the Indian Consulates are supposedly having some fight over something the Americans did with visas. I cant remember it now, it was in the Indian papers last year. Even a renewal on a USA passport done in the USA now takes 3-4 weeks where it used to be done in 1-2 days .

I dont get mine renewed in the USA now, I get it done at the local FFRO office here in India, costs more surprisingly but thats the companies problem, but its done in days not weeks.

I dont think you can visit the Consulate, you have to deal with that visa company... Travisa or whatever its called. Why dont you go visit them and see whats up.

[hmcomposites]

Aq737pdx, yes. Since I was required by residence (Florida) to use the Houston Consulate, I was without my passport for 3 1/2 months, before having to fly to Houston (3rd time) and retrieve my passport to accept other employment. Unfortuanately, the contract that I had submitted my application for employment visa, was cancelled after 10 weeks. I witnessed many other applicants in the same situation and the scene at the consulate was unpleasant to say the least. Additionally, Immigration rules had changed for India (2010), requireing all foreign pilots flying within India to have the "Employment Visa". Travisa was absolutely no help at all. Surprising, since I had obtained my India Business Visa ( 24 hour approval-walk in) thru them in 2009, 1 year, multiple entry. My particular position was justified and well documented, as the aircraft type experience was non-existant in India and still is. The application at 13 weeks was neither denied nor approved, with no answer in sight and no help from the India Consulate or India department of labor.

[hmcomposites]

Itsbrokenagain - Yes, once the Employment Visa is issued, it can be renewed or extended for up to 5 years, within India as you said, from the FRRO. But, you must obtain the visa in the first place, and that is what my problem was. I have obtained other employment in Africa and it only took 4 business days to recieve a Nigeria Visa from the Nigeria Consulate in Washington DC, and that included FedEx time, door to door. I would return to India, but I am gun shy about giving up mt passport again for visa application submission, with such a pending delay. Travisa was absolutely no help at all, although previously I had obtained an Indian Business Visa thru them in 1 day. Thanks you, for your input.

[mossimo]

I am having similar problems with the Indian employment visa in the USA. Been waiting over 3 months now with no end in sight. This is a renewal as the original only took 9 days in 2010.

[captjns]

Procedures are far more anal than they were in 2010. All you can do is keep after your agent who is working in getting the work visa on your behalf.