Entry Travel

An Entry Travel or X visa is granted to a foreigner who wants to travel India and doesn’t match any other visa type.

Eligibility for Entry Travel

(1)A person who is born in India, but doesn’t process for an OCI card, maybe offered ‘X-1’ Travel or Entry Travel for a period of five years at a time with multiple entry facility.

(2)Spouse and children of an Indian citizen (who is born in India) or maybe an OCI cardholder will be granted with ‘X-2’ visa for five years at that time with multiple entry facilities.

Note:

• If an Entry Travel holder completes his or her five years of validity of issued X-1 or X-2 visa from the date of issue, and he or she needs an extension, then they should propose their request in FRRO/FRO so that the Ministry of Home Affairs clears visa extension request.
• If an Entry Travel holder request for grant extension for one year after the expiry date of the travel, the Ministry of Home Affairs would grant the same. In the same, the FRRO/FRO will concern about this and maybe granted the extension period of another 5 years after completing the earlier years. However, the same procedure will be taken place if required for any further extension.
• A Person of Indian Origin means; a person who has his Indian passport, or a person whose children, parents, or grandparents or great grandparents were born in the country or was the permanent residence of India can avail the Entry Travel. However, the government of India doesn’t provide entry travel to the citizen of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and China, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka or any other country that may be written under the government's list of travel.

(3) However, if a foreign national coming to India to join Auroville Foundation shall be offered X-3 visa under these following categories:

Long Duration Travel: is also called X-3 visa which is granted for five years with a maximum of three entries in a year after seeing the need and condition that if the visa application is accompanied by the recommendation from the Secretary, Auroville Foundation.

However, FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Officer), Chennai is authorized to issue or grant additional two entries in a year (after completing three entries which are provided with the X-3 visa) under emergency conditions if something needs immediate attention. But, it also needs a specific recommendation from the Secretary, Auroville Foundation.

In cases where the Secretary, Auroville Foundation recommends a visa for five years but on the same if Mission or Post has granted a visa for a period of lesser than 5 years, then on this situation, FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Officer) Chennai will extend the visa for a period of 5 years from the date of offering on a specific condition or recommendation from the Secretary, Auroville Foundation.

Short Duration Travel: if foreign nationals covered under any of these following categories, then they will be granted for one year ‘X-3’ visa with a maximum of three entries in a calendar year:

Foreign nationals who are coming to join Auroville as interns to learn activities of the foundation or who are sponsored by colleges/ schools/institutes or universities to carry some study or project as a part of their study curriculum in India.

However, if these activities are recommended by the Secretary, Auroville Foundation to visit as Consultants or to offer assistance to the students to some Civic Amenities or infrastructure project or any production units or commercial activities run by the Auroville Foundation.

If these activities are recommended by the authority of the Auroville Foundation for a certain time or duration to qualify, then the nationals will be provided a long-term travel. Meanwhile, if that activity checking takes time while reviewing the project, then the Secretary, Auroville Foundation, and FRRO, Chennai will extend the long term visa for a short period.

Short Duration Travel for Volunteers

For volunteers who are coming to India to the Auroville Foundation to conduct a course or participate in training at the Auroville Institutions and to volunteer at work areas of the institution can visit India with Short Duration travel, however, if the volunteer work is done without any monetary consideration then, the duration of visa will come with single entry, non-extendable. X-3 travel will be granted for 3 months on a special recommendation of the Secretary, Auroville Foundation.

(4) Foreign nationals or people who are coming to join Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry, may be offered an X3 visa for one year with multiple entries. This visa also comes with year to year extension based on FRRO, Chennai, if Sri Aurobindo Ashram recommends the visa for a period of 5 years from the date of arrival in India with this travel.

(5) International nationals coming to become a member of the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata could also be granted multiple entries ‘X-3’ Travel for the suitable duration for the production of a letter of advice from the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata. The ‘X-3’ visa may be renewed with the aid of the FRRO concerned up to the maximum period of 5 years from the date of the issue. Further renewal beyond 5 years shall be granted with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

(6) Foreign nationals coming to become a member of temples for true and spiritual learning or training is also granted ‘X-3’ Travel with multiple entries for the appropriate period on the creation of a letter of recommendation from the Temple authorities concerned. The ‘X-3’ visa of such exact spiritualists could also be renewed via the FRRO involved as much as the maximum period of 5 years from the date of the issuance of the visa based on the recommendation of the Temple authorities involved. However, if the foreign nationals need further renewal than 5 years are also granted only with the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

(7)Overseas Buddhist monks who are desirous to come to India or who are coming to India for joining the Buddhist Monasteries/ other Buddhist organizations for charity work, maybe granted a couple of entry on ‘X-3’ Travel for 1 year on some conditions and situation that he/she is duly subsidized by the Buddhist Monastery/ Buddhist institution that he/she proposes to join. One year ‘X-3’ visa or entry visa in such cases may also be further extended on a year to year basis for a long period of 5 years from the date of entry visa issuance to the foreign nationals by the FRRO/FRO concerned. Such Buddhist Monks will likely be required to register themselves with the FRRO/ FRO within 14 days of arrival, respective of their visa validity. If their visa application is approved by the FRRO, then the monks can come to the Aurobindo Ashram for charity and other works.

(8)International nationals who own property in India or desirous to buy property over this country may be granted multiple entries on their ‘X-4’ Travel or Entry Travel for 1 year. The overseas citizen must post or submit their documentary proof of permission of the Reserve Bank of India for the acquisition or purchasing of / retaining the property in India and the official documents should show registration of the precise property with the registration authority concerned. The one-year multi-entry ‘X-4’ visa can be multiplied by using the FRRO/FRO involved on every year basis up to a maximum interval of 5 years from the date of issuance of a travel.

(9) If diplomats or officials come to India with some work without having non-official visit may be granted ‘X-5’ visa or entry visa for some period taking into account the purpose of visit.

(10) Ordinary or Natural passport preserving dependents of diplomats/ officials assigned to India (including in the UN and Non-UN International businesses) could also be granted ‘X-5D’ Travel for a period).

(11) Members in international sports pursuits and the officials (including the coach) of the sports teams (other than those who find themselves engaged in business, physical activities events in India on a contract like Indian Premier League, Indian Soccer League, Indian Badminton League and so forth. with remuneration) could also be granted ‘X-SP’ Travel of appropriate duration.

(12) Overseas nationals applying for a visa for a reason, which is not exceptionally covered under any visa class, could also be granted ‘X-Misc’ Travel for the demanded duration. The sort of Travel may be granted only with a single entry and for the designated period taking into consideration the purpose or need of the visit. If the visa is granted for an interval of stay exceeding 180 days, the foreigner will need to register himself/ herself with the FRRO/ FRO concerned within 14 days of arrival. This visa might be non-extendable and non-convertible to another form of travel.