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COVID-19 and expatriation in India

Last activity 14 April 2020 by deafdrummer

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Loïc

Hello everybody,

The COVID-19 crisis inevitably impacts India, between closed airports or periods of containment in some cities or even the entire country .
We would like to hear from you during this unusual period, to find out what the consequences of this pandemic are on your expatriation or expatriation project in India.

Does the current crisis call into question your long-term expatriation project?
If you are already settled in India, do you plan to return to your home country?

How are you living through such an uncertain period, especially if you are far from your loved ones?

Have any of you ended your expatriation in India unexpectedly?

Paradoxically, has this crisis brought you closer to some people?

What are your plans for the future?

Thank you very much for your feedback.

Hope you are doing well.

Loïc.

tcsails

For the last 8 years I have been coming to India from the US, typically leaving for India in mid-September, and returning mid-June.  Since my tourist visa only permits me to stay in India 180 days at a time, I typically go to close by countries such as Sri Lanka or Nepal. 

This year I had arranged airfare and lodging for a trip to Sri Lanka, but just when it was about time to go, the lockdown clicked in and I wasn't able to make the trip.  I then went to the FRRO office, and got a 1 month extension, hoping that around mid-April I could do a quick trip to Sri Lanka to reset my visa for another 6 months.  That didn't happen because the lockdown has been extended and the airport is closed.

My next step once the details of the new lockdown are clarified will be to ask them what they suggest.

deafdrummer

I'm doing exactly the same thing.  I was supposed to go to Nepāl at the end of March, but was stopped by the lockdown.  I rebooked for the end of May with the flex option in case I have to reschedule AGAIN.  I can rebook because actually, my 180 days is not up until near the end of May.  I have time to watch what happens and see if I have to rebook even further out.  No complaints here, as America is a medical and economic disaster.  If I was stuck there, I would be actively calling for 50,000 men to march on DC to take it over, screw jobs, since it'll be impossible to find one, never mind holding onto a job.  Hopefully, I don't have to turn my life in that direction, risking 3 square meals a day in a federal town as a political prisoner.

I do NOT want to go back to America and will stay out for as long as I can.  I prepared EXACTLY for this.  I have money to last 8 months in hand, AND I have other forms I can liquidate in person to last out to two years.  That doesn't even touch my bank account, which will continue to grow for as long as the president of the USSA doesn't "Gorbachev" himself.

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