Birmingham (UK) Consulate changes

ColinT · Oct 21st, 2007, 00:49

That "spurt" they mention is 500-550 a day. Is India really becoming that popular a destination? Seems like an unbelievable increase, but then again it may well be true given what they say about not accepting postal applications due to the postal strike. Or does that figure account for all applications (regardless of the post issue)? If so, that seems like a massive increase in visa applications.

ColinT · Oct 21st, 2007, 00:56

Quote:

During the peak tourist season in India, queues outside the High Commission are a normal phenomenon given the number of people applying and the limited capacity of our visa halls. Therefore, the queues at present are neither new nor should be considered out of the ordinary.

How can they say this. Quite clearly, according to many reports on IM and elsewhere, the queues are out of the ordinary.

Nick-H · Oct 21st, 2007, 01:31

It's a management technique, Colin... the polite word for it is spin.

They've got consultants.

Personally, I'd rather have cockroaches!

MrsT · Oct 24th, 2007, 04:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

It's a management technique, Colin... the polite word for it is spin.

They've got consultants.

Personally, I'd rather have cockroaches!

All Night Queues for Visa's

The Queues are for everybody whether Indians wanting to go back home, business or holidays.

http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/index.php

Nick-H · Oct 24th, 2007, 04:33

The full article can be found on the Birmingham Post site --> here.

Whilst the coverage of the situation is probably accurate, the reporter rather lets himself down with this inaccuracy:

Quote:

The 64-year-old, who lives in Handsworth Wood, faced a narrow window of opportunity as the visas are now only valid from date of issue, rather than date of departure.

Woops!

ColinT · Oct 27th, 2007, 19:25

Any updates about what is happening at Brum? Anyone been there last week. Is same day visa possible. Due to fly on Nov 9.

patti123 · Oct 27th, 2007, 20:56

The London one is now taking postal applications again from 5th Nov .have a look on the Birmingham consulate .

patti123 · Oct 27th, 2007, 20:58

http://www.hcilondon.net/visa/restor...-visa-app.html

SueJ put this on .

ColinT · Oct 27th, 2007, 21:55

Yes, I've seen the London threads and there is nothing new on the Birmingham website. That is why I am posting here. So if anyone has an update of the situation in Brum I'd be very grateful.

shere · Oct 28th, 2007, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColinT

Yes, I've seen the London threads and there is nothing new on the Birmingham website. That is why I am posting here. So if anyone has an update of the situation in Brum I'd be very grateful.

There has been coverage on BBC Midlands News. The CGI issued a statement that they would be taking on more staff to cope with the large queues (believe it when I see it).

patti123 · Oct 28th, 2007, 21:02

ColinT Maybe you should try to call them and ask if they have the postal visa service back.

ColinT · Oct 28th, 2007, 21:22

That's too late for me now patti. I'm taking a coach to Brum this week, arriving in the city centre at 2.40am. Surely I can be one of the first in line and get the visa on the same day!

patti123 · Oct 29th, 2007, 13:45

ColinT. Nightmare for you but i would think you would get your visa.Take your flight ticket or a photo copy of it. I dont envy anyone sitting on that pavement half the night. Lets us know how you get on .

ColinT · Nov 6th, 2007, 03:58

Well, I finally went to Brum today. Arrived at 4am to queue outside. At that time I was about 23rd. The person at the front had got there at 9 pm, the evening before. The consulate opened at about 9 am, and we were given tickets as we filed in. At about 9.15 an announcement said that all tickets for the day's quota had been given out and people without one would have to return on another day (unless they were travelling within the next 48 hours). I was seen at 9.27 and returned at 3, with over a couple of hundred other people to get the visa, which I obtained. I pitied those at the back of the collection queue as it was taking ages for them to hand back the passports with the visas. A lot of queue-jumpers had their own remedy for this.

By about 6.30 am, there was about 200 in the queue to get into the consulate.
I'm estimating that anyone who arrived after 7.00 am was borderline in terms of whether they would miss out on the day's quota and have to return on another day (not all were there for visas; a minority was there for passports).

