Psa: Emergency Visas Available For Family Emergencies

This is simply an announcement to any American passport-holding person of Indian Origin who needs to go to India on short notice but doesn't have a Visa. I was not aware of my options until recently; so if this might be relevant to you read on.

Recently, and very sadly, my grandmother took ill. I had an OCI, and therefore a lifetime multiple-entry Visa to India but unfortunately it had gotten misplaced in the weeks prior to my trip. While looking into my options, I discovered that the Embassy in certain major cities offers "Emergency Visas" which can be approved in as little as two days. The requirement to prove there is an emergency is not very strict and a fax from a Medicos will suffice. I live in the Northeast United States; I know at least NY and Philly embassies offer this service.

While there is a significant fee associated - between 200 and 300 USD - I found the process to be relatively simple; with instructions on the Embassy website. Be certain to print out two copies of everything because the embassy will not have any spares and be forewarned that there is a reasonable chance your local embassy is CASH ONLY. If anyone has any questions regarding the emergency visas, feel free to ask and I'll try to reiterate my recent experiences.

 

Just be careful. If you overstay a regular visa, there is some leniency with a reasonable explanation. Overstaying an emergency visa is begging for trouble. Be very sure you do not cause problems, or make mistakes, because they will come down harder on these special cases.

 

The one I received was good for six months; allowing me to visit on short notice when she initially took ill in late November. She passed mid February, around five months later; so the VISA was still active when I needed to attend the funeral. In my case, they gave me very little trouble; but I absolutely recommend contacting the Embassy in case the Visa needs to be extended. It is never a good idea to ignore immigration law in any nation.