The Indian Embassy in France

beesakopie

I have always had a good experience with the Indian Embassy in Paris - they are very small and overwhelmed with requests but manage to come up with what it takes. Patience, however is the key! Just some pointers :

A. Get there early. The embassy opens at 0930 Hrs and there is a HUGE queue by then. People usually start queing up by about 0800 Hrs.

B. They only distribute visa forms until 1030 Hrs. If you cannot manage to get a visa form (and it can be difficult because of the HUGE queue), you will have to come back another day. So it makes double sense to be there early.

C. Visa's by post is a viable method. Make sure that you send a SASE (self addressed Stamped Envelope)...Visa's by post take atleast 2 weeks...so do plan accordingly.

D. ActionVisas can take care of getting your visa done for you. However, I really wonder whats the "logique" behind getting your visa through a paid service because its still going to take you as long (if not longer) to do it. Besides this is not like a visa to Uzbekhistan or Papua New Guinea where you'd have to wait ages anyways...

E. You can only pay either in cash or personal cheque for your visa. If you are paying by cheque, please make sure that the Bank has authorised the particular cheque (they need to stamp it)...its easier if you simply pay cash. I think the going rate at the moment is 50 - 60 Euros for a 6 month multiple entry tourist visa. Sorry, no credit cards.

F. If you are a foreigner resident in France, they would like to see your "Carte de Sejour" also.

G. The "quartier Indien" in Paris is next to Gare du Nord. Yes, you can get Dosa's / Idli's there. DVD's, Spices, Restaurants...the place has it all.

H. In case you are an Indian citizen you will not need to get into the queue. You can thus arrive at about 0900 Hrs...and generally, will be served fairly quickly - because there are different windows for Indian citizens and French / other passport holders...


Websites:
1. The Indian Embassy Website : http://www.amb-inde.fr
2. The Indian Community in France : http://www.indeaparis.com
3. Action Visa's : http://action-visas.com

all-one-heart

I've been running the gauntlet for getting a visa for my next trip and the protocol has totally changed here in france!!!

With effect from February 2008, the Embassy of India in Paris, France accepts visa applications from general public only through its outsourcing partner VF Services (UK) Ltd. at its centres in Paris, Marseille and Lyon.

http://www.amb-inde.fr/visa-services2.asp

I am an american, the rather normal if anxious type, and also quite organised. I am also perfactly bi-lingual. I sent in what I thought was all the forms, passport, postal money order etc on May 13th, 2008. (Their web site was quite difficult for me to understand, in fact. And definately not synthetic.) Yesturday (june 12) I got the whole lot back with very criptic explainations about what I'd not done and not paid. After 9 unsuccessful trys at their number, I finally got hold of someone and I sent off everything five hours later by Chrno post.

As the delays for USA citizens are longer (and more expensive) I am now looking at the possiblility that they will not get it done on time! They are close to impossible to join on the phone, 0812.09.0009 and one has no contact with the person actually taking care of your visa request!
I've gotten no sleep for the last 48 hours, no reassurance, and I am totally freaked out! I'm supposed to be leaving for Chennai on june 28th. Tickets unrefundable.

A wonderful trip, planned for over a year, is turning into a nightmare!

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all-one-heart

Valini

Hi all for one,

I fully understand your problem: in fact I was facing a very similar one too, but I decided to go through a different channeL...

I'm a Birtish passport holder, but a permanant resident in france and have previously had four visas issued from the indian embassy in Paris, prior to the new outsourcing.
After consulting action-visa they advised me to send it to the UK. As a resident in france but a UK passport holder it's possible. In fact, because it's still new, they don't know the delay for foreign passports here in france, the french ones came back for my friends two weeks after applying. Nice and easy no problems.
I sent mine to the UK just as the same was introduced their too, but because it's a British passport in Britain it should go throguh ok.... fingers crossed!!!!!

I hope you get yours on time, do let us know how long it takes so that others can plan in time too. At least there aren't many "ponts" this month!

Benjamin_909

Is the delay just because your doing it by mail? Do you have any idea how long it takes if you go in person to the office in Paris

I will be in Paris for 10 days in December and hoping to get my Indian visa within that time frame, i will be completley screwed if i can not get it done within 10 days

Valini

Hi Benjamin,

No the delay isn't because of the post: that only adds a day or two with chronopost. But becaues the have outsourced just like in London. You can no longer just walk up to the Embassy and queue like before. As I saud before, my friends (french passport) sent there's off and it came back within 2 weeks. The lady at the agency couldn't guarentee my passport return time because it's not afrnech passport. Perhpas you hsould contact an agency to see if they have a delay time for US passports? They might have a better idea now.

all-one-heart

Gee, Benjamin, I'd say that ten days was no where near enough. I still haven't been given more than very vague infos, and I spend hours to get them on the phone every day.!

They say in general to count a week for a french passeport plus six more days for others.
(I suppose it is only WEEK days they're counting!)

I'm supposed to be leaving the 28th and it is a night mare. This morning (Tuesday) they hadn't even registered my demand yet and it arrived in their office (for the second time since 14 may) Monday at 11h30am! chronoposte.

I've gotten them on the phone and told them my probleme, sweetly, no point in raging? They say they will check and call back in the afternoon. I've been getting this answer for the last two days, no call back yet...

They only have people answering the phone between 9:00am and 3pm. The best time tyo try is between 9am and 1pm. 0821090009

all-one-heart

Hi.
I just changed my air tickets this morning for a departure 5th of July, one week later. My original ticket contract with Air France permitted the switch - after I paid out 100 euros...

You see, I finally got hold of someone in the Visa Service office that helped me estimate how long it might take.
MAYBE, he said it just might be possible that it could get done in 5 days, but not sure, up to ten days is normal.
1.)I may not get my 5 year tourist visa
2.)there will be no refund (I'd be out at least 100 euros)
3.)since all my papers were OK I am SURE to get a visa...
4.)even considering I am a non-French national, with a "carte de résident "

Valini

all one heart..... I think you'll be on the same flight as me! heheh small world!

all-one-heart

Hey, that's amazing! We're part of the great Indiamike world!
You leave on the AF flight Paris to Chennai at 10:30 july 5th? I think I'm in the right side center group of chairs on the aisle, row 34. Something like that.

If I ever get that visa!

Valini

ahahah alas no!
I'm on the AF Paris to Delhi! on the same date though! And I know i'm right at the back on the right but nevermind!
..and yes, all depending on the visa issues!

all-one-heart

Hi.
Things are going even worse.
VSF Paris just told me today that it looks like it's going to take even LONGER!
They say that they have no way to hurry up the Embassy...

Here's a number that they finally gave me to contact their people more directly (Paris).
01.78.94.98.41
01.78.94.98.42

However, I've never gotten hold of them on those lines either.

Count Zero

Hi everyone,

I just got back from the VSF office in Paris and of course my passport was not there. Apparently when they told me that it would be ready Wednesday or Thursday, it was the earliest imaginable time. The clerk told me that 8-10 days was a more probable processing time, since I handed in my application the 17th it should ready 25-27th giving me a margin of a few days before i leave on the 31st. All in all I was annoyed but felt safe enough, until I typed "visa Paris" in the search field and found this thread - Dread .

Please tell that it is not quite as bad for (non-French) EU-nationals.

Cheers

The Count

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Indiamax

Good links Beesakopie but the direct link to the visa article on indeaparis.com is Visa to India

Hope this help