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

babamarco

Downloaded my Visa application form and posted it with 2 passport pictures and a sae, received it back today with a nice visa sticker in it. one week turnaround is not bad at all, they also called me to say it was approved..Cheers VFS

Haylo

Called you to say it was approved? Thanks, that's a new development, I do like that idea.

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Re-Entry Permit from: UK & USA ~ MHA Tourist Visa FAQ ~ MHA Employent & Business Visa FAQ ~ MHA Student Visa FAQ ~ Two month rule ADVICE ~ Two month rule DISCUSSION .

johnny five

Your post #2143
My post #2144 (in response)
Thus providing some relief from the heat in that part of India?

the irish indian

Thats encouraging. Are we beginning to see an end to all the teething problems? I guess we can live in hope.

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"If you cry because the sun has gone out of you life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars" Rabindranath Tagore

babamarco

I was initially put off by the online application form as it requests references from people in India and also an Indian sponsor. After a few hours of head scratching i decided to put "NONE" in all fields relating to sponsorship and Indian referees.

It seems that the online application form serves every type of Indian visa application and for some visas these fields are mandatory, however i didn't encounter any problems applying for my 1 year tourist visa.

sash561

I'm sure they did.

Haylo

The "official" advice from one of our members who is a VFS manager USED to be to put NA (not applicable) in the Indian referee fields.

Many members have had visa applications approved who have entered NA in those fields, but after several tourist visa applications were rejected by the HCI on that basis, the advice is now to enter a hotel that you'll probably stay at in those fields. just to be on the safe side.

barn24

Hi,
There is a lot of very useful info. on here so thank you everyone for posting! I am a bit confused about obtaining a visa from an office in person. Do you get your visa on the day if you arrive early or does it still take 2-3 days, so you have to go back when it's ready?
Thanks

Haylo

It takes a minimum of 2-3 working days for the Indian High Commission to process a visa application.

If you hand delver it the application and collect your passports, you'll get it back in a minimum of 2-3 working days.

If you hand deliver the application and have your passports posted back to you, you'll get it back in a minimum of 3-4 working days.

If you post your application (which means you don't have the option of collecting your passport in person) it can take 12 working days including postage times, although this time of year things are pretty quiet and it's likely to be processed far quicker than that.

EDITED TO DO MY "STUCK RECORD" ACT:
You really do need to have a good look at the VFS site, your chances of getting a visa without carefully following the instructions on there are minimal. There are probably about 500 links to it on this thread, reading the last few pages on here won't be a bad idea either!

MRobb

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting on indiamike.com! I have a complicated concern.

I am a postgraduate student, applying to study Urdu with an educational institution in Lucknow. In the past, I have gotten one tourist visa, and two student visas to India (the two student visas were to participate in programs related to the one I am attending this summer). Because of circumstances out of my control, I could not submit my visa application until last Wednesday (27 May). Since I am an athlete, and had races every day last week, so was unable to travel to London in person, I had to post my application to VFS. I am certain that I included all the necessary documents in my application, and can't imagine a reason why I would be denied a visa. But to throw another wrench in the works, I am a US citizen studying in the UK, so am expecting my application to take an extra day or two because of my citizenship.

I am due to leave for Delhi from Heathrow on the evening of 12 June. Having submitted my application by post on 27 May (the website says that it has been in processing since 28 May), what do you think are my chances of having my visa in time? Is there any way to check up on the status of my application successfully, or try to hurry up the process? Should I try to contact them to let them know that I will pick up my passport in person, to save the time it would take to mail it? Thank you in advance for your help!

Haylo

You have a pretty good chance, because it is a slack time at the moment.

You can check the website to see when your application has been processed - but surely as you have already said that you've checked the website and it says the application is being processed, you already knew that?

No chance whatsoever. Applications are processed strictly in order of receipt.

Read the last two pages of this thread for detailed answer.

barn24

Thank you

barn24

Thanks for the advice Haylo, I appreciate the time spent. I have read pages upon pages and several other forums, some of which suggest it could be done in person without reference to the 2-3 days. I just wanted to check. I also e-mailed VSF to be double sure. So I am doing my homework!

barn24

Thanks for the advice Haylo, I appreciate the time spent. I have read pages upon pages and several other forums, some of which suggest it could be done in person without reference to the 2-3 days. I just wanted to check. I also e-mailed VSF to be double sure. So I am doing my homework!

nathal129

to update on getting my visa from previous posts.

went to england to get my visa, only to be told, its in the post. after arranging to collect it.

luckily the post had not left for that day yet, and they got it out of the post bag. i was flying out the next morning.