AOS Approved!

[MrsAyilliath 0]

Congratulations Eileen. You can breath easy for a while.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Congrats Eileen<

If you are ever if the south bay maybe we can have a so asia or an Northern Cali VJ meets. We got the 10year green card almost 2 months now, done with the immigration, Hmmm maybe until next year when my wife can go for us citizenship, I dread those moments when we have to fly to europe they keep asking for SHenzen Visa and so on. Stuff as us citizen we take for granted with green card it's a hassle.

[ELW 5]

Thanks again, all!

Yes Nikita2Charles, I will let you know if we come your side. Looks like there won't be any traveling for awhile, though. We love to just laze at home when we have free time/holidays! (And no funds for traveling yet, either.)

Congrats to you guys for the 10-year green card! :dance: And yes citizenship brings along with it many privileges. (I was looking into the Overseas Citizenship of India.

However we are thinking of moving to India in the future. Do you know anything about long term visas I could get there, as wife of an Indian citizen? Or if he takes American citizenship and has the benefits of OCI, if I could stay in India too?

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Relocating and settling in India is not as difficult as it was for your husband to move here. It's a matter of moving there, then your husband will apply for your indian residency.

YOu said in the future, it's a great plan hopefully you move after he gets us citizenship, As a green card holder your husband can't go to indian and stay over 6months without a reentry permit, or live there for good that would be consider abandon of us residency. Since you've live in India so you are very familiar with the culture, I've travel to India over 10times and worked on various project there. The main thing is the society can be very nationalist, Take a look at Sonia Ghandi she's a very famous person in the indian political life, evn calling the shots in the background a couple of years ago a lot of people was protesting the fact she could become a prime minister, even though she's more indian than anybody i know off, she has grown up children who are very successful, she speaks hindi fluently and basicaly India is her home, but to a lot of people she will always the the Italian Lady.

Here's a recent question and and forums from an indian website

Starr asks,

I am a US citizen and currently in India with a 10-year tourist visa that allows for a 180-days continuous stay. I recently married an Indian man here in India and we wish to remain in India indefinitely. Is there some process by which I can do this?

Dear Starr,

Yes. Based upon your relationship of marriage with an Indian citizen, you can apply for Indian citizenship. Consult an advocate well versed in the laws of citizenship of India.

Thanks again, all!

Yes Nikita2Charles, I will let you know if we come your side. Looks like there won't be any traveling for awhile, though. We love to just laze at home when we have free time/holidays! (And no funds for traveling yet, either.)

Congrats to you guys for the 10-year green card! :dance: And yes citizenship brings along with it many privileges. (I was looking into the Overseas Citizenship of India.

However we are thinking of moving to India in the future. Do you know anything about long term visas I could get there, as wife of an Indian citizen? Or if he takes American citizenship and has the benefits of OCI, if I could stay in India too?

Edited September 30, 2007 by Nikita2Charles

[Imua 0]

Thanks again, all!

Yes Nikita2Charles, I will let you know if we come your side. Looks like there won't be any traveling for awhile, though. We love to just laze at home when we have free time/holidays! (And no funds for traveling yet, either.)

Congrats to you guys for the 10-year green card! :dance: And yes citizenship brings along with it many privileges. (I was looking into the Overseas Citizenship of India.

However we are thinking of moving to India in the future. Do you know anything about long term visas I could get there, as wife of an Indian citizen? Or if he takes American citizenship and has the benefits of OCI, if I could stay in India too?

I will probably be getting Nepali citizenship next year - I was told it is very easy if you are married to a Nepali citizen and have court marriage certificate, no residency requirement, takes about 2 weeks or so for processing - don't know if it is similar in India. You might need to register your marriage with the district office n India first. It is crazy when I think of how long it will take G to get citizenship and compare it to how easy it will be for me.

OT: I just chatted with my very old-school FIL and SIL - would you believe it was the first time my FIL ever went online? He didn't sit at the keyboard but just told G what to write.

Edited October 4, 2007 by Pattu Rani

[ELW 5]

Thanks good point Nikita2Charles, about my husband getting US Citizenship. I read about OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) where US Citizens of Indian origin have a sort of lifetime visa to India, they can stay as long as they want. It is NOT duel citizenship but carries most of the benefits of it. India and US do not allow duel citizenship.

There must be some longterm visa I can get (without giving up my US Citizenship), as wife of a OCI, to stay in India. I guess it is over-planning of me at this point , because it will be years before he gets US Citizenship and laws could change by then.

And yes I understand the Indian culture completely, I know I will never be accepted as "one of them" but still their attitudes are getting more modern. Also I witnessed how affectionate they were when they realized (during the time I was in India) I was fluent in their language and customs! They felt very flattered by it and it inspired in them even more family feeling.

Pattu Rani, it looks like Nepali laws are different than Indian laws - so does Nepal offer duel citizenship? I wish India did! I had friends in India from various countries (including USA) and before they accepted Indian citizenship, they had to renounce US Citizenship (by signing many papers and even being videotaped giving up all rights etc.!)

BTW, it is great you could chat online with your FIL and SIL! I wonder if I will EVER chat online with my MIL and BIL, they have never even been anywhere near a computer in their life. And now that their knowledgeable son is in USA and thier other relatives and friends are equally mystified by computers, I don't see it happening too soon...

[ELW 5]

Hmm I just read that I am eligible for a PIO card!

http://www.indialiaison.com/pio.htm

Definition of Person of Indian Origin (PIO)

"Person of Indian Origin" means a foreign citizen [not being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries as may be specified by the central government from time to time] if"

1. He/she at any time held an Indian passport;

2. He/she or either of his/her parents or grand parents or great grand parents was born in and permanently resident in India as defined in the Government of India Act ,1935 and other territories that become part of India thereafter provided neither was at any time a citizen of any of the aforesaid countries [as referred to in 2(B) above]; or

3. He/she is a spouse of a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin covered under (I) or (ii) above.

Benefits of Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card Schemes

Besides making their journey back to their roots simpler, easier and smoother, this scheme entitles the PIOs to a wide range of economic, financial, educational and cultural benefits.

The benefits envisaged under the scheme include:-

(i) No requirement of visa to visit India;

(ii) No separate "student Visa " or "Employment Visa" required for admission in colleges/ institution or for taking up employment respectively;

(iii) No requirement to register with the Foreigners Registration officer if continuous stay does not exceeds 180 days, then registration is required to be done within a period of 30 days after expiry of 180 days;

[journeyman 0]

Since you live in the CA area, this is another site that has plenty of information regarding OCI and PIO and for US citizens as well.

Checkt his out >> It's the Indian consulate in SFO.

http://www.cgisf.org/

[journeyman 0]

FOrgot to inlcude the link to the Indian embassy in Washington DC. (website is much better)

http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/default.asp

[ELW 5]

Thanks for the links journeyman!

[second stage 14]

Hmm I just read that I am eligible for a PIO card!

That's news to me too(spouse of Indian citizen being eligible for PIO).....

PIO link: http://www.***removed***/nri/pio.html

Edited October 9, 2007 by second stage