India High Commission in England

Hi All.


We have paperwork that has to be attested by the High Commission of India. We will (a) Go to London or (b) go to Birmingham. Do we make an appointment or just turn up.

Any one been to the High Commission offices.

Things are starting to happen. Could be in Goa by Sep/Oct.

L8TR

Bill.

I have done this twice at the IHC in London in the past but a while ago (1997 and 2001).

Things may be different now and someone can confirm but my advice would be to get there early!

This is because as soon as they can see that there are enough people there to see them through to closing they shut the door. In other words if it closes for the day at 1 o'clock, be there before 11 'cos if it's busy you won't get in and you will be told to come back the next day.

As I said it may be different now, but I recall that the service once inside was excellent. I took my wife's passport and lots of ID info and they did hers for me there and then without her coming along.

rab

This is a complete pain in the backside to do. I had to do this late last year at the Birmingham consulate.

I telephoned beforehand and asked them exactly what was needed.

You need the miscealaneous services form ( http://www.cgibirmingham.org/MiscSrvcs.pdf ), 2 photographs, photocopies of everything and your passport.

The large queue at birmingham is usually for the visa services. The queue for passport and other consular services is a lot smaller and you will be seen quickly. On entry there is usually a memeber of staff standing there ahnding out tickets. Mention to him you need some documents attesting and he will give you the correct ticket. If the man is not there just get a ticket form the information desk.

I forgot to mention why it was a pain in the backside. I telephoned and asked them if I could bring a few power of attorneys etc to be attested (the people had already signed and dated them in front of a Notary Public) on behalf of my sister and her kids. I asked them what items I needed. I then proceeded to the Consulate General and when I got there they claimed I needed all sorts of other documents. Each time I went they added another document to the list. In the end I got very angry and took my sister with me. They eventually relented and took the documents. We then asked them if I could pick them up as my sister would be at work. Oh yes it was fine, but when I got there the girl was very stroppy and reluctant to hand the documents over to me. She wanted to look at my passport (as if that would prove I was related to those on the power of attorneys), luckily I had my passport with me and she eventually relented and gave me all the documents.

Couldn't you do this by mail? I have done it in the US by mail. Downloaded and filled up the Misc. Services form, Fedexed the document, passport and the requisite fee + return Fedex charges (using money order) to Houston and had it back within a week and a half.

we had to do this not long ago, its a pain in the butt!!!!
The London one closes at 12 noon and there is absolutely no leway on that, even if u have travelled a long way and are looking like a drowned rat and smile sweetly at the man on the door, he will not let u in!!!!!
It was like a meat market in there when we finally did get in byt travelling all the way there again the next day!!!
I didnt find it efficiaent at all!! long long queues, people sitting around on floors, u go to one desk and pay and show docs etc, then u have to leave your passport with them and come back in an hour or so to collect visa, which incidently were issues from a tiny hole in the wall and visas/passports seem to be being given to the first hand that reached the hole in the wall without checking if it was the right person!!! it was like a raffle
Do it by post if u have time!!!!

Having been in person to both London and Birmingham to process visas, I would say discomfort/stress levels are lower in Birmingham for sure. However, in both cases it depends what time of the year you go. Last October I arrived to queue at the CGI in Birmingham at about 7.30 am and was number 160 something (out of a possible 200 only who will get seen to!). Last week I phoned up the CGI/Birmingham in advance and was told it was very quiet and that there was no need to arrive early. I arrived at about 9.00 and there were only about 15-20 people ahead of me.

Another alternative is to use the visa service at indiavisa.co.uk. The downside is that they charge quite a hefty fee but this can be offset against any potential travelling charges to London or Birmingham.

Well guess what: Indian Bureaucracy strikes again.
We went to the HCI in Birmingham and stood in the queue. Why oh why do they have the reception queue right next to the entrance door? (We did ask the day before if we could get this paperwork done in Birmingham and we were told yes.) while all around us people were slitting their throats, pulling out their finger nails, gouging out their eyeballs, banging their heads against the wall etc etc, in fact any thing to combat the boredom, when we got to the little window, we explained what we wanted and the receptionst took all the paperwork away saying he had to ask one of his seniors for advice. When he came back he said, this could not be done here and we would have to go to HCI London. So we rang up HCI London and guess what, they said it should have been done in Birmingham. We are now awaiting a reply from HCI London.

I am going on the house roof now, and throw myself off.

L8TR Bill