London High Commission restarts postal apps 5 Nov, targets same day for in person app

SueJ · Oct 27th, 2007, 13:42

From the HCI website this morning, let's hope it fixes the probs:

The High Commission of India, London, has decided to restore receiving Indian visa applications through Royal Mail special delivery service w.e.f. November 05 2007.

Please allow minimum 10 working days for processing of postal applications excluding postal transit.

The general information for application by post is given below:

APPLICATION BY POST

No action will be taken on any communication received without the Sender's name & full postal address on the outside of the envelope. We accept no responsibility in case of loss/delay of documents.

1. Obtain latest visa application form and all other additional forms where applicable by downloading from our website or from Fax-Back No.: 0906 44 45 43 or from the High Commission of India by sending a stamped SAE.

2. All columns of the Application Form must be filled in Black Ink and BLOCK Letters

3. Processing of application forms will take a minimum of 10 working days and in some cases longer especially during September to February. Posting of application should be properly timed to ensure that visa would cover duration of stay in India, allowing time for processing and postal transit. Please note that the visa is valid from date of issue and not the date of travel. No refund or amendment will be made after the application is processed and visa is issued. Please check the latest visa fees and estimated processing time before posting your application form/passport/fee etc., to avoid delay or rejection of application due to submission of incorrect fee/documents.

4. Please send valid passport, correct visa fee, two recent passport size photos, a Special Delivery SAE with correct address and post code along with duly filled application form and additional forms / supporting documents where applicable. Send applications by Special Delivery only.

5. Please enclose correct visa fee by crossed Postal Order or Bank Draft only payable to The High Commission of India (no personal cheques or cash please). Under no circumstances, should cash be sent by post.

6. Applications, which are incomplete or not accompanied by correct fee/documents, will be returned without processing. The High Commission of India will not be responsible for any delay/loss caused as a consequence.

7. Applications should only be addressed to the First Secretary (Visa) of this High Commission to avoid delay.
Applications for Indian Visas can be made in one of the following ways:
1. Applying in person at the premises of the High Commission of India, London or the Consulates General of India, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

2. Applying by Royal Mail Special Delivery Postal Service.

3. Applying through authorised Travel Agents.
With regard to Applications in person, it is clarified that all applications are accepted at the Visa Counters in the High Commission of India, London on a first come first served basis from 0830-1200 hours every working day.

By 0900hrs, all applicants coming in person to the High Commission of India, London will be given a time-slot (usually the same day) for submitting and processing the application forms.

Our Objective is to provide same-day Visa service, provided the applicant reaches at the designated time-slot and the application/documentation is in order.

steven_ber · Oct 27th, 2007, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by SueJ

With regard to Applications in person, it is clarified that all applications are accepted at the Visa Counters in the High Commission of India, London on a first come first served basis from 0830-1200 hours every working day.

By 0900hrs, all applicants coming in person to the High Commission of India, London will be given a time-slot (usually the same day) for submitting and processing the application forms.

Our Objective is to provide same-day Visa service, provided the applicant reaches at the designated time-slot and the application/documentation is in order.

I wonder if the 09:00 deadline is for those who've received queue tickets by 09:00 or those who join the queue by 09:00.

MrsT · Oct 27th, 2007, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I wonder if the 09:00 deadline is for those who've received queue tickets by 09:00 or those who join the queue by 09:00.

Brilliant news.

KarmaPhuntsok · Oct 30th, 2007, 03:34

This is very encouraging.

the irish indian · Oct 30th, 2007, 05:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarmaPhuntsok

This is very encouraging.

bout bloody time....they really shot themselves in the foot by not accepting postal applications.......the whole thing is farcical!!!

Nick-H · Oct 30th, 2007, 16:49

Good news...

Will make this as sticky to make it easier for people to spot over the next few weeks.

rajpop · Oct 30th, 2007, 19:59

I went this morning started in the queue at around 7am... there were approx 400 people ahead of me...
i got given a q-card and was told to come back at 11

i got let in at 10.15...
and went straight to a counter (the number was on 290 something and mine was 590) got seen to straight away...
took a bit of a while for me to get my passport back but i was out by 12.15, and back at work.

they are now issuing more then 1500 q-cards
they are trying to see as many as they can per day

steven_ber · Oct 30th, 2007, 20:15

That's great news, thanks for posting.

(this thread may get merged with the other similar thread to keep all the latest info together.)

patti123 · Nov 1st, 2007, 14:29

rajpop, i am saying the same as steven_ber.Thanks for posting.If people who are going up to get their visas can post on here how they got on, it would help a lot of us who need to get our visas soon .

Aiexile · Nov 7th, 2007, 15:53

Hi,
Are there any up-dates on the situation re: Visa's and queues in London. I will have to brave it end of December sometime so any advance info will be welcome.
Thanks.

steven_ber · Nov 7th, 2007, 18:58

I arrived today at 06:30, was number 160 in the queue, I was out by 10:45 with my visa.

At 07:00 there were at least 300 in the queue, after that I couldn't see the end of the queue, by 10:05 (when I went outside) the queue had only a few people in it.

The High commision is closed this Friday (09th) for Divali.

ColinT · Nov 7th, 2007, 21:46

Seems much more efficient there than in Brum. On Monday, I joined the queue at 4 am, was seen to at 9.27... then I had to collect the visa at 3/4. A few years ago in Brum, you used to get your visa within an hour. Then it changed to 2 and now 3 pm. That wait till 3 is a killer, especially if you have travelled a long way in the first place... and if I had been in the queue at 7 am, I would have missed out and would have had to come back on another day to lodge my application. The London HC seems much more geared up for the job!

butterball · Nov 7th, 2007, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I arrived today at 06:30, was number 160 in the queue, I was out by 10:45 with my visa.

