A Worth Journey to Taj Mahal

Being a person who really appreciates and enjoys history, I have read many history books in my life especially about the Taj. The journey to Taj Mahal was like a dream came true that I will always remember. When I read about the Taj and its history, I told myself that one day I will walk my feet on its marbles and imagine about the endless love and devotion of Shah Jahan and Arjumand Banu Begum—Mumtaz Mahal. It's more amazing than what I was always imagining.

It's been 2 years since I and family visited Agra, but the wonderful feelings are still there. Everybody knows Agra as the city of Taj. Where one of masterpieces of the world's heritage and UNESCO World Heritage Site was perfectly constructed over there—Taj Mahal.

After 6 hours journey from Bhopal to Agra by Shatabdi Express Train which is called superfast train in India, we stayed in pre-booked Hotel Mandakini Villas which is situated very near to Taj Mahal—about 3 minutes walking distance to Taj Mahal's main entrance gate. A comfortable one to take a rest before the journey started in the next day.

Next morning, eagerly we got up early to have free breakfast from the hotel and then directly headed to Taj Mahal. It was cloudy but nice weather in the beginning of November. Once we reached at Taj Mahal, I was amazed with the crowth of people in long lines. So many guides offered their services but we didn’t need one as my mother-in-law who is a history educator and very good at it, was more than enough to guide us. While it was first time for me to visit Taj Mahal, that was the forth one for her.

After getting the tickets in hands—which costed Rs. 20 for Indians and Rs. 750 for foreigners—we got to stand and wait for checking in. The rows were different for male and female. I had to show my passport and my handcarry bag. Sadly I had to throw chips and toffees I had in my bag.

I will not talk about the history or architecture or artistic style of the building of Taj Mahal—as readers are more than wise to find out the accurate ones by utilising search tools in internet. All I know that Taj Mahal represents the excellent and unique of Muslim art in India and is one of the masterpieces of the world's heritage.

Being amazed and stuned, now I was there at Taj Mahal and like everyone I felt so magnificent and started taking pictures. I saw it for some times and walked toward the building. Feeling so blessed that finally I got chance to visit this masterpiece. We spent almost 4 hours over there and enjoyed the view of Yamuna river too which is situated at the back of Taj Mahal. We also entered the mesjid by the side of Taj Mahal.

Being in Agra for 4 days, we also visited Agra Fort (Red Fort), Itmad-ud-daulah (Baby Taj), Akbar’s Tomb and ofcourse some bazaars. Before leaving Agra, both sisters-in-law decided that they had to visit Taj Mahal one more time while my mother-in-law, my husband and I decided to roam around the outside area of Taj Mahal by wheel horse cart and also to purchase some item made by marbles and famous sweets of Agra—Petha.

Four hours were not enough but one day I will visit Taj Mahal again.

Online Registration for Foreigners in India

General Instructions for Registration
 

Introduction All foreigners (including foreigners of Indian origin) visiting India on long term (more than 180 days) Student Visa, Medical Visa, Research Visa and Employment Visa are required to get themselves registered with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO)/ Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) concerned having jurisdiction over the place where the foreigner intends to stay, within 14 days of arrival. However, Pakistan nationals are required to register within 24 hours of their arrival. All Afghan nationals are required to register with the FRRO/FRO concerned within 14 days of arrival except those Afghan nationals who enter India on a visa valid for 30 days or less provided the Afghan national concerned gives his/her local address in India to the Indian Mission/FRRO/FRO. The Afghan nationals who are issued visas with 'Exemption from police reporting' are exempt from Police reporting as well as Exit permission provided they leave within the Visa validity period. Foreigners other than those mentioned above will not be required to get themselves registered, even if they have entered India on a long term visa provided their continuous stay in India does not exceed 180 days. If the intention of the foreigner is to stay in India for more than 180 days, he/she should get himself/herself registered well before the expiry of 180 days from the date of arrival with the FRRO/FRO concerned. Foreigners (including minors above 12 years of age) have to report in person or through an authorized representative to the appropriate Registration Officer for registration. Registration is also required in the case of visa less than 180 days and if there is special endorsement "for registration required". However foreigners entering on Entry(X) and Business visas valid for more than 180 days are required to register with the FRRO, FRO if they continuously intend to stay for more than 6 months i.e. more than 180 days on each visit. (But exempting visa bearing endorsement as "Stay not to exceed 180days hence no registration required." Apart from the above, foreigners entering on Journalist and any other category of visa which is valid for more than 180 days and do not have a special endorsement of "Each stay 180 days hence no registration required?; are required to register with the concerned F.R.R.O.'s, F.R.O.s within 180 days of their arrival. Foreigners (including minors above 12 years of age) have to report in person or through an authorized representative to the appropriate Registration Officer for registration. Ordinarily, the registration process is completed on the same day, but it may vary in those cases where field enquiry/other checks are required to be done by the registration officer. The above guidelines are valid for all cases except those where visa has special endorsement regarding registration. 

