[Strawberry_Blonde]

Watch out Goa lovers!

According to the Times of India today, the Goa Government has asked the Central Government to reduce the validity of Tourist Visas to 3 months in a bid to prevent foreigners staying and buying plots of land......

Lets watch and wait eh.!

[captmahajan]

hmm.. looks like the Goa govt. is getting serious about this.

dunno how the central govt will react though.

not only for Goa... but if the tourist visa duration is changed, it will have an effect on all foreign tourists into India

Edited by captmahajan, 20 July 2006 - 11:43 AM.

[Poiple Shadow]

I really don't think the central government will do anything as it would really hit the tourist market of India as a huge number of people stay for 6 months, it's really only Goa who wants the rich, quick and easy buck from 2 week package holiday makers...  The rest of India would surely be hit badly as it might even encourage people to find a different destination altogether, it also stops those two weeker's from making two visits on one visa which many do, one at the start of the season and one at the end....

[H.Nick]

They'd have to reduce that 10-year visa available to Americans.

10 years down to three months!  

Whilst this has suddenly become a big issue for the Goan state govt, it is something that the rest of India cares very little about.

[YETI]

I really hope this doesn't happen - I spend a lot longer than 3 months in Goa every year.

[captmahajan]

cant see the central government easily doing this at a time when they want to make business and tourist travel easier.

[YETI]

It really gets on my nerves, all of this.

The Goa govt. seem to have it in their heads that if you want to stay in Goa for a while you must be doing something wrong.

What on Earth's wrong with just enjoying being there (and spending lots of money) for a few months?

[captmahajan]

they are trying to crack down on non-eligible foreigners bending the rules to buy property in Goa.

there seems to be an interest with even the central govt to rein in rampant property speculation countrywide (generally by indians not foreigners). read an article today about a proposal that anybody buying land in urban India must build on it soon or risk confiscation at below market rates.

all these are proposals. nothing may come out of the visa one, in my opinion.

[H.Nick]

captmahajan, on Jul 20 2006, 02:01 PM, said:

they are trying to crack down on non-eligible foreigners bending the rules to buy property in Goa.

...don't we know it from the rather tedious threads on IM a couple of weeks back...

Quote

there seems to be an interest with even the central govt to rein in rampant property speculation countrywide (generally by indians not foreigners).

I'm not sorry about that --- finding myself now priced out of the area that I want to live...

Quote

read an article today about a proposal that anybody buying land in urban India must buildon it soon or risk confiscation at below market rates.

any link?

Quote

all these are proposals. nothing may come out of the visa one, in my opinion.

Indeed.

[jyoti]

If they did that, every other goverment would reduce visas to Indians to three months, too.  Look at all of the other conversations about tit-for-tat rules against certain countries b/c of their visa policies.  I can't imagine India settling for 3 month visas to the US or to Britain or Thailand or anywhere else.  It would be an absurd move.

Maybe Goa just wants to suggest something controversial enough to get the government to agree to a compromise decision rather than being ignored completely.

[john.sw]

This is politically driven...

About six weeks ago the youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - a Congress splinter which broke from the main Congress Party over whether a foreigner, Sonia Gandhi, could lead the Congress - started a campaign against foreigners buying land in Goa.

Party activists are using freedom of information legislation to scrutinise about 445 land purchases in north Goa since 2000, some of which might have bent the rules of India's Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Everyone involved, from owners to developers and agents, is feeling a little nervous about the future at the moment.

Foreigners who buy property illegally push up the prices for local residents and legitimate buyers, which is a legitimate cause for complaint.

It would seem a bit harsh to confiscate foreign-owned property that was bought when the government was turning a blind eye to the bending of the rules, but this is likely to happen.

However, I very much doubt that the visa laws would be changed in response to the protestations of the youth wing of a political party.

[captmahajan]

H.Nick, on Jul 20 2006, 08:25 PM, said:

any link?

sorry. was in the times of India 20th july. cant find it online.

[YETI]

john.sw, on Jul 20 2006, 09:14 PM, said:

However, I very much doubt that the visa laws would be changed in response to the protestations of the youth wing of a political party.

Hope you're right, John. Three months isn't long enough to see many of the states in India, let alone any more of it.

[namaste1987]

They should just make the rules hard and fast. So if you do NOT hold a legal Indian Passprt then you can not buy property in India under any cirumstances! LOL just leave leave the visas alone. They are their own enemies!

Anyway in line with such a law the Government will need to ensure people do not bend it. Anyone caught buying or owning property that is in an illegal form. Shall have the property confiscated followed by deportation. In addition to blacklisting them so they never get a visa for India again.

If an Indian lawyer/developer or local was found to accept a bride etc through corruption in order to assist such peop. They then should have their assests including liquid assests in such business confiscated. And prosecuted by the Govenmnet with a fine and jail term. People may think twice and genuine toursits may continue to get their visas.

Edited by namaste1987, 08 August 2007 - 03:00 AM.

[Judi]

namaste1987, on Aug 7 2007, 10:20 PM, said:

If an Indian lawyer/developer or local was found to accept a bride etc through corruption in order to assist such peop. They then should have their assests including liquid assests in such business confiscated. And prosecuted by the Govenmnet with a fine and jail term. People may think twice and genuine toursits may continue to get their visas.

What a delicious spelling mistake!  

(I make loads of them - spelling mistakes that is - but they are never as endearing as this, unfortunately )

[namaste1987]

Judi, on Aug 8 2007, 08:51 AM, said:

What a delicious spelling mistake!  

(I make loads of them - spelling mistakes that is - but they are never as endearing as this, unfortunately )

I know.....I found the forum late and was typing really fast to get to bed! I didn't bother reading over it. God knows if it makes sense!

EDIT: I like the word Government in there best!! All mixed up Haha - oh dear!

Edited by namaste1987, 08 August 2007 - 10:48 PM.

[Pinder Singhmanik]

I am just wondering about all this, and how many of the tourists might be affected by this. It will be a great pity for India who I had thought was trying to better the tourist situation and not destroy it. I am wondering also why strawberry blonde began this thread and has not replied to any postings, as this could get to be a very heated discussion and the persons responsible for begining it ought in my mind to contribute something rather than merely put a hook on the line and then disappear!

[cyberhippie]

Quote

I am wondering also why strawberry blonde began this thread and has not replied to any postings, as this could get to be a very heated discussion and the persons responsible for begining it ought in my mind to contribute something rather than merely put a hook on the line and then disappear!

She's probably forgotten all about it seeing as it was just an article in the newspaper and she posted this a year ago!