Agents for Visa's

Chinadolly · Oct 16th, 2007, 22:14

Hi all

Has anyone used a good agent recently that could be recomended.

Have heard that if you shop around there's soom that only charge 10.00. Don't know where to start looking.

SueJ · Oct 16th, 2007, 22:56

Don't know where you live, but if it's not too far from London, it's not worth using an agent. Download the form from the web, arrive at the High Commission by 8am, enjoy the chat with other people in the queue about where they are going. Then at 8.30 they start to let people in (worth being early in the queue, that's the shortest overall time), and if you're in the first couple of batches you have your visa by 9.30 or 10.00. I'll be doing that next week.....

ColinT · Oct 16th, 2007, 23:05

But aren't they limiting the number of visas given out to about 50 per day?

This is what I've just written in another thread relating to the situation in Birmingham.

"After having read about the consulate cutting down the number of visas it gives out in person, I've decided to use an agent listed on the consulate's site as I live a long way from Birmingham. I've sent my application to the agent and have just received a phone call telling me that the next date that the consulate will receive applications from them is 29 Oct and it will take 10 days for them to process the visa. I was told that people who are flying in December may even face difficulties in getting the visa in time. The embassy are only accepting 30 applications a day I was informed. I knew they were accepting about 50 in person, but it seems only 30 by post.

I'm in serious danger of losing £300 on my flight (no refund given for cancellation). Is anyone else experiencing difficulties. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks."

Nick-H · Oct 16th, 2007, 23:14

Sue... please check out the current situation carefuly.

It seems that the usual smooth and pleasant visa handling regime had collapsed in a heap, and that it now takes days, not hours, to get one's visa. It is a disgrace that the HCI has let this happen.

SueJ · Oct 16th, 2007, 23:16

Eek! Just been back to the High Commission website and there is new info that was not there on Friday. Thanks for the info....now I need to go sooner.

Mickey S · Oct 16th, 2007, 23:22

Here's what the site now says.

Quote:

The High Commission of India, London has been issuing Indian visas so far on the date of application. However, due to a substantial increase in demand for our visa services, the same-day service may no longer be possible. While every effort would be made to try and process visas on the same day, visa applicants are advised that henceforth, visas may take longer than one day to issue and should plan their itinerary accordingly.

Has there really been a "substantial" increase in demand? Or just a deterioration in service level?

Nick-H · Oct 17th, 2007, 00:08

Sounds like a fib to me.

They've got a marketing department, I guess. Truth unpalatable? Then lie, of course!

ColinT · Oct 17th, 2007, 14:54

Has anyone recently used the agency Indian Visa Office in London. According to their site, they charge £30(!!!) in addition to the 30 required by the High Commission. But if they can do the job then I'm willing to give them a try. Apparently they use a "fast track" service. What "fast" means though, I have no idea.

SueJ · Oct 17th, 2007, 18:55

OK, you guys fortunately set me in a panic last night and I went for my visa this morning. Here are things as they were today.

I arrived at 05.45 and was just at the top of the steps (anyone who has queued will know what that means!). Let in as normal by ticket number at 08.30, processed by 08.55, and left with my new visa at 09.30. So it really worked well for me, probably the earliest I have ever had my visa in hand.

BUT by 8am (when I would usually have expected to arrive and probably be at the top of the steps)the queue was well past Bush House. When I came out at 09.00 for a coffee they still seemed to be issuing tickets, but by the time I left at 09.30 the ticket office was closed, the queue was still past Bush House and it was pretty clear that none of those people were going to be processed quickly, if at all.

I learnt from some other people that they had been given queue tickets 12 days ago for today, because they were too late for 'on the day' processing. But I never found out how that process worked.

There were a number of 'couriers' in the queue. These are not official travel agents, just people who take the application, money and passport and effectively queue on your behalf. It appeared that the going rate for this service was rising by the day - one of the guys had arrived at 8am yesterday and spent the whole day queuing, finally getting visas for his people at 4pm, so he was clearly going to be charging more than he used to before the new system.

I guess my advice would be to make sure that if you are doing it yourself, you get in the queue as early as poss and certainly before the tubes start to run - it was still pretty quiet until about 6.15, but after that the queue grew really fast. And don't leave it until the last day or two in case you have problems.

The good news is that the queue is still one of the friendliest I have encountered anywhere, and the Crown Coffee Bar is open by 6am!

ColinT · Oct 17th, 2007, 19:07

Just wish I lived in London to get there early enough. No way I could travel from Liverpool to be there (or in Brum) for 5.45. I rely on public transport. At 5.45 what number were you in the queue.

