London High Commission Ends Postal Visa Applications

santuario · Sep 23rd, 2007, 08:54

Literally, a couple of minutes ago, I got an email from a pal in London. He went to HCI Tuesday to get a visa for India. He saw a queue but didnt for one minute believe it could be the queue for the HCI. He walked about 150 yards and saw ehere it turned off into the entrance and asked someone how long they had been in the queue - and was told 4.30!! He didnt get a visa that day at all and when people eventually started being given out ticket and the queue began moving, loads of people from way back where he was in the queue just walked forwards and pushed passed everyone else - and there were a couple of scuffles between several people about queue jumping...but was given some kind of ticket where he got one on Wednesday - after a struggle to get in past everyone else who was waiting - thinking he was trying to jump the queue for a ticket! This doesn't look good !

Nick-H · Sep 23rd, 2007, 14:10

Most people who would have applied by post will now consider the private agent's fee too expensive.

This seems a really stupid change... but I guess some cost-cutting, or commercial tie-up may be involved

.

Can people applying in London and Birmingham please post and keep us informed of the current situation?

Anders · Sep 23rd, 2007, 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by santuario

I'm at present in Kochi and was wondering the other day, where to go to to get another visa (I aint ready to go home to the UK yet!) and visited 10 Indian Embassy websites from Singapore, Jakarta, Oman, Dubai, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, even Moscow, Bangladesh, Nepal etc...to find out what the fees and waiting times were!

I would not pay any attention to what any Indian embassy says on their website, the reality is usually very different from what they state on the website.

paul1234 · Sep 26th, 2007, 19:55

so can anyone recommend a fast and trustworthy travel agent to sort out this new piece of indian bureacracy thats come to our shores.. im in the dark depths of wales and its impossible to get to the HCI b4 midday on anyday... and i dont have a credit or debit card apart from my ICICI one which i know aint gonna work here (no funds in it anyway).. damn it, i knew it was a mistake to come back to the uk!

karuna · Sep 26th, 2007, 20:39

Croeso y IM, Paul. And Cymru am byth to boot.
Can you get to Birmingham or are way way off the train lines somewhere in deepest Ceredigion?

I tink, I tink I tink, that these people can help you:
www.indiarail.co.uk
but I've never used em myself. I seem to recall reading favourable reviews somewhere. Email the owner and ask about their visa service, I can't find anything immediate on the website.

CliveG · Sep 26th, 2007, 22:37

In the thread 'How do I get a Visa if I don't live anywhere near a consulate' Chazndave give a link to an agent in Doncaster who will apparently only charge £10 extra on top of the visa fee.

wandering_kat · Sep 27th, 2007, 00:05

I went on Monday this week; got there 9am and was very surprised at the queue (I hadn't heard about the change re postal applications)- it was pretty damn long - i think i waited about half an hour or 45mins to get in, but i did get my visa. After i got in, the queue got smaller; i think the last people to get in probably didn't even have to queue.
oh, and i bumped into Mr Ber!

blackbird · Sep 27th, 2007, 00:32

I arrived at London HCI at 9am on Monday and had my visa by 11.30.... So I'm really surprised to hear this story about last Tuesday... The woman didn't actually read my application when I handed it in, she just put it on the pile, asked for the cash, and gave me my receipt.... maybe that's how they're speeding it up.

I also met Steven Ber and Kat!

Nick-H · Sep 27th, 2007, 02:47

Look guys... next time you have a London HCI Meetup: Invite the rest of us, OK?

Two would be a coincidence... Three?

Although... one day, that line will be full of IndiaMike members! Maybe there'll even be a field on the application form to confirm membership

steven_ber · Sep 27th, 2007, 03:08

I arrived on Monday at 08:45, paid the £5 bribe and got in through the side door, had my visa by 09:00

, then met Kat and Blackbird.

steven_ber · Sep 27th, 2007, 03:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I arrived on Monday at 08:45, paid the £5 bribe and got in through the side door, had my visa by 09:00

I was only joking about the side door btw.

CliveG · Sep 27th, 2007, 05:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I was only joking about the side door btw.

I used the side door - the bribe was only £2.50.

Mickey S · Sep 27th, 2007, 05:21

There must be a very large element of luck involved at the moment, as last Thursday I managed to get my visa at the London HCI more quickly than I have ever done before. From entering the building to leaving with the visas was no more than 30 minutes (although I had arrived quite early in the morning and had queued outside for a couple of hours).

Nick-H · Sep 27th, 2007, 12:47

I used to know someone who worked there. Although he was in another section, he used to take my passport, form and cash one evening, and return it to me with the visa the next. VIP Treatment!

I have been in through the main door once, on different business... there is some rather nice architecture in there, although my memory of the details is now dim.

paul1234 · Sep 27th, 2007, 15:36

Just checked on the Edinburgh site and it seems any1 in scotland can still apply by post, thats a bit unfair! How come we dont have a consulate in wales, hmmph!

