Mar
9
Written by:
David Strickland
3/9/2008 10:32 AM
Like any country to enter India you need permission from the government. Generally that’s a visa. However here in India there are two of categories of people allowed in. “Person of India Origin” and Ex-citizen’s.
There are three ways to be categorized a Person of Indian origin or (PIO) Your Parents were Citizen’s Your Grandparent’s were Citizen or your spouse is a Person of Indian Origin. Since Mercy is a Citizen of India I become a PIO based on her.
If you are on some types of Visa your entitled to purchase a vehicle, get a bank account, rent a house etc. as a tourist you can’t do many of these things. As a result a Visa holder to do any of these legal activities has to prove they are registered with the police IE a “Resident Certificate”. A Person of Indian Origin (PIO) only has to register with the police after 180 days. A Person of Indian Origin (PIO) is also qualified to perform any legal activity without being registered.
Ok now just try to imagine the looks I get when a 6’2” white guy comes up and claims to be a Person of Indian Origin. Needless to say trying to explain it to people has become an exercise in frustration. As a result almost everything is in Mercy’s name. The house is rented in her name. We purchased the bike in her name. We opened the bank account in her name. Last month my 180 days was up and it was time for me to go register and get my Resident Permit.
So just after my birthday last month I took off for the Registrar of Police to tell them I was in India. I had to do the same thing 4 years ago when I first came to India to work it was a nightmare then so I really didn’t have high expectations and was dreading a day of red tape as I walked in the front gate.
The guard at the gate directed me to the first desk. Where I signed in. After signing in I was directed to the inquires desk. After explaining why I was there I was directed to the side of the building. Walking around the side there where three doors the first said “restricted access” The next said nothing the third said “Employees only”. I figured the one that said nothing was my safest bet. Walking in I found a row of counters and a desk. There were either lines or no one at the counters and not knowing where to go next I figured I’d have to ask. There were two men sitting behind the desk not doing anything but talking so I figured I’d ask them.
I walked up and stood in front of the desk. The two of them continued to talk paying me no notice. Minutes passed. Still they talked. Finally one glanced up at me and then start shuffling papers on his desk continuing to talk. I had stood there for about 5 minutes now well past the point that they knew I was there knew I had a question and obviously had no intention of paying me any attention. So what next. The rest of the counters were all labeled. One said fire arms, one something else none seemed to pertain to anything. I thought about trying one of the other two doors but figured that was less likely so I decided to interrupt this pair in the hopes they would at least tell me where to get lost to.
“Addressing the man shuffling papers I apologized for interrupting their conversation but before I could ask if this was the right area and which counter I should approach he curtly replied” Can’t you see I’m working. Go have a seat I’ll call you.” Glancing around there was no place to sit. How exactly was he going to call me and how did he even know what to call me or why?
So I stood there for another couple minutes to at which he said “Go sit, sit”. Now there still was no seats and all in all it was getting quite ridiculous. I hadn’t even gotten started didn’t even know if I was at the right desk. The guy behind the counter is to busy talking to even verify if I’m in the right area. I said that’s ok I’ll stand and proceeded to stand there for another couple minutes while the two employee finished up their conversation.
Gradually a line formed behind me as more bewildered people gathered around. Seeing he was starting to get a line. He finally looked up. Pulled a piece of paper from under the desk and started telling me that I needed 3 copies of this and 2 copies of that he was down to about line 4 before I realized that I had evidently been standing at the desk I needed and he was explaining something to me. Around line 5 he stopped and asked me where I was working. I said Osprosys he said I would need a letter from them. I said I was on PIO not a work visa. He said it didn’t matter I’d still need a letter from them. I then told him I had resigned and only had 2 weeks left at which point he said “Come back when you find a new job”. I said I would be working from home. To which he told me to go register my company and come back as a PIO I had 30 days from the end of the 180 to get registered so go get the company registered and come back.
I attempted to ask him how I was supposed to register a company in 30 days but he was to busy brushing off the next guy in line to pay me any more attention. That was it 2 minutes and I was back out the door on my way home trying to figure out how we would get registered in 30 days.
Day 1 Get in touch with an accountant. Get an appointment
Day 2 Go in and talk to him.
He tells us it’s no big deal all we need is a bank account. Go to the bank get an account and then we’ll register the Company.
Day 3 Go to the bank. They assign us an account rep. The account rep schedules an appointment.
Day 4 – Weekend
Day 5 – Weekend
Day 6 – Appointment with account rep. The Bank wants $6,000 minimum deposit to open an account.
Day 7 – Contact next bank. They don’t need a deposit but they do need a copy of our “Shop and Establishment”. Ok whats that.