BAGAIMANA CARA MEMPEROLEH KEMBALI KEWARGANEGARAAN INDONESIA YANG HILANG?

Warga Negara Indonesia yang kehilangan kewarganegaraannya dapat memperoleh kembali Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia dengan mengajukan permohonan secara tertulis dalam bahasa Indonesia kepada Presiden melalui Menteri atau Perwakilan Republik Indonesia yang wilayah kerjanya meliputi tempat tinggal pemohon dengan melampirkan beberapa dokumen antara lain :

1. Fotokopi kutipan akte kelahiran atau surat lain yang membuktikan tentang kelahiran pemohon yang disahkan oleh Pejabat atau Perwakilan Republik Indonesia;
2. Fotokopi paspor Republik Indonesia, surat yang bersifat paspor, atau surat lain yang dapat membuktikan bahwa pemohon pernah menjadi Warga Negara Indonesia yang disahkan oleh Pejabat atau Perwakilan Republik Indonesia;
3. Fotokopi kutipan akte perkawinan/buku nikah, kutipan akte perceraian/surat talak/ perceraian, atau kutipan akte kematian isteri/suami pemohon yang disahkan oleh Pejabat atau Perwakilan Republik Indonesia bagi pemohon yang telah kawin atau cerai;
4. Fotokopi kutipan akte kelahiran anak pemohon yang belum berusia 18 (delapan belas) tahun dan belum kawin yang disahkan oleh Pejabat atau Perwakilan Republik Indonesia bagi yang mempunyai anak;
5. Pernyataan tertulis bahwa pemohon setia kepada Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, Pancasila, Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945 dan akan membelanya dengan sungguh-sungguh serta akan menjalankan kewajiban yang dibebankan negara sebagai Warga Negara Indonesia dengan tulus dan ikhlas;
6. Daftar riwayat hidup pemohon; dan
7. Pas foto pemohon terbaru berwarna ukuran 4X6 sebanyak 6 (enam) lembar.

(Penyebab hilangnya kewarganegaraan Indonesia berdasarkan Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia Nomor 2 tahun 2007tentang Tata cara Memperoleh, Kehilangan, Pembatalan,dan Memperoleh Kembali Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia)

Terakhir Diperbaharui ( Rabu, 26 Mei 2010 )

Sumber:  http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=56

APA YANG MENYEBABKAN WNI KEHILANGAN KEWARGANEGARAANNYA?

Setiap Warga Negara dapat dengan sendirinya mengalami kehilangan status kewarganegaraannya karena : Memperoleh kewarganegaraan lain atas kemauannya sendiri; Tidak menolak atau melepaskan kewarganegaraan lain, sedangkan yang bersangkutan mendapat kesempatan untuk itu; Masuk dalam dinas tentara asing tanpa izin Presiden; Secara sukarela masuk dalam dinas negara asing, yang jabatan dalam dinas semacam itu di Indonesia sesuai dengan ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan hanya dapat dijabat oleh Warga Negara Indonesia; Secara sukarela mengangkat sumpah atau menyatakan janji setia kepada negara asing atau bagian dari negara asing tersebut; Tidak diwajibkan tetapi turut serta dalam pemilihan sesuatu yang bersifat ketatanegaraan untuk suatu negara asing; Mempunyai paspor atau surat yang bersifat paspor dari negara asing atau surat yang dapat diartikan sebagai tanda kewarganegaraan yang masih berlaku dari negara lain atas namanya; atau Bertempat tinggal di luar wilayah negara Republik Indonesia selama 5 (lima) tahun terus menerus bukan dalam rangka dinas negara, tanpa alasan yang sah dan dengan sengaja tidak menyatakan keinginannya untuk tetap menjadi Warga Negara Indonesia sebelum jangka waktu 5 (lima) tahun itu berakhir, dan setiap S (lima) tahun berikutnya yang bersangkutan tidak mengajukan pernyataan ingin tetap menjadi Warga Negara Indonesia kepada Perwakilan Republik Indonesia yang wilayah kerjanya meliputi tempat tinggal yang bersangkutan padahal Perwakilan Republik Indonesia tersebut telah memberitahukan secara tertulis kepada yang bersangkutan, sepanjang yang bersangkutan tidak menjadi tanpa kewarganegaraan.  Warga Negara Indonesia dinyatakan hilang kewarganegaraannya oleh Presiden atas permohonannya sendiri apabila yang bersangkutan sudah berusia 18 (delapan belas) tahun atau sudah kawin, bertempat tinggal di luar negeri, dan dengan dinyatakan hilang Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia tidak menjadi tanpa kewarganegaraan. (Penyebab hilangnya kewarganegaraan Indonesia berdasarkan Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia Nomor 2 tahun 2007 tentang Tata cara Memperoleh, Kehilangan, Pembatalan,dan Memperoleh Kembali Kewarganegaraan Republik Indonesia)  Terakhir Diperbaharui ( Rabu, 26 Mei 2010 )   Sumber: http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=298&Itemid=56