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 Information
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Email questions to: V. K. Chand at:
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Drive in India with UK license
Q: Dear Sir
I am an OCI and want to drive car in India on a short holiday
what documents I require and how to go about it apart from full
UK driver license which I already have, thanks for prompt reply,
Baig
A: As long as you are a
tourist in India you should be able to drive in India if you
have with you your valid UK driving license AND a International
Driving Permit (IDP). Your UK driving license is not recognized
without a IDP. You MUST have both these documents. As long as
your IDP is valid you can drive with it.
An International Driving Permit (IDP) allows you to drive a
private motor vehicle overseas when accompanied by a valid UK
driving license. IDPs from UK are valid for 12 months from the
date of issue.
You can obtain an IDP over the counter at many post offices in
the UK. You must apply IN PERSON (no third-party applications).
You must complete an application form, available from the post
office. You must also produce one of the following ORIGINAL
valid documents:
√ Your UK driving license, or
√ Your UK pass certificate (certificate of competence to drive,
valid for two years from the date of your test), together with
your provisional driving license.
Once you get an IDP from UK you would be able
to drive in India. Remember you must carry both the IDP and your
UK drivers license when driving in India.
International Driving Permits are not meant to be a replacement
for Indian Driving Licenses, If you are not a tourist but
returning to India for resettlement then you should apply for
and get a valid Indian driving license. To get a Indian driving
license you will have to go through the full procedure of
getting a license. Your UK driving license cannot be simply
exchanged for a Indian Driving License.
Indian Driving License from abroad
Q: I have a question. What is the process of getting a drivers license. You mentioned you had to get a learners permit. Did you have to wait one month to get the actual license? In addition how easy is this process to do remotely from overseas (assuming you have ALL the required credentials - i.e. proof of residence, all forms filled out, etc) Thank you very much for your help
Aditya Mookerjee
A: There is no legal way to get a drivers license in India without visiting the RTO office. Of course this is for cities in India that have already adopted the new smart card license. The smart card license has a digital photo that is taken when you go to get your license at the RTO office by them.
The old drivers licenses still can be had via agents who accept bribes and if you give them the money they want and copies of photographs they may get you a drivers license. Many smaller cities still have the old system. Indian driver licenses are valid all over India regardless of which state issued them.
No amount of bribe will get you the smart card license and perhaps this is one of the reasons many cities are changing the system. Smart card licenses have a computer photo plus your thumb print on a computer chip.
You are correct regarding the thirty day wait. The test for the issue of the Permanent license is conducted after a minimum of 30 days from the date of issue of the learner's license. In case of failure, a retest can be requested but not before a period of 7 days. A learner's license is valid for a period of six months. If the driving test for a permanent license is not passed during this period, a fresh learner's license needs to be obtained .
OCI Card?
A: OCI is a lifelong visa for India that is pasted on your passport by the concerned Indian consulate where one applies for OCI. There is no OCI card. A small passport size booklet is also provided to OCI holders but there is no OCI card that I am aware of.
In case you have lost the OCI booklet your passport will still have your OCI stamp and OCI issue number. Check with the nearest Indian Consulate if that is the case and they should be able to advise you on getting a replacement and costs involved.
Is OCI Deemed Indian National
Q: Sir,
Is an OCI card holder eligible to be appointed as an Honorary Consul General of a particular country?
As per the Protocol Hand book issued by MEA, pg. 98, “The candidate proposed for appointment as HCG will always be an Indian national.”
Is an OCI to be deemed Indian National? Does the post of HCG come within the restrictions of employment in a public office applicable to an OCI?
I will be obliged if you could shed some light on this.
Regards,
S.Banerjee
A: Indian national would refer to a citizen of India. OCI holders are not citizens of India.
OCI has often been mischaracterized as "dual nationality" or "dual citizenship." However, a person who holds an OCI Card in reality is granted an Indian lifelong visa, not Indian citizenship.
OCI holders are restricted from government service with the government of India. There is nothing to stop them from accepting employment with foreign governments.
Foreign Currency Exchange in India
Q: I am visiting India in a few months. I will be going on the Golden Triangle
tour. I have today been told that I cannot buy Rupees in England and take
them with me on my trip. Please can you advise me the best currency to use in
India and how I go about purchasing it. Thank you for your help.
C Burrell.
A: Indian currency cannot be legally bought or sold abroad. You can exchange foreign currency at the airport or at most banks in India. Many hotels also provide currency exchange services but their exchange rates are not going to be in your favor.
Most major cities have money exchangers now, especially in cities like Delhi where they provide a far better rate of exchange than banks. However banks are the safest bet when it comes to currency exchange for foreigners. Thomas cook and American express outlets are other options. You don't want any hassles and there is always a chance of getting fake currency in India. So it is best to stick with banks, American express or Thomas Cook for currency exchanges and get a receipt.
When you exchange currency the bank receipt will allow you to reconvert the Indian Rupees you have left over when you leave India. So keep all money conversion receipts with you.
If you have the time we would appreciate your feedback on your 'Golden Triangle Tour'. I host another website called Travel India Smart and would be glad to post any photographs or comments you may have regarding your India trip if you choose to share your experience with others. Good luck with your trip.
Safety of Deposits in Indian Banks
Q: hello how are you. i get your e:mail from Nri information. I have some question with you. i want open my nri account. if i deposit very big amount in my nri account. how i know my money is save in my nri account. I am USA citizen. I am also apply my dual citizen.
I want open my business in India. i want settle in India.
i will get dual citizen soon. after can i open my business
in India. thanks
raman garg
A: Indian bank deposits are insured for only up to Rupees one lakh. No one can offer you a guarantee that your money will be safe in India beyond this amount. When dealing with banks your choice of banks should be based on reputation and research.
While deposit insurance in India is, shall I say next to
nothing (only around $2000) In the country's history no
public sector bank had been closed down, as they were either
amalgamated or propped up by the Government. Check
here for various banks in
India.
The Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh stated in the
Lok Sabha on October 20, 2008, " I wish to assure depositors
in our banks that their deposits are entirely safe"
Whether you believe him or not is a decision you will have
to make. However people do have thousands of crores of
Rupees in the Indian banking system. It all comes down to
ones level of tolerance for risk and belief in the system
but there are no specific guarantees. The majority of people
consider banking to be safe and continue to keep their money
in banks. On the other side of the coin banks can and
sometimes do fail. Governments can change and banking laws
and regulations also are subject to change.
Why the Indian government has failed to up the deposit
insurance on bank accounts I fail to understand as this will
certainly assure Non Residents of the safety of their money.
NRIs may find it interesting to note that in a written reply
in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Mr. Pawn
Kumar Bansal said, "92.6 per cent bank deposits are fully
protected under the Deposit and Insurance and Credit
Guarantee scheme" Surprisingly such a high percentage of
people have accounts up to only the insured amount of Rupees
one lakh.
As for the second part of your question, as an NRI you can
open a business in India. You do not need to be a citizen of
India for the purpose of opening a business in India.
Furthermore India does not allow dual citizenship. The
Overseas Indian Citizen is often mischaracterized as 'dual
citizenship' is just a lifelong visa.
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