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Because I look Indian and have a name like Sanjeev, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco gave me the mysterious “X” visa for persons of Indian origin — valid for five years with multiple entries allowed.

Only catch? If I want to stay for longer than 180 days at a time, I have to “register.”

Beware of simple-sounding words like “register.”

The following is a complete list of documents that I submitted today to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office in New Delhi:

• Three copies of the registration form, with photos attached.
• Copy of my passport
• Copy of my visa
• Signed letter from landlord (confirming my residency)
• Copy of landlord’s electricity bill (confirming landlord is a real person)
• Copy of landlord’s property taxes (not required, but further confirming above)
• Copy of my birth certificate (confirming parents’ names)
• Copy of my father’s birth certificate (building case for my Indian origins)
• Copy of my father’s old Indian passport (building case for my Indian origins)
• Copy of my father’s U.S. naturalization papers (explains why his Indian passport is old)
• Copy of my mother’s old Indian passport (building case for my Indian origins)
• Copy of my mother’s U.S. naturalization papers (explains why her Indian passport is old)

Thank goodness my parents were willing to dive into their file cabinet to rustle up the paperwork. And Mom, everyone I’ve shown your Indian passport photo to thinks it is absolutely beautiful.

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