Applying for an Indian Visa in the UK: Your Questions and Experiences

a_f_d

Ah, my deepest commiserations - you have certainly earned the right to be in Spain/Goa or where you happen to be.

AndyD 8-)#

Bombay_Bill

I think that's unfair.

In India they're much worse.

Only the elite gets to come to the UK.

Managing to get a visa is just an introduction to the wonderful world of Indian government servants.

Wait until you come into contact with them in India...

__________________
--


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.

loop83

Hi

Can someone advise if i take a visa application to the Glasgow office for them to send to Edinburgh for processing will they check the form to ensure all information is as required? I have had problems in the past going through to Edinburgh (as well as going to the Glasgow office last year for a surgery having them look at my form put me through to the final stage then tell me i couldnt get the visa until i gave more information which was a waste of a saturday!!!) and not getting business visa's in the past - the idea of going through again and being told i need to come back may send me over the edge!

Thanks - this forum is great i have got a lot of useful information

IndyBoy

I just received my shiny new ONE year tourist visa today! WAHEY!

I applied by post to Hayes office, posted on Thursday, received back on Tuesday. Very impressed with the speed of turnaround -now I've got to get my ass in gear and book a flight.

Thanks to all for help, espcially Haylo, asmithee and goochick.....

a_f_d

180 day limit?

AndyD 8-)#

Haylo

ALL Indian tourist visas are subject to a 180 day limit on any one trip.

Helpfully, all Indian tourist visas issued in the UK have this information clearly marked on them.

__________________
The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Mike Cork

My recently applied for 1 Year visa is clearly marked each visit not to exceed 180 days

__________________
Only you can make it a good day...

Haylo

Thanks Mike, that's what's on my one year visa too.

Come to that, it said exactly the same on last year's six month visa, I guess they wanted to be sure I didn't rush home from the application centre, phone my boss to resign from my job, pack some bags, dash off to the airport and fly India on the day it was issued, and stay for the entire 182 days...

bnun202

Hi, I am new on here but I'm finding all this information very valuable! I am travelling to India for the first time in July and I'm quite nervous as I am only 20 years old and I'm going with 2 girl friends!
I live quite far from the embassies so I think I will send in my visa form by post. However I am anxious as although I am going to India on the 26th of July, I am going to Bulgaria for a week on the 13th so I need my passport back in time! I've heard stories of passports only being sent back at the last minute and I'm concerned about this.

I know in Sasha's case it only took 5 days but has anyone had any different experience? Also I already have my holiday dates booked but should I pretend that I don't?
Your help and advice is much appreciated!

Mike Cork

The turnaround is quite quick at the moment, about a week. The sooner you apply the sooner it will be back.

You dont need to mention you've booked your holiday on the form. just enter those dates as your intended dates of travel.

bnun202

Bulgaria is the 13th of July so shall I put that I'm flying to India on the 13th of July instead of the 26th? Thanks for your help

Mike Cork

You will only need to put your India travel dates on the form, as you will need to give them some idea of your intended travel.

If you send off for your visa now, you should have no problems having it returned prior to your Bulgaria trip.

Just ensure that you have filled in the form correctly and if necessary supply any relevant documents that may be required.

You can also save money by providing your own SDE's.

Haylo

It's way off tourist season right now due to the unbearable heat, so the vast majority of people applying by post at this time of year will have their passport back within a week to ten days. Processing time for personal applications is 2-3 working days.

Do bear in mind that things occasionally do go wrong, so do take care over your application, and bear in mind that they tell you not to make arrangements until you have your visa.

Untrue, if they are sent back at the last minute, it's because either it was applied for too late or because the application took longer to process for some reason.

Your being about to travel won't have any impact at all on when they process the application, you won't find anyone at the HCI saying either "Lets leave this one for now, they aren't travelling until next month" or "Hey we'd better hurry up and do this one, they want to travel tomorrow"!

Applications that aren't put aside for more work to be done on them are processed and returned in the order they're received in - they only want your travel dates so they can check the visa won't expire before the end of your trip.

There's no need to pretend you haven't, they only say that so people realise they can't complain if they don't get a visa or it arrives too late, and so people don't try the old "But I just booked a holiday I need my visa today" routine.

bnun202

Thank you for your advice, I am going to fill out the forms today. I was just concerned as I was originally going to use an agency to do the visa application for me and they warned me that they might hold my application until the last minute and then charge me an express fee to get it back in time. I realise now they were probably just after some business!

With regard to fees, I know the visa is £30 plus £8 something to the VFS so do you write out a cheque for £38.something? Is there any other costs apart from the special delivery envelope that you provide?

a_f_d

read the vfs site - thoroughly!

AndyD 8-)#