I have a 10-year Indian visa in my US passport. When I change my last name, the visa in the old passport will no longer match my new name. I know they don't transfer visas at the Indian embassy. What to do? Is my visa now invalid?
Anyone else go through something similar? Will I have to repay the $100 fee for a new visa just because of my name?!?!
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
well dont things change once you get married? I know people for whom this all changed. Did you marry an American citizen? if so then you will have to go through a whole other process
You can also call the indian embassy in the US and see what they tell you to do in case they have different rules when it comes to visas
pa56
Posted:
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Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
Sorry to be unclear... I am a US citizen with a US passport.
I have a visa to enter India when I visit. This is the visa I'm talking about.
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
Posted by pa56
Sorry to be unclear... I am a US citizen with a US passport.
I have a visa to enter India when I visit. This is the visa I'm talking about.
oh ok sorry i misunderstood.
Not sure then, i know about the other way around. For example I am a US citizen with a US passport and when i visit family in europe, i dont have a visa to enter the country.
but i think you just have to apply to get a new one with an application for a name change. I am sure there is an application for change of name after you are married. Look up passport agencies, or google specific info on visas for india and should have the forms online and all the info you need.
I looked it up online and what came up was if you do a name change and have an indian passport so i am sure they have something similar for a visa
pa56
Posted:
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Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
Posted by Espo22
I looked it up online and what came up was if you do a name change and have an indian passport so i am sure they have something similar for a visa
Thanks Espo. Unfortunately, I have been searching on goverment and visa websites since this morning and have found nothing useful. I just might have to call the embassy (and probably be put on hold for an hour).
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
Posted by pa56
Posted by Espo22
I looked it up online and what came up was if you do a name change and have an indian passport so i am sure they have something similar for a visa
Thanks Espo. Unfortunately, I have been searching on goverment and visa websites since this morning and have found nothing useful. I just might have to call the embassy (and probably be put on hold for an hour).
i found this which might apply to you. Someone asked if they got a new american passport that has an indian visa, what do they do. They said that you have to transfer your visa from the old passport to the new one, so when you apply for a new passport with a new name, then tell them that you also have to transfer the visa and need to do the name change, they should be able to do that.
pa56
Posted:
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Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
After being on hold for 9 minutes, I finally got my answer! I have to submit an application to the Indian embassy along with my marriage certificate and old passport and they will transfer my visa with my new name for $38. It's annoying that I have to pay a fee considering I already $100 to get the visa in the first place just 2 years ago.
Espo22
Posted:
Member since
Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
Posted by pa56
After being on hold for 9 minutes, I finally got my answer! I have to submit an application to the Indian embassy along with my marriage certificate and old passport and they will transfer my visa with my new name for $38. It's annoying that I have to pay a fee considering I already $100 to get the visa in the first place just 2 years ago.
WOW 9 minutes, thats actually not bad at all. When i call the cable company i get the message saying '18 minute or 25 minute wait time' and it does take that long hahaha.
It S*cks but its not that bad, its less than half of the price to get a new one.
AR31
Posted:
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Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
yeah but they take your American passport away.. so how can you send it to the Indian embassy? I got the same answer, and I have OCI card.. so not sure what happens there..
pa56
Posted:
Member since
Re: Name change in passport... what about visas?
Posted by AR31
yeah but they take your American passport away.. so how can you send it to the Indian embassy? I got the same answer, and I have OCI card.. so not sure what happens there..
When you apply for a name change on your US passport, they return your old one with holes punched through to show that it's now invalid. You take the old one and the new one to the indian embassy which will transfer the visa from the old one to the new one (along with changing the name on the visa).
I had to get a new passport 3 years ago since mine expired and they returned my expired one to me with holes punched on the side.
