A Belarusian woman, who claims to be in a live-in relationship with an Indian for past 22 years, has been permitted by the Delhi High Court to file a detailed representation before Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for conversion of her business visa to entry (X) visa.
An entry (X) visa can be granted to a foreigner of Indian origin, who wishes to come to India for visiting relatives and holiday, or their spouse and children. It can also be granted to spouse or dependents of foreigners coming to India on any other type of valid visa.
The woman's lawyer told the high court that she had applied online for conversion of the business visa into entry (X) visa on June 24 this year but it was rejected as she could not produce the certificate of her marriage with the man.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva directed the FRRO to consider her representation and take decision on it in accordance with law within one month.
"Accordingly, this petition is disposed of permitting the petitioner (woman) to file a detailed representation with the respondent No.2 FRRO at New Delhi...," the court said.
The order came on a petition filed by the woman, a citizen of Belarus, who had sought a direction to the FRRO to convert her business visa into entry (X) visa and to reconsider afresh her application which was filed earlier in this regard.
The woman had contended before the court that she was in a live-in relationship for the last 22 years with an Indian who had suffered a haemorrhagic stroke in May 2014 and she was the sole person responsible for taking care of him.
She said that she was issued a business visa with multiple entries for a period of two years which was to expire on August 3 and it was later extended till August 16 in pursuance to the court's July 29 interim order.
Her lawyer told the high court that the woman had applied online for conversion of the business visa into entry (X) visa on June 24 this year but it was rejected on the ground of "incomplete documentation" since she could not produce the certificate of her marriage with the man.
The counsel representing the Centre told the court that they were taking a policy decision on whether to extend the benefit of extension of visa, as presently available to foreigners married to Indian national, also to foreigners in a live-in relationship with Indian national.
Regarding her claims that wife of the man, with whom she was in a live-in relationship, has deserted him and there was no one to look after him, the court said, "All these alleged facts would be taken into account by the respondents while considering the question whether the relationship of the petitioner with... (the man) is in the nature of a marriage.
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