Tourist Visa for non-UK residents

Twinkle

Hi guys,

I am living in London on a New Zealand passport and am back off to India in a few weeks. Haven't applied for an Indian visa from the UK before - and it seems I will need to complete an extra form and provide some additional evidence. None of which I can find much information about.

Has anyone done this before?

This is the form the HCINet website suggests I need but it seems to be just for Sri Lankans.
http://www.hcilondon.net/services/vi...m-srilanka.pdf

Does anyone know where I can find the form?

Also - what is the evidence I need? I have been living here for 10 months and am on a long term Uk work visa - will that be enough?

I don't want to line up and discover I need more info.

Thanks so much guys - I will be around this site a lot from now after decicing to give up the corporate rat race and move to India in 2008 :-)

Khandoma

Hi Twinkle,

All I know is some private companies can get the visa for you for a fee. Meaning they will provide you with the appropriate paperwork. And save you the trouble of queuing up at 4 AM.
I suggest you give them a call / mail to find out exactly what paperwork you need.

Check out these for instance :

North 1 Visa Services - very clear info page.
Corporate visa services
The Visa Company

Merry Christmas and congratulations on your moving to India !

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Khandoma
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Anders

My experience as a Swedish national but UK resident since July was:
I dropped of the passport and visa application to a travel agent in southall (a1travelservices). At the time they said that I would need evidence of residence in the UK or it was 50-50 if I would get the visa. I went to the car and looked for something with my address on but could not find anything. Came back to the travel agent and they had looked in the passport and noticed that I had a few old Indian visas and said I probably get it anyway since I had been there before. One week later got a phone call telling me my visa had been denied since I had not provided proof of residence in the UK. Sent them my council tax bill and the last statement from t-mobile I could find as proof of address and got the visa one week later. I did look for he extra form for nonresidents on HCI website but could not find it. I did not fill out the non resident from but it is possible that someone at the agency did. In your case I would apply for the visa as soon as possible. I am a citizen of a European country and don't need a document to live in the UK but I guess it is possible that your work visa would be enough to prove that your resident in the UK but bring something with your address just in case, if you pay council tax, take the bill with you.
/Anders -- apologies for any speeling errors, already started on the Christmas bottle of Mc Dowell's Nr 1

Nick-H

Check out the latest reports from people visiting HI London: there seems to be no need any longer to queue at 4.00am.

Sorry I can't help on the form, but you can get application forms from the Q-ticket window, and you will have ample time to fill it in while waiting for your turn.

Definitely take proof of residence in uk.

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Twinkle

Thanks guys - very helpful! I plan to get there tomorrow (27th) at about 8am and cross fingers its less busy over Christmas...will post anything I find out when I get back! (hopefully with Visa in hand!)

Thanks again :-)

Nick-H

Two days backlog... could be a little busy!

have fun

Twinkle

Ok- here is how things went this morning (27th Dec)

Got to the line at about 8am (hoping it would be less busy given it is the Christmas period)
About 150 people in front of me
The line started moving at about 8:10!
I had my Q card at 8:35am
The line was gone by 8:40 (the guys in the booth were looking around in surprise to see where everyone went!)
I was number 134 - it said my slot was 9:30 to 10am
I went for a coffee until about 9:30
My number was called at 10am (not bad!)

Being a non-UK resident and I had to pay an extra £10, fill in a form (which they had behind the desk). They will fax this form to the Indian High Commission in New Zealand (who check me out apparently, based on my last NZ address). I come back in 5 working days to the window outside to get my passport (no more queuing). They gave me an 0207 number to call to check its status if I wanted.

If I had lived here for 12 months or more they would waive the fee if I provided evidence of the fact.

When I left at 10:15 there was no line - but I overheard a guy who just got his Q card saying he had to wait until 11am - so not much delay.

I think going at 4am would be a crazy idea - you would queue for hours to save a handful of minutes.

I am so glad I didn't get out of bed at 3!
Easy stuff... :-)

Nick-H

Great