Applying for an Indian Visa in the UK: Your Questions and Experiences |
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Jun 5th, 2008, 19:16
| #46 | |
| Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delhi
Posts: 24
| Quote:
No, you cannot go direct to the embassy, london changed back in May and today was the last day for Birmingham embassy excepting visas. You now have to go to the outsourcing office, Pemberton Rd, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham (near the embassy apparently) or the outsourcing office in London (don't know address) Drop off your documents (presumably it would be a similar set up as before, get a ticket, wait for number to be called etc) only this time you have to go back and collect a few days later, 4 I have been told. I guess the outsourcing office take them all down to embassy and they clear them and deliver them back. The embassy may still deal with emergency visas but this I am not sure. Check out the emabssy website and it gives info on the outsourcing, although it doesn't tell you how long it takes. I could be wrong and they may do it in same day but unlikely. Hope this is of some help and good luck! | |
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Jun 5th, 2008, 19:18
| #47 |
| Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England
Posts: 1,214
| So anyone tried this ? What has really changed ? Is it that instead of queuing at the CGI you queue at VFS ? or are there real fundemantal improvements in service ? |
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Jun 5th, 2008, 20:20
| #48 |
| This is just a cameo appearance  Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,252
| The fundamental improvement in service is that it cost more and takes longer --- the first is certain, the second is what they tell us to expect. |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 03:16
| #49 |
| Member  Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London
Posts: 16
| yeah no real improvements, although i will concede that this has only just been set up and so is bound to have problems. My main gripe though is the loss of atmosphere, I loved going to India House with its old fashioned teller windows and families milling about. The new service is as grey and inhuman as most major companies now, its more like visiting a bank or doctors waiting room than being the start of wonderful travel adventures. |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 03:51
| #50 |
| Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hurricane, UT, USA
Posts: 43
| So---does one now apply in country of residence rather than country of citizenship? I looked at the site, but if the answer is there, I missed it. |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 13:01
| #51 |
| This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,252
| The fact of outsourcing/privatisation will not have changed that; as far as anyone knows it is only the mechanics that have changed. I'm sure residence is good enough. It would be absurd, and impossible for many, to have to visit their mother country for the purpose. |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 15:30
| #52 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: goa
Posts: 210
| Has anyone got this long term visa. This new long term visa, has anyone got this yet??. If so, how long is it for?. How long did it take to get?. Thx |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 21:10
| #53 |
| Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Liverpool
Posts: 15
| my plans have been somewhat scuppered by this - I wasnt aware of this on the 28th when i paid £65 for postal orders made out to the HCI and spent £10 on special delivery postage to send down to london. i received my application back yesterday unopened with a note saying that the visas have now been outsourced - I'm flying on the 2nd of july so it's too risky to make a postal application, I'm now gonna have to drive down to birmingham and try and get it sorted out then. HOWEVER, the new website isnt working properly so it wont let me book an appointment to do this. I'm going to have to drive down there in the hope that they'll see me without an appointment, and i'm going to lose the £65 in postal orders that i cant cash and VFS will probably not accept. grrrr! ah well, guess it's all part of the experience... |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 22:02
| #54 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: goa
Posts: 210
| Please ask When you drive down, would you please ask, how long the new long term visa is for?. And can it be got in 48 hours. I cant contact the visa outsourcing office. Thx |
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Jun 6th, 2008, 22:31
| #55 |
| Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Liverpool
Posts: 15
| yes i forgot to mention that before - the number for vfs 0207 828 7369 is dead and the HCI number is next to useless (i refuse to pay 60p per minute to call them when I know they're going to be useless too). does anyone have a valid phone number for VFS? ta |
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Jun 7th, 2008, 14:35
| #56 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bdx,FR--Kanpur
Posts: 391
| I've sent my passport off for a visa in the London vfs, but I' ve done so via a visa agency, to avoid the stress myself (prefer paying 10 quid more). It's in process right now so i'll let you guys know how long it takes from putting it in the post, to getting it back. The same system started in France too but they had absolutely no idea how long it would take for non French passports and advised me to send it from France to London since I have a British passport. All gets pretty messy really, and costs more! rahhh |
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Jun 7th, 2008, 23:48
| #57 |
| Member  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: At present, body in London, spirit in Tamil Nadu.
Posts: 78
| I will be interested to see how this all pans out.... I booked my flights to (and back from) India a month back as the prices were going up daily. I sat very carefully (read anally) with my diary with dates - working back from wanting to leave India at the end of Pongol on 20th Jan. So I need my visa to START on 21st/22nd July before I fly out on 23rd. No problem. Go up to India house with the sparrows on Mon 21st morning, wait hoping it doesn't start to rain, put in application, panic mildly, pick up visa, go home, pack and get on plane. As I have done 5 times in the past years. Or so I thought - until I picked up the paper this morning and it's in the travel supplement. Applications outsourced. More time. More money. Phone numbers out of order. So I, for one, would be really grateful to hear anyone's experiences of how long the process takes - particularly once it calms down (I surpress a giggle!). I think, basically, I am going to end up having to change a flight somewhere as I cannot see how I can time it exactly right to get the visa starting on Monday 21st July. (There potentially goes another £75 - so much for saving money!) At least I found out now - otherwise, I'd be another one finding out days before I was due to fly. So, thank you in advance to anyone who can keep us all updated. I am in London next week so will try to go and ask for advice (probably easier than trying to call) and if i find anything out, I will pop it on here. PS Why can't you just specify when you want the visa to start? Or would that be just too easy! |
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Jun 7th, 2008, 23:58
| #58 |
| This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,252
| It's a great idea --- but I bet it would lead to people trying to travel before the start date! Having said that, don't some countries do this? |
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Jun 8th, 2008, 03:10
| #59 |
| Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: At present, body in London, spirit in Tamil Nadu.
Posts: 78
| Some do, yes... I may be wrong but I seem to recall Vietnam do. You have to specify the day you are going in and then only have a little, if any, leeway around this. It's great if you know exactly when you are travelling, not so great if you want to just wing it. (A question aside, Nick - though know not relevant here. How much is it to change onto an X visa in Chennai after getting married? Just thinking about plan z........) |
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Jun 8th, 2008, 03:35
| #60 |
| This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 38,252
| Have a look at the Immigration Bureau site. The fee will be the same as getting a new visa. If you were married already, it would be easier in London! |
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