Indian Visa

RTodor

I have just encountered my first clash with Indian beurocracy! They say I need a letter-invitation from an Indian citizen in order to get a 6-month visa! Apparently they weren't able to digest the idea that anyone could want to linger around their country for 6 months!
Mind you, I am a serious looking middle-aged woman... don't want to think what their reaction would have been if I were younger - they would probably have denied me any access to India under the suspicion that I'd smoke grass and the like...
Have you had such experiences and how have you dealt with them?

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rossy

Alan D

RTodor

No never! To get a 6 month tourist visa here in the UK there are no such problems. You just apply in person at the Indian High Commission in London, fill in the forms, return them to the desk and call back a couple of hours later to pick up the visa.

The whole process can also be completed by post but this takes a week or two.

I've never heard of this happening to anyone in the UK.

Are you applying in your home country - Bulgaria? The rules and regulations might be different there.

You could try another European country which issues a lot of Indian visas without this kind of procedure - say, Germany or Holland or perhaps an Indian member on this forum could supply you with a letter.

cyberhippie

Hi Rossy
What a bummer for you after waiting all this time!! Well the good news is that the rules are in your favour!! There is according to the Consular visas and passport division no requirment for a letter of introduction.
You only need a passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of intended departure from India should accompany visa applications.
The applicant is required to produce/submit documents in proof of his financial standing.

However the site then goes on into a grey area with
"A tourist visa is given for 6 months normally, rest specifically depends on the country of residence."
Bad english and very grey!!

Could you get a letter from someone you know? How about Archits, or Vinayverna on the TT. This is simply red tape I don't imagine that these situations are checked up on once you actually arrive in India.
There must be some kind soul who inhabits either this forum or the TT who would do you this kindness!!??????

If not PM me and I'll see if I can drum up some support for you in India.

I suggest this, as putting up a fight with the consulate is probably not a good idea, they have all the aces and the upshot could mean that you don't get to go at all. So tread carefully even though it is fraustrating.

You have'nt said how much they are offering, 3 months I guess maybe that is plan B.
Take what they offer and get a renewal in Nepal, drastic plan I know but you may end up with no choice. I take it you are due to leave pretty soon.

Here is the link for the official site from the Indian goverment!! you could try gently quoting from it!!
Best of luck to you Rossy and PM me if you need any more help!!!

http://passport.nic.in/visrules.htm

RTodor

well, it looks like we are treated differently - I am sorry I am still mad!
I am applying here in Bulgaria and I do wonder why anyone should have to submit such a letter to get a tourist visa in case one simply wants to travel around the country ...I still can't overcome this experience ...
I don't believe I can apply for Indian visa somewhere abroad - I don't think this is possible....at least financialwise . Unfortunately I don't know any Indian citizen so I can't avail of this suggestion. I should have known better and used this forum more actively instead of only spying and reading the messages LOL
Hopefully skies will soon clear - I'll have to make a lot of thinking and see how I can solve this problem.
Anyway, thank you for the answer.

RTodor

Cyberhippie,
you are right - I was going to argue with them but then I thought better - they could have denied the visa at all - the Indian official who handled my application looked as stuborn as a...... and wouldn't accept my arguments! The only thing he was muttering all the time was"Give me a letter-invitation and you get your visa."
I dare not ask for a shorter visa as they already know my ittinerary - I made such a show LOL
Now that you, too, have suggested that I will prey/pray LOL and hope that someone of the Indian members here will be willing to do me this great favour....
I really don't want to bother the members of this board but in this case I feel so helpless

Samsara

In Australia, to get an Indian tourist visa, we have to submit the addresses on the application of two people known to us in India (Indian citizens) and two people known to us in Australia (Australian citizens). I thought that was a bit odd.

steven_ber

You cald try booking a hotel in Delhi over the net on condition they supply you with a letter of invitation, it might work.