Back to the Accountant. What is a Shop and establishment? That’s a legal formality nothing major it’ll take one day. Ok how do we get started? They need my passport, Visa and a copy of my resident certificate. Ok I attempt the I’m a PIO explanation and get nowhere so I explain that the whole reason we need the Shop and establishment is to get our Company registered so we can get our Shop and establishment. Ok well nothing he can do then. Well how about like everything else we put it in Mercy’s Name. Sure he just needs her PAN card. PAN card is kind of like a Social Security number.
Well unfortunately Mercy lost her PAN card somewhere along the way. Last time she saw it was 5 years ago. Ok well then we’ll need a duplicate. How do we get a duplicate?
Need proof of address with a picture on it and a police report stating we lost it.
Day 8 – Police Report Ok first things first Police report should be easy enough. Go to the local police station report the card lost and get a copy of the report. However upon arrival the police inform us that if they filled out a report for everything someone came in reporting lost or stolen they would never get anything done. Of course pointing out to them that they never get anything done regardless unless they are paid under the table wouldn’t of help the situation any. Looks like we’ll eventually have to pay them to get them to work but we’ll skip that for now and go to the other item Proof of address with a picture.
Day 9 – Search the internet trying to figure out what will qualify as Proof of Address. We eventually come across the PAN website and find the instructions to apply for a duplicate. No police report required. No picture required any bill will do. Ok well so much for the accountant.
Day – 10 Off to the PAN office. Stand in line submit papers stand in more lines fill out more papers. Finally it’s done PAN card is on it’s way should arrive in 2 to 6 weeks. Hang on hold the phone 2 weeks would work but 6 weeks won’t. Call the accountant make an appointment for Monday.
Day – 11,12 Weekend
Day 13 - Since we have the number that will be on the card we can go ahead. Next Company Address? Ok simple enough I’m working out of my house.
Rent or Own? Rent.
Oops next problem if we are renting we need to get a letter from the Landlord on 20 rs stamp paper saying it’s ok to have a business.
Ok before I go any further. Anyone from America reading this will have no Idea what “Stamp Paper” is. Well folks that’s because almost 300 years ago a bunch of men dress up as Indians and had a tea party on a ship in Boston Harbor.
In order to process any legal paperwork you have to have “Stamp Paper” to do it on. If it’s written on stamp paper it’s legally binding otherwise it means nothing.
Day 14- The quest for stamp paper. Spent the better part of the day trying to track down stamp paper found out it’s available a particular bank. Went to the bank and they don’t have any 20 rs. Papers more will be in tomorrow.
Day 15 – Stamp paper day two. Bank is still out however another branch should have it. Finally get the stamp paper. Go to Landlord ask for letter. He says fine. Go to give him the stamp paper and the story changes Stamp paper makes all the difference he’ll have to check with his accountant. Long live the Accountants.
Day 16 – Anticipating the Landlords response we start looking for an office space to rent. So we can get a letter from that landlord so we can get a Shop and Establishment certificate so we can get a bank account so we can register the company so that we can produce an employment letter so I can get registered with the police.
Day 17 – Landlord comes back saying it’s going to be expensive but he’s still checking into how much it will be.
Day 18,19 Weekend we look at some possible office addresses all to expensive.
Day 20 – Looked at some more office spaces talked with some more relators. Ok we are starting to run out of time. It doesn’t look like we are going to be able to find anything we can even possibly afford. Even the cheapest commercial location will cost $2000 in deposit.
Day 21 - Still trying to find a office. Get the final word from the Landlord he’ll do it but it’s going to cost well over the $2000 we could of rented a office for if we had $2000.
Day 22 – Back to the Registrars office maybe there some way to get an extension. Mercy comes with me this time. Walk in the door two men behind the desk again but this time they are trying to work their way through a long line of people. We wait and wait and wait finally we get up to the desk. The same man I spoke to last time is there but there is a new guy with him. We speak to the new guy. He hands us a “Financial Affidavit” and says any Indian citizen with a job can sign it to guarantee me since I don’t have a job letter. Ok why didn’t they say so the first time. Exasperated and tired we leave.
Day 23 – A friend of ours that makes about $2.50 an hour signs the affidavit. We deliver it to the police office. After running us around for 4 more hours getting photo-copies and photo graphs they finally accept out paperwork and tell us to come back tomorrow.
Day 24- 4:00 pm I pick up my new hard fought Certificate of Residency.
The good news in all of this if I ever leave the country they may decide to take the certificate back and I get to do it all over again. As an American I never really understood the Boston Tea Party or why it occurred. Now I do. It was a battle against red tape that America fought and won but India fought and lost. Chai anyone?