Visa issue!

OK, I didn’t want to write about it as I was not really sure how the whole thing will finish, also I was laughing so much at these poor Indians coming to Europe, having their visa issues… until I ended up having my own, personal, exclusive visa issue and being scared I would be deported from the country!!!

Applying for visa I knew I was supposed to obtain a business visa in order to be officially registered and employed by the company in India. I submitted all the required documents and was more than happy getting my visa, being sure that if you apply for the business type, you get business type and you don’t need to check it again… Well, never assume!!! Only after landing in India I was told that “V type” is not a business visa and it won’t allow me to get registered at FRRO (Foreign Regional Registration Office). Calling different people, looking for some help I was only told by the Indian embassy in Poland that they are very sorry and only thing they can do is to assure me that if I come to their office in Warsaw again, they can issue a new, proper visa for me! Wow! What a relief!! I knew I couldn’t go back home so I started searching for other options. Luckily Mahindra is a big and old company and if you tell them who they are supposed to know they for sure know them and can talk to them about your issue ;) So was it in my case. After days of struggling with the Indian embassy they finally sent me the letter saying that it’s not my fault but their mistake that I got the wrong visa, requesting FRRO to read it as business visa! I was very stressed ending up in FRRO with all the documents, later than I was supposed to. Luckily they accepted all my explanations and finally I heared the magic sentence: “I allow you to register in India”! I wanted to start jumping but these people in the office looked very seriously so just smiled at the lady who was sitting behind the desk, took my registration book and walked out! Officially, legally in India, after 3 weeks since arrival!