I just spent two days in Delhi getting my tourist visa extended, right after landing as my visa was expiring in another 3 days. My travel agent in US told me that it is ok to travel to India as long as you enter India before visa expires, and immigration officials will stamp it for more days. Obviously I found out right after landing that it does not work like that. I had to stand in endless lines for next two days going over to Ministry of Home Affairs and FRRO and reason with officials about why I should get an extension. It was a terrible time with the feeling that I will be sent back any time. I had a very strong dislike for all these people and procedures that time. I was totally disillusioned with how the system works and how these people treat you.
But later on when you think about, they were following the rules and doing their job. No one, in the whole process, ever showed a hint of getting bribed or doing favors.Believe me,they have to deal with lots of people like me every day with similar cases.I saw it myself standing in those lines. It was my fault, they still made exception based on proof of my Indian origin once my wife faxed Indian passport copies.