On the plus side, they gave out about 190 tickets for the day. I've been to this consulate well over ten times before and had usually arrived at about 9.45 and had always got my visa on the same day. Even back then, the numbers attending were huge. But, for some reason, today (and it seems every day now) the numbers are larger.

No way I'm ever doing that again. It is OK if you live in or near Brum, but I don't. Freezing my wotsits off at 4am on a depressing November morning. I spent 12 hours queueing and waiting and then queueing again.

Strange thing is, after going through that hell, I might not even take the flight to India on the 9th (this friday)!!

patti123 · Nov 6th, 2007, 13:40

ColinT. At least you got it, but what a nightmare just to get a holiday visa !
After all you have done to get a visa ,you should go to India now, you know when you get there you will be glad you did .
Thanks for putting on here how you got on.

Oct 21st, 2007, 01:31	#33
Nick-H Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 22,869	It's a management technique, Colin... the polite word for it is spin. They've got consultants. Personally, I'd rather have cockroaches! __________________ . IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

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Oct 21st, 2007, 00:49	#31
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	That "spurt" they mention is 500-550 a day. Is India really becoming that popular a destination? Seems like an unbelievable increase, but then again it may well be true given what they say about not accepting postal applications due to the postal strike. Or does that figure account for all applications (regardless of the post issue)? If so, that seems like a massive increase in visa applications.

Oct 27th, 2007, 19:25	#36
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	Any updates about what is happening at Brum? Anyone been there last week. Is same day visa possible. Due to fly on Nov 9.

Oct 27th, 2007, 20:56	#37
patti123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 337	The London one is now taking postal applications again from 5th Nov .have a look on the Birmingham consulate .

Oct 27th, 2007, 20:58	#38
patti123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 337	http://www.hcilondon.net/visa/restor...-visa-app.html SueJ put this on .

Oct 27th, 2007, 21:55	#39
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	Yes, I've seen the London threads and there is nothing new on the Birmingham website. That is why I am posting here. So if anyone has an update of the situation in Brum I'd be very grateful.

Oct 28th, 2007, 21:02	#41
patti123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 337	ColinT Maybe you should try to call them and ask if they have the postal visa service back.

Oct 28th, 2007, 21:22	#42
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	That's too late for me now patti. I'm taking a coach to Brum this week, arriving in the city centre at 2.40am. Surely I can be one of the first in line and get the visa on the same day!

Oct 29th, 2007, 13:45	#43
patti123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 337	ColinT. Nightmare for you but i would think you would get your visa.Take your flight ticket or a photo copy of it. I dont envy anyone sitting on that pavement half the night. Lets us know how you get on .

Nov 6th, 2007, 03:58	#44
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	Well, I finally went to Brum today. Arrived at 4am to queue outside. At that time I was about 23rd. The person at the front had got there at 9 pm, the evening before. The consulate opened at about 9 am, and we were given tickets as we filed in. At about 9.15 an announcement said that all tickets for the day's quota had been given out and people without one would have to return on another day (unless they were travelling within the next 48 hours). I was seen at 9.27 and returned at 3, with over a couple of hundred other people to get the visa, which I obtained. I pitied those at the back of the collection queue as it was taking ages for them to hand back the passports with the visas. A lot of queue-jumpers had their own remedy for this. By about 6.30 am, there was about 200 in the queue to get into the consulate. I'm estimating that anyone who arrived after 7.00 am was borderline in terms of whether they would miss out on the day's quota and have to return on another day (not all were there for visas; a minority was there for passports). On the plus side, they gave out about 190 tickets for the day. I've been to this consulate well over ten times before and had usually arrived at about 9.45 and had always got my visa on the same day. Even back then, the numbers attending were huge. But, for some reason, today (and it seems every day now) the numbers are larger. No way I'm ever doing that again. It is OK if you live in or near Brum, but I don't. Freezing my wotsits off at 4am on a depressing November morning. I spent 12 hours queueing and waiting and then queueing again. Strange thing is, after going through that hell, I might not even take the flight to India on the 9th (this friday)!!

Nov 6th, 2007, 13:40	#45
patti123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 337	ColinT. At least you got it, but what a nightmare just to get a holiday visa ! After all you have done to get a visa ,you should go to India now, you know when you get there you will be glad you did . Thanks for putting on here how you got on.

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