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cyberhippie

Rossy the call has gone out and by hook or by crook you shall go to the ball!!
I've really got the bit betwen my teeth here as one, I know how much this trip means to you and two, I'm a stroppy Jock who just hates petty beaureacrats.
I feel sure someone will pull through for you, it will be a sad day if you don't receive some help from our many Indian posters!!
But if no one pulls through I still have a few contacts who may be able to help.
One question though how much time do we have to organise this are you leaving soon!!!
Relax Rossy we the empowered traveling community are on the case!!!!

Alan D

According to the visa rules on the site posted by cyberhippie it could be even more difficult applying for a 6 month visa in a country other than Bulgaria. A letter of invitation from an Indian citizen seems to be the only way around this.

RTodor

Samsara,
our application form has got the same requirement - 2 Indian citizens + 2 locals - probably to to quarantee that you are SANE - that's because you want to go to India! though when I first went to check in the embassy they told me that a hotel reservation would do - now they say they want this invitation!

Alan D

First a hotel reservation is enough and then it's not - strange!

Yes, we have the 2 Indians thing as well but we never fill it in and nobody says a word!

Whatever you do don't lose your cool with these people. Try going back to them and telling them how upset you are because you were really looking forward to visiting India etc etc and that you are really upset and disappointed, even a few tears might help. You're a woman - you must know how to do these things!

I've seen this work a few times with government officials!

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What a long strange trip it's been!

anonymous

I also agree that it's complete nonsense but I don't think your chances look so good. The consular officials have the authority to use their discretion when processing visa applications. The rules aren't on your side at all.

For whatever reason applicants from Bulgaria appear to be scrutinized more carefully than those from other countries. Theoretically everybody has to provide references but it's rare that this is enforced.

My advice is probably coming too late to help you much. It sounds like you already had a run-in with a consular official. That's bad. Steven Ber made a good point about using a hotel reference. One possibility, not exactly ethical, would be to simply get two names from internet hotel sites and just put them on the visa application. You could cover yourself a little bit by actually making reservations at the hotels. If questioned about the authenticity of the references, you could say that you've known the people in question for years. And if a letter of recommendation is needed? I leave that to your imagination.

This is risky of course. You won't go to jail but if you get caught the consequences will be that you'll never get a visa again. I wouldn't risk it myself. God forbid, I would never counsel anyone else to do so either. Should you be desperate enough to try it anyway, mail the application in. That way you won't have to confront the guy at the front desk and his awkward questions.

Here's something I do suggest. Perfectly ethical but more expensive. If you can afford it your problems are over. Fly to Nepal instead. Visas are granted automatically at the airport. All they care about is that you can pay the fee. Apply for an Indian visa in Kathmandu. If you don't have any Indian visas in your passport, you'll be given six months with no nonsense about references. There's only a problem if you're coming over from India with the obvious intention of renewing a recently expired visa.

RTodor

Alan D,
I am not the crying willow stuff LOL and I looked quite composed while arguing; one good thing: I smiled GENTLY while arguing ..so, I guess no bad feelings left in the embassy official.

Anonimous,
I submitted 3 hotel reservations but he said that they were for very short periods - they are really short: 1 for 3 days in Delhi with pick-up from the airport, 1 for Rishikesh for 3 days and 1 for Manali for another 3 days - I can't book hotels for all the places I want to go because I don't know the exact time of my arrival there.
The Nepal Plan sounds OK and that is what I'll do when I get to Sonauli ....but I wonder what the faces of the Bulgarian airport officials will look like when they see my empty passport pages...

anonymous

OK Rossy, good luck to you. After reading your last post I suddenly realized that you'll do just fine on your own.

citybell

How can Indian embassy officials expect a foreigner to know someone in india? It is really funny. You should have asked the official himself/her to provide a letter of invitation since he/she would have been an Indian.

Same problem happened me when I wanted to visit Romania.The Romanian embassy officials wanted an invitation letter from a Romanian duly authorised by a Notory!!!! How's that? seems Indian requirement is better that they stopped with just an invitation letter!!

Normally the embassies check if a tourist has confirmed return reservation, financial proof to support himself/herself.

I suppose that you should meet and explain situation to the higher authorities in the embassy.