One way ticket to India

US citizen here. I’m traveling to India on the 19th, January ‘19. I’ve bought a one way ticket because I’m not sure of how long I’ll be staying( I’ve planned on a year). I’m also planning to get married to my Indian fiancée during my stay. Will I still need to show a return flight ticket?

No. But have a reason. Don't leave it open ended and if you are on a tourist visa, don't disclose your marriage plans.

Ok thanks..

What would be a good reason for having just a one way ticket that wouldn’t set off further questions?

US citizen ....not sure of how long I’ll be staying( I’ve planned on a year).

Unless I’m mistaken the visas for US citizens means six months stay per calendar year. So this would involve a visa run.

Will I still need to show a return flight ticket?

Don’t complicate your visa application. Stay under the radar with a cheap ticket out , and cancel it after arriving. GoAir gives fairly good refunds.

@K68

US citizen here. ... I’m not sure of how long I’ll be staying( I’ve planned on a year)

On the assumption you have a regular tourist visa, then you should only ever say that you are staying under 180 days.

Will I still need to show a return flight ticket?

That shouldn't be the case; particularly if you have a regular tourist visa and will be "staying 6 months".

What would be a good reason for having just a one way ticket

You plan to exit India overland to Nepal.

No need to buy return ticket.
If they ask -that is actually rare, youncan book expedia.com. not on expedia.in. dont buy any ticket from indian service provider (indigo, go air, and all those airlines). You will have time of your life to get the refund, and even if you get refund that would be partial. They are mostly fooling people.
Book from expedia.com and cancel within 24h, you will get ful amount.
Like others have said you can be there only 180 days continously.
You can get maried under special marriage act. Let me tell ypu it is a nightmare. Go to marriage department, they will publish both of your pics on the notice board fpr 30 days. If there is no problem then you can get married.
Also, in the registrar office the lawyer can charge usd 3000 his fee. Since you are foreigner.

Unless I’m mistaken the visas for US citizens means six months stay per calendar year. So this would involve a visa run.

Partially correct. As a foreigner you can't stay in India for more than 6 months in any given year. A visa run won't fix that problem. Not sure if marrying an Indian citizen makes a difference on that rule.

Not sure if marrying an Indian citizen makes a difference on that rule.

Once married the OP would be eligible for an entry visa; the tourist visa can be "converted" in country through the FRRO. My understanding is that the entry visa provides residence, but not the right to work.

After a qualifying period (2 years?) the OP would be able to apply for an OCI / PIO card (they've been merged, I don't recall which name is in use) - a lifetime visa with working rights.

I expect the OP is chapter and verse on the visa options after marriage.

There is lots of official advice online regarding getting married in India or even outside india and then continuing to live there, its complicated and full of red tape. My friend is about to do it after 9 years of 6 month stays in Goa and visa runs every 6 months.

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No advertising on here ! i would avoid ANY touts regarding online booking for anything !

I was replying to the latest post but it has been removed .

As a foreigner you can't stay in India for more than 6 months in any given year. A visa run won't fix that problem. >

Where does this come from? My visas always say, at a time. In fact I knew a commentator here on the same visa that did visa runs to stay longer. Its true that sometimes they warn people on 6 monthers that they might look askance at the next visa run. Never heard of anyone actually being hassled though..

I have several friends that leave india every 6 months, either to `Nepal, Thailand or back to UK and then get a new visa usually within a few says, or if in the UK they stay a couple of weeks.

Where does this come from?

Good get. I has missed that entirely and I'm sure it's a simple mistake on mstep's part.

The OP is a US citizen, presumably on a multi-year multi-entry visa for 180 days stay at a time. All of which is moot if she is marries during her 'first' 180 days this year.

± 7. "Partially correct. As a foreigner you can't stay in India for more than 6 months in any given year. A visa run won't fix that problem. Not sure if marrying an Indian citizen makes a difference on that rule"

Not true, as i have said before many people leave after 6 months get a new visa and then return for another 6 months, it has been happening for years.
They did attempt to change the rules a couple of years ago and there had to be a 2 month gap between visas but they rescinded that rule.

The visa run had already been suggested in # 4 , when it was rejected:

Unless I’m mistaken the visas for US citizens means six months stay per calendar year. So this would involve a visa run.

Partially correct. As a foreigner you can't stay in India for more than 6 months in any given year. A visa run won't fix that problem.>

The key point is - and this only matters to other readers - is that the stay in India is not limited to 6 months in a calendar year. For the Yanks, Brits, and Canucks (and possibly some others) it is 180 days per entry. With a multi-year, multi-entry visa all that is required is a couple of days out of the country, before entering for another 180.

a 2 month gap between visas but they rescinded that rule.

For the sake of completeness for other readers, the 2 months out rule still applies to nationals of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, Maldives, foreigners of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.

https://mha.gov.in/PDF_Other/AnnexIII_01022018.pdf

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