# Nationality change visa query



## johnnew (Jan 16, 2014)

Hi all,

My wife currently has Indian passport and dependent visa is stamped on it.
She is now getting French passport and cancelling Indian passport. 

Appreciate your help with answers to below query

1. What is the procedure to transfer visa from Indian passport to French passport
2. Currently she is in India to get French passport. Understand that she has to travel with both the passport, which passport need to be stamped at the Dubai Immigration
3. How much time would visa transfer take and fees.


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## Sunder (Mar 11, 2014)

johnnew said:


> Hi all,
> 
> My wife currently has Indian passport and dependent visa is stamped on it.
> She is now getting French passport and cancelling Indian passport.
> ...


India does not have dual citizenship. She has to surrender the Indian passport in India or Indian embassy if outside India.

Question 1: how can she get a French passport in India, I thought it is obtained only in France as even after getting a french passport she requires a Visa to stay in India.
She also has to apply for a PIO card, not sure what the procedure is.

for Dubai Visa : I believe, it needs to be cancelled and applied again, but you need to check the same.

This is a very good and tricky question, I hope members can also input on the said issue.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

I'm avoiding offering any advice as I cannot see how the OP's wife is changing nationality - there's no mention of the process being followed, just 'getting a French passport' ?

There's either a whole lot of history and background missing, or something dodgy going on.


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## johnnew (Jan 16, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> I'm avoiding offering any advice as I cannot see how the OP's wife is changing nationality - there's no mention of the process being followed, just 'getting a French passport' ?
> 
> There's either a whole lot of history and background missing, or something dodgy going on.


So you want to know history and background ,how does it even matter. How do you call it dodgy just for sake?

We have followed all the process legally. Thanks for your comment though


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## johnnew (Jan 16, 2014)

Sunder said:


> India does not have dual citizenship. She has to surrender the Indian passport in India or Indian embassy if outside India.
> 
> Question 1: how can she get a French passport in India, I thought it is obtained only in France as even after getting a french passport she requires a Visa to stay in India.
> She also has to apply for a PIO card, not sure what the procedure is.
> ...


Thanks Sunder, I have already mentioned that Indian passport will be cancelled. She will get be getting OCI Card.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Because ‘cancelling her Indian passport’ makes no sense from a legal standpoint, and one appears not to be able to get a new French passport in India. My understanding perhaps incorrectly is that the Indian authorities will retain the original passport as she will no longer be an Indian passport holder so cannot just keep it. 

Like I said, too many unclear statements - it would have helped greatly if you had said she has been through the whole legal nationality change process with the French authorities, but than then begs the question as how she is in India with no Indian citizenship but no French passport, and no right to be there. 

The explanation begs even more questions than you provided. 

That’s all - too many inconsistencies for a definitive reply.


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## johnnew (Jan 16, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> Because ‘cancelling her Indian passport’ makes no sense from a legal standpoint, and one appears not to be able to get a new French passport in India. My understanding perhaps incorrectly is that the Indian authorities will retain the original passport as she will no longer be an Indian passport holder so cannot just keep it.
> 
> Like I said, too many unclear statements - it would have helped greatly if you had said she has been through the whole legal nationality change process with the French authorities, but than then begs the question as how she is in India with no Indian citizenship but no French passport, and no right to be there.
> 
> ...


Thanks again 
As I said I do not want to repeat any process. India does not have dual citizenship so Indian government will put a Cancel seal see this for example https://www.immihelp.com/nri/images/cancelled-indian-passport-2.jpg
French government will issue a nationality change document upon which Indian passport will be cancelled.
She will be having Indian passport without any need for it to be returned. You don't seem to be reading it properly and just jumping into conclusions . There are Indian states that issue French passport ,try googling.


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

johnnew said:


> Thanks Sunder, I have already mentioned that Indian passport will be cancelled. She will get be getting OCI Card.


Best to contact the UAE embassy or specialised firms. The situation is too specific for you to get a proper answer (and I am willing to bet that immigration officials will be stumped if she were to turn up with both passports, one of them cancelled, and which should be actually "surrendered").

Or contact your company's PRO.

Edited to add: seems like you can travel using your Indian passport for 3 months after nationality change. http://www.blsindiavisa-uae.com/passport/passport-Surrender-of-Indian-passport.php
If the French embassy does not take away your Indian passport (collected on behalf of Indian authorities) then probably will be easiest for her to travel to UAE on the old passport, and then re-issue the visa in country.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Thanks. 

I read your original posting quite carefully and it still doesn’t make sense as all the pertinent information is missing whereas your post above is much clearer. That’s why I said I couldn’t comment as it made no sense.

What nationality is she when the Indian government cancels her passport and presumably her citizenship but before she gets her French one, out of interest ?

I too think the UAE immigration system will freak when she does her fingerprints and the passport and nationality don’t match the system. Be prepared for lots more paperwork and attestation to show that the change of nationality was done properly and not just a fake passport scam.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

twowheelsgood said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I read your original posting quite carefully and it still doesn’t make sense as all the pertinent information is missing whereas your post above is much clearer. That’s why I said I couldn’t comment as it made no sense.
> 
> ...


Hi,
There are two states in India that were once under overseas rule - Pondicherry was under French rule and Indians from there could get a French passport and Goa was once under Portuguese rule and again Indians from there can still get a Portuguese passport (I have many Goan friends who have done this - as it makes travel to other countries much easier).
Once an Indian applies for another nationality - their Indian passport is no longer valid - but they can obtain an OCI card (overseas citizen of India) that gives them visa free travel for life and the right to live and work in India. Only things that OCI card holders can’t do is vote or buy agricultural land.
My wife was born in India and when we were married - she became a British citizen and gave up her Indian nationality (but still has her old passport with the corner cut off).
We all then applied for and got PIO (person of Indian origin cards) but when Modi was elected - he merged these with OCI cards and now this is the only one available.
We got our PIO cards converted to OCI for free at the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Here is photo of front cover of my OCI card







Cheers
Steve


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
Here is inside front cover of my OCI card








Cheers
Steve


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## johnnew (Jan 16, 2014)

rsinner said:


> Best to contact the UAE embassy or specialised firms. The situation is too specific for you to get a proper answer (and I am willing to bet that immigration officials will be stumped if she were to turn up with both passports, one of them cancelled, and which should be actually "surrendered").
> 
> Or contact your company's PRO.
> 
> ...


Thanks rsinner. 
We have checked with Regional Passport office and confirmed that they will give a Surrender certificate and stamp it. Passport will be returned to us.


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