[DerAlte]

@ajmat, oh man, that bowl of Laksa is wallpaper material! And, if someone adds bits of steam rising from it - the best screen-saver.

Apart from Don Muang, Kai Tak and Narita, this must be the only airport with decent food.

[Akshay1234]

heres short review of sydney airport when i was there a month ago. landed there and all seemed fine. the immigration cue was longer than the one in bombay believe it or not. 2 counters open for foreign nationals and 4 counters for aussies. they had about 10 more counters which they could open for the foreign people.
that took 15 mins.

then came the baggage claim. that took 10 mins. some woman with a sniffer dog randomly comes and sniffs the bag next to which my dad is standing. even though it wasnt our bag she just stamped something on the customs form.

then came the huge queue. the queue for quarantine. man are aussies paranoid or what. that line took believe it or not 30 minutes or a little more. luckily thanks to the sniffer dog woman stamping something on the customs card we were led to a line where all the people were made to go who had those stamps on their cards. that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because that line was shorter than the normal one and we made it out into the arrival area much quicker than it wouldve taken us going through the normal customs.

also for international departures the check in line was a 40 minute wait. luckily the check in official we had was good and i managed to get emergency row seats. some other people were travelling with us and one of their bags was 2 kg over the 20kg limit. they were made to transfer to jgs of items into their handbag since that was below the 7kg limit. how does it make a difference as long as the overall weight is the same??

anyway the shopping too is nothing great and the only good thing were the krispy-kreme doughnuts.

on arrival in mumbai it took is 15 mins to get out.

now i would rate bombay airport as much more efficient than the one in sydney.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by ajmat

My only reason to live - laksa

Siigghhhhhhhh.............. I miss laksa. Why doesn't anyone sell any decent food in Mumbai?

[s0uljah]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Siigghhhhhhhh.............. I miss laksa. Why doesn't anyone sell any decent food in Mumbai?

Live in Bangalore then you can really complain about lack of food

[mmmjgm]

Originally Posted by s0uljah

Live in Bangalore then you can really complain about lack of food

You bet S0uljah ! Was in Bangalore a while ago, (with a north indian palate) and was miserable till I walked into Koshy's. The food was good, atleast did not give any side effects later on. Else it was Barton Towers the top floor - Ebony. That was good.

Very limited choices for medium range food. Else used to manage with the hotel's omlette. The Kamat's at Bangalore is something else, in the not so great terminology.

Cheers
M M

[Proxima]

Hello Guys,

I have a doubt on ECNR. Earlier my passport used to have an ECNR stamp. When I renewed it, the passport came without the ECNR stamp. Is it required for B1 travel to the USA?

Please help.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Check the default used to be 'required', and I think that was printed on the passport. Now it seems to be 'not required'.

This from the Chennai Passport Office Site:

Question 3. I don’t have ECNR stamp in my Passport. Can I get it on the basis of my provisional matriculation or above certificate issued by the University/Board concerned?
Ans. We are no longer affixing ECNR stamp in passports. In fact it is not even printed in the new passport booklets. Currently, only ECR stamp is being put in passports if applicant is not eligible for ECNR. However, you are entitled to ECNR status if you possess qualification of Matriculation or above. Even you can get ECNR status on the basis of provisional matriculation certificate if the mark sheets of all semesters of your course are available with you.

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Check the default used to be 'required', and I think that was printed on the passport. Now it seems to be 'not required'.

This from the Chennai Passport Office Site:

Thanks Thad. I was wondering if I have to go to the passport office again and stand in those never ending queues. Now I know I don't have to.

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by Proxima

Hello Guys,

I have a doubt on ECNR. Earlier my passport used to have an ECNR stamp. When I renewed it, the passport came without the ECNR stamp. Is it required for B1 travel to the USA?

Please help.

AFAIK, the ECNR requirement has been done away with

[Sam Kapasi]

Yes - ECR or ECNR - this requirement has been cancelled to travel to any country.

[finneyp]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Yes - ECR or ECNR - this requirement has been cancelled to travel to any country.

Not really, ECR/ECNR requirement still exists, what is being done now is: if you don't qualify for ECNR, a ECR stamp will be put in your passport, and if qualify for ECNR, ECR stamp won't be put in your passport. This is now done in all new Passports issued.

Check this entry from FAQ of Chennai Passport Office from Thad's post above.

Currently, only ECR stamp is being put in passports if applicant is not eligible for ECNR.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Not really, ECR/ECNR requirement still exists, what is being done now is: if you don't qualify for ECNR, a ECR stamp will be put in your passport, and if qualify for ECNR, ECR stamp won't be put in your passport. This is now done in all new Passports issued.

The ECR/ECNR still exists yes finneyp, but the requirement no longer does.