Sep 23rd, 2007, 14:10	#32
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	Most people who would have applied by post will now consider the private agent's fee too expensive. This seems a really stupid change... but I guess some cost-cutting, or commercial tie-up may be involved . Can people applying in London and Birmingham please post and keep us informed of the current situation? __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Sep 26th, 2007, 19:55	#34
paul1234 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: yes Posts: 7	hmm so can anyone recommend a fast and trustworthy travel agent to sort out this new piece of indian bureacracy thats come to our shores.. im in the dark depths of wales and its impossible to get to the HCI b4 midday on anyday... and i dont have a credit or debit card apart from my ICICI one which i know aint gonna work here (no funds in it anyway).. damn it, i knew it was a mistake to come back to the uk!

Sep 27th, 2007, 00:05	#37
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	I went on Monday this week; got there 9am and was very surprised at the queue (I hadn't heard about the change re postal applications)- it was pretty damn long - i think i waited about half an hour or 45mins to get in, but i did get my visa. After i got in, the queue got smaller; i think the last people to get in probably didn't even have to queue. oh, and i bumped into Mr Ber! __________________ *Sorry, but my karma just ran over your dogma*

Sep 27th, 2007, 03:08	#40
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,207	I arrived on Monday at 08:45, paid the £5 bribe and got in through the side door, had my visa by 09:00 , then met Kat and Blackbird. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Sep 23rd, 2007, 08:54	#31
santuario Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: UK Posts: 4	Literally, a couple of minutes ago, I got an email from a pal in London. He went to HCI Tuesday to get a visa for India. He saw a queue but didnt for one minute believe it could be the queue for the HCI. He walked about 150 yards and saw ehere it turned off into the entrance and asked someone how long they had been in the queue - and was told 4.30!! He didnt get a visa that day at all and when people eventually started being given out ticket and the queue began moving, loads of people from way back where he was in the queue just walked forwards and pushed passed everyone else - and there were a couple of scuffles between several people about queue jumping...but was given some kind of ticket where he got one on Wednesday - after a struggle to get in past everyone else who was waiting - thinking he was trying to jump the queue for a ticket! This doesn't look good !

Sep 26th, 2007, 20:39	#35
karuna The cat's mother Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 1,718	Croeso y IM, Paul. And Cymru am byth to boot. Can you get to Birmingham or are way way off the train lines somewhere in deepest Ceredigion? I tink, I tink I tink, that these people can help you: www.indiarail.co.uk but I've never used em myself. I seem to recall reading favourable reviews somewhere. Email the owner and ask about their visa service, I can't find anything immediate on the website.

Sep 26th, 2007, 22:37	#36
CliveG Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: PORTSMOUTH U.K. Posts: 678	In the thread 'How do I get a Visa if I don't live anywhere near a consulate' Chazndave give a link to an agent in Doncaster who will apparently only charge £10 extra on top of the visa fee.

Sep 27th, 2007, 00:32	#38
blackbird Jai Maa Tarini Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bristol, England Posts: 385	I arrived at London HCI at 9am on Monday and had my visa by 11.30.... So I'm really surprised to hear this story about last Tuesday... The woman didn't actually read my application when I handed it in, she just put it on the pile, asked for the cash, and gave me my receipt.... maybe that's how they're speeding it up. I also met Steven Ber and Kat!

Sep 27th, 2007, 02:47	#39
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	Look guys... next time you have a London HCI Meetup: Invite the rest of us, OK? Two would be a coincidence... Three? Although... one day, that line will be full of IndiaMike members! Maybe there'll even be a field on the application form to confirm membership

Sep 27th, 2007, 05:21	#43
Mickey S Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cymru Posts: 1,176	There must be a very large element of luck involved at the moment, as last Thursday I managed to get my visa at the London HCI more quickly than I have ever done before. From entering the building to leaving with the visas was no more than 30 minutes (although I had arrived quite early in the morning and had queued outside for a couple of hours).

Sep 27th, 2007, 12:47	#44
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,887	I used to know someone who worked there. Although he was in another section, he used to take my passport, form and cash one evening, and return it to me with the visa the next. VIP Treatment! I have been in through the main door once, on different business... there is some rather nice architecture in there, although my memory of the details is now dim.

Sep 27th, 2007, 15:36	#45
paul1234 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: yes Posts: 7	Just checked on the Edinburgh site and it seems any1 in scotland can still apply by post, thats a bit unfair! How come we dont have a consulate in wales, hmmph!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Bangladesh high commission in Kolkata	mahmud	Crossing the Border	1	Aug 23rd, 2006 23:47
India High Commission in England	gogoa	Goa	6	Jun 1st, 2006 18:51
High Commission London - postal applications	Flo	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	33	Mar 24th, 2006 20:46
UK, Indian Visa postal applications.	seventies'hippy	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	3	Oct 27th, 2004 13:24
Tourist Visa postal applications	marla	Indian Visa and Passport Questions	5	Oct 4th, 2004 15:30

User Name		Remember Me?
Password