SueJ · Oct 17th, 2007, 19:46

I was 35 & 36 for downstairs, and am guessing there were 50 upstairs first. It's always hard to tell as it's per passport not per person so you can get wrong-footed by someone who is doing several.

Oct 16th, 2007, 22:14	#1
Chinadolly Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: uk Posts: 153	Agents for Visa's Hi all Has anyone used a good agent recently that could be recomended. Have heard that if you shop around there's soom that only charge 10.00. Don't know where to start looking.

Oct 16th, 2007, 23:14	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,856	Sue... please check out the current situation carefuly. It seems that the usual smooth and pleasant visa handling regime had collapsed in a heap, and that it now takes days, not hours, to get one's visa. It is a disgrace that the HCI has let this happen. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Oct 17th, 2007, 18:55	#9
SueJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 127	Up to the minute info OK, you guys fortunately set me in a panic last night and I went for my visa this morning. Here are things as they were today. I arrived at 05.45 and was just at the top of the steps (anyone who has queued will know what that means!). Let in as normal by ticket number at 08.30, processed by 08.55, and left with my new visa at 09.30. So it really worked well for me, probably the earliest I have ever had my visa in hand. BUT by 8am (when I would usually have expected to arrive and probably be at the top of the steps)the queue was well past Bush House. When I came out at 09.00 for a coffee they still seemed to be issuing tickets, but by the time I left at 09.30 the ticket office was closed, the queue was still past Bush House and it was pretty clear that none of those people were going to be processed quickly, if at all. I learnt from some other people that they had been given queue tickets 12 days ago for today, because they were too late for 'on the day' processing. But I never found out how that process worked. There were a number of 'couriers' in the queue. These are not official travel agents, just people who take the application, money and passport and effectively queue on your behalf. It appeared that the going rate for this service was rising by the day - one of the guys had arrived at 8am yesterday and spent the whole day queuing, finally getting visas for his people at 4pm, so he was clearly going to be charging more than he used to before the new system. I guess my advice would be to make sure that if you are doing it yourself, you get in the queue as early as poss and certainly before the tubes start to run - it was still pretty quiet until about 6.15, but after that the queue grew really fast. And don't leave it until the last day or two in case you have problems. The good news is that the queue is still one of the friendliest I have encountered anywhere, and the Crown Coffee Bar is open by 6am!

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Oct 16th, 2007, 22:56	#2
SueJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 127	Don't know where you live, but if it's not too far from London, it's not worth using an agent. Download the form from the web, arrive at the High Commission by 8am, enjoy the chat with other people in the queue about where they are going. Then at 8.30 they start to let people in (worth being early in the queue, that's the shortest overall time), and if you're in the first couple of batches you have your visa by 9.30 or 10.00. I'll be doing that next week.....

Oct 16th, 2007, 23:05	#3
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	But aren't they limiting the number of visas given out to about 50 per day? This is what I've just written in another thread relating to the situation in Birmingham. "After having read about the consulate cutting down the number of visas it gives out in person, I've decided to use an agent listed on the consulate's site as I live a long way from Birmingham. I've sent my application to the agent and have just received a phone call telling me that the next date that the consulate will receive applications from them is 29 Oct and it will take 10 days for them to process the visa. I was told that people who are flying in December may even face difficulties in getting the visa in time. The embassy are only accepting 30 applications a day I was informed. I knew they were accepting about 50 in person, but it seems only 30 by post. I'm in serious danger of losing £300 on my flight (no refund given for cancellation). Is anyone else experiencing difficulties. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks."

Oct 16th, 2007, 23:16	#5
SueJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 127	Eek! Just been back to the High Commission website and there is new info that was not there on Friday. Thanks for the info....now I need to go sooner.

Oct 17th, 2007, 00:08	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,856	Sounds like a fib to me. They've got a marketing department, I guess. Truth unpalatable? Then lie, of course!

Oct 17th, 2007, 14:54	#8
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	Has anyone recently used the agency Indian Visa Office in London. According to their site, they charge £30(!!!) in addition to the 30 required by the High Commission. But if they can do the job then I'm willing to give them a try. Apparently they use a "fast track" service. What "fast" means though, I have no idea.

Oct 17th, 2007, 19:07	#10
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	Just wish I lived in London to get there early enough. No way I could travel from Liverpool to be there (or in Brum) for 5.45. I rely on public transport. At 5.45 what number were you in the queue.

Oct 17th, 2007, 19:46	#11
SueJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 127	I was 35 & 36 for downstairs, and am guessing there were 50 upstairs first. It's always hard to tell as it's per passport not per person so you can get wrong-footed by someone who is doing several.

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