From http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/collec...most-blog.html

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Effective from 01st October 2007, ECNR is no longer required to visit ANY country in the world. The rule has been revoked. Woo-hoo!!

Read What is ECNR? Who requires it? Can anyone explain in detail.? - Yahoo! Answers

Also read http://www.thaindian.com/the-india-s...stem-4313.html

and this
Emigration check norms eased in India at iGovernment

While these are not very clear about the issue, let's hear it from the horses mouth

From the government website: ECNR

As per the Emigration Act, 1983, Emigration Check Required (ECR) categories of Indian passport holders, require to obtain "Emigration Clearance" from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE), Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for going to following 18 countries.
United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand, Iraq (emigration banned).

However , the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (Emigration Policy Division) have allowed ECR passport holders traveling abroad for purposes others than employment to leave the country on production of valid passport, valid visa and return ticket at the immigration counters at international airports in India w.e.f. 1st October 2007.

Nowadays, RPOs are issuing Indian passports either with endorsement of “Emigration Check Required” or no endorsement of “Emigration Check Required” in the passport. POE clearance is required only when there is “Emigration Check Required” endorsement in the passport

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi

AFAIK, the ECNR requirement has been done away with

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Yes - ECR or ECNR - this requirement has been cancelled to travel to any country.

Originally Posted by finneyp

Not really, ECR/ECNR requirement still exists, what is being done now is: if you don't qualify for ECNR, a ECR stamp will be put in your passport, and if qualify for ECNR, ECR stamp won't be put in your passport. This is now done in all new Passports issued.

Check this entry from FAQ of Chennai Passport Office from Thad's post above.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

The ECR/ECNR still exists yes finneyp, but the requirement no longer does.

From http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/collec...most-blog.html



Read What is ECNR? Who requires it? Can anyone explain in detail.? - Yahoo! Answers

Also read http://www.thaindian.com/the-india-story/indian-government-removes-the-emigration-check-required-(ecr)-system-4313.html

and this
Emigration check norms eased in India at iGovernment

While these are not very clear about the issue, let's hear it from the horses mouth

From the government website: ECNR

You are both right I guess. It is Emigration Clearance Requiredrather than Emigration Clearance Not Required nowadays. But when did this come into effect? Also, if someone who got the passport, say 1 year back, and who does not have the stamp, will not people think that he does not need emigration clearance?

Sam - thanks for the detailed research.


PS: the stamp reads something like this. ECNR not required for counties exept x, y z... With so many negatives!! Cant they make it simpler?

[bglsrini]

I missed my Team-BHP Meet yesterday.Reason - to pick up my wify and kid who were comming back home from my parents place.The Deccan flight from madurai was to land at 9:10pm.But it was postponed to take off at from madurai at 9:10pm.So I started from HSR Layout at 8:20p.m and took the outer ringroad.

It was heavily raining and it took one and half hour to travel 54km.while nearing the airport, on the way i got a call from my wify saying the flight was further delayed.OOOoohhh....I have to stay at airport for long waiting.

I reached the airport and there i checked the parking.They charge Rs.50 for 15 minutes for vip parking area.So,I parked in P3 where they charge Rs.40/- for 2 hours.Then I got down and walked towards the arrival teriminal.

Arrival Teriminal-There,I was walking and had some katti role and iced tea.And I was browsing the area.There was ATM's,flowershop,gangootree-chats,Subway.It was a nice place and well done.But,Oh there was no rest room outside the teriminal.

Then i went to the deccan counter at 12:00midnight and asked wether I can fly to madurai if the flight has not left bangalore.Then they confirmed that the flight has left bangalore at 11:20p.m.I called my wify and updated her and she inturn updated the airdeccan staffs at madurai.Then, they got the official announcment at madurai and anounced that the flight will land there at 12:30a:m.I was waiting and finally the flight landed at madurai airport at 12:40a:m and got a sms from my wify that they were inside the flight at 1:20 a:m.

Then,I got a visitors ticket @ Rs.80/- for 2 hours and entered the teriminal.The teriminal was big and welldone.There was 2 cafe coffee day and 2 odysse shop.I went to the cafe-coffeeday and ordered a blackforest,thai chicken (gravy) with rice and leamon demon(hot black lemon tea) and waited for my wify.

Atlast the flight landed at 2:20 a:m at bengalore international airport and every one came out.I was waiting for 30 minutes,My wify and kid are missssing.I called her and here comes the answer,The deccan's baggage is always late.Then they came out of the arrival inside the teriminal at 2:50a:m and we walked together out from the teriminal to My Bull at P3 parking and we drove back Paying Rs.120/-parking charges.We traveled 54km and reached home at 4:00a:m in the morning.

The Airport was great to explore for me,But a terrible experience.Thanx to simplyfly-Deccan.But not for its passengers.

[itwasntme]

Nice pictures but isn't it against the law to take pictures of/in Indian airports?!