I damaged my expired Indian Passport, but it still has a valid US visa.?

Question

Hi. I accidentally damaged my already expired Indian passport, by tearing of a portion of a blank page which had some food dropped on it. Stupid! I know... But what I didnt pay heed to was that it had a valid US visa. I have travelled several times since, but on my latest trip, an Indian immigration officer saw that page and told me it was a crime to do that to even an expired passport! I somehow pleaded my way out of it. US customs couldnt be bothered I suppose, But this episode has made me paranoid. Although I have a perfectly okay current passport, but since my US visa is in the old one, I'm afraid to face Indian immigration again. The next officer may not be as understanding! I think I have managed a global first!! But can some help me out and give advise??

Cheers

Answer 1

Take both the old and new Indian passports to the nearest US consulate in India, and ask them to stamp your visa in the new passport.  If the visa is still valid, you'll get your new passport stamped.  You should have done this before your old passport expired.  

And never deface or tear a passport.  Keep it in a passport case and protect it.  It is a very valuable document, and you weren't taking proper care of it if you got food all over it.

Answer 2

I don't think it is any problem.  What will they do, send you back?  You got one bad officer.  Just say it was an accident and the page was blank.  Be firm.  

And apply for a new visa in your new passport as soon as this one expires.

Answer 3

Hi,

your US visa is valid until its expiry date, even if your Indian passport that contains it has expired., as long as you have a valid passport

Why do you have to show your OLD passport to Indian immigration? What does your destination have to do with them? Don't Indian citizens have the right to travel where they like?

However, the Indian Government is the owner of your passports,and it IS an offence to deface one, so any authorised Indian official could take that one off you at any time, on the grounds that it is defaced.Afeter all, tearing off a portion of a page, stained or not, can hardly be claimed as accidental damage. That is quite deliberate,and IS an offence in most countries.Not only that, but some countries might not accept a visa in a passport that has a piece missing, because for all they know, that piece could have had a derogatory stamp on it. I have a passport that says very clearly in it that a defaced or damaged passport is not valid.

I think you should try to keep that passport out of the sight of indian immigration officilas.You do have an alternative,and that is to ask the US Embassy or your nearest consulate to transfer the visa to your new passport.That is usually a quick and easy process, and the process I took, although of course, it is not free.

Best of Luck!