At 07:00 there were at least 300 in the queue, after that I couldn't see the end of the queue, by 10:05 (when I went outside) the queue had only a few people in it.

The High commision is closed this Friday (09th) for Divali.

What's with the huge queues?? I've always arrived around 7.45am and been around 20th?

Is this a postal strike thing - ie many more people going in person?

Nick-H · Nov 7th, 2007, 22:00

Errr...

It's a long story!

butterball · Nov 7th, 2007, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Errr...

It's a long story!

I expect nothing less!

Oct 27th, 2007, 13:42	#1
SueJ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 116	London High Commission restarts postal apps 5 Nov, targets same day for in person app From the HCI website this morning, let's hope it fixes the probs: The High Commission of India, London, has decided to restore receiving Indian visa applications through Royal Mail special delivery service w.e.f. November 05 2007. Please allow minimum 10 working days for processing of postal applications excluding postal transit. The general information for application by post is given below: APPLICATION BY POST No action will be taken on any communication received without the Sender's name & full postal address on the outside of the envelope. We accept no responsibility in case of loss/delay of documents. 1. Obtain latest visa application form and all other additional forms where applicable by downloading from our website or from Fax-Back No.: 0906 44 45 43 or from the High Commission of India by sending a stamped SAE. 2. All columns of the Application Form must be filled in Black Ink and BLOCK Letters 3. Processing of application forms will take a minimum of 10 working days and in some cases longer especially during September to February. Posting of application should be properly timed to ensure that visa would cover duration of stay in India, allowing time for processing and postal transit. Please note that the visa is valid from date of issue and not the date of travel. No refund or amendment will be made after the application is processed and visa is issued. Please check the latest visa fees and estimated processing time before posting your application form/passport/fee etc., to avoid delay or rejection of application due to submission of incorrect fee/documents. 4. Please send valid passport, correct visa fee, two recent passport size photos, a Special Delivery SAE with correct address and post code along with duly filled application form and additional forms / supporting documents where applicable. Send applications by Special Delivery only. 5. Please enclose correct visa fee by crossed Postal Order or Bank Draft only payable to The High Commission of India (no personal cheques or cash please). Under no circumstances, should cash be sent by post. 6. Applications, which are incomplete or not accompanied by correct fee/documents, will be returned without processing. The High Commission of India will not be responsible for any delay/loss caused as a consequence. 7. Applications should only be addressed to the First Secretary (Visa) of this High Commission to avoid delay. Applications for Indian Visas can be made in one of the following ways: 1. Applying in person at the premises of the High Commission of India, London or the Consulates General of India, Birmingham and Edinburgh. 2. Applying by Royal Mail Special Delivery Postal Service. 3. Applying through authorised Travel Agents. With regard to Applications in person, it is clarified that all applications are accepted at the Visa Counters in the High Commission of India, London on a first come first served basis from 0830-1200 hours every working day. By 0900hrs, all applicants coming in person to the High Commission of India, London will be given a time-slot (usually the same day) for submitting and processing the application forms. Our Objective is to provide same-day Visa service, provided the applicant reaches at the designated time-slot and the application/documentation is in order. Last edited by machadinha : Oct 30th, 2007 at 21:13. Reason: merged threads

Oct 30th, 2007, 16:49	#6
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 22,907	Good news... Will make this as sticky to make it easier for people to spot over the next few weeks. __________________ . IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

Oct 30th, 2007, 19:59	#7
rajpop Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London Posts: 13	Latest On London Queues I went this morning started in the queue at around 7am... there were approx 400 people ahead of me... i got given a q-card and was told to come back at 11 i got let in at 10.15... and went straight to a counter (the number was on 290 something and mine was 590) got seen to straight away... took a bit of a while for me to get my passport back but i was out by 12.15, and back at work. they are now issuing more then 1500 q-cards they are trying to see as many as they can per day Last edited by machadinha : Oct 30th, 2007 at 21:14. Reason: merged threads

Nov 7th, 2007, 15:53	#10
Aiexile Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: UK Posts: 20	Indian High Commission / Visa Hi, Are there any up-dates on the situation re: Visa's and queues in London. I will have to brave it end of December sometime so any advance info will be welcome. Thanks.

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Oct 30th, 2007, 03:34	#4
KarmaPhuntsok Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 22	This is very encouraging.

Oct 30th, 2007, 20:15	#8
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,433	That's great news, thanks for posting. (this thread may get merged with the other similar thread to keep all the latest info together.)

Nov 1st, 2007, 14:29	#9
patti123 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 337	rajpop, i am saying the same as steven_ber.Thanks for posting.If people who are going up to get their visas can post on here how they got on, it would help a lot of us who need to get our visas soon .

Nov 7th, 2007, 18:58	#11
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,433	I arrived today at 06:30, was number 160 in the queue, I was out by 10:45 with my visa. At 07:00 there were at least 300 in the queue, after that I couldn't see the end of the queue, by 10:05 (when I went outside) the queue had only a few people in it. The High commision is closed this Friday (09th) for Divali.

Nov 7th, 2007, 21:46	#12
ColinT Future Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 335	Seems much more efficient there than in Brum. On Monday, I joined the queue at 4 am, was seen to at 9.27... then I had to collect the visa at 3/4. A few years ago in Brum, you used to get your visa within an hour. Then it changed to 2 and now 3 pm. That wait till 3 is a killer, especially if you have travelled a long way in the first place... and if I had been in the queue at 7 am, I would have missed out and would have had to come back on another day to lodge my application. The London HC seems much more geared up for the job!

Nov 7th, 2007, 22:00	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 22,907	Errr... It's a long story!

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