UK Tourist Visa

Hi all,

I would welcome any help in getting my tourist visa as I fear I'm running out of time to make my first trip. I have a small window for holiday and want to leave on 19th March!

I live and work in Bristol and really want to avoid a trip to London or Cardiff if at all possible but, well, I've found the Indian visa website the single most confusing thing of my life.

My understanding is that if I do the tourist visa online then although I would have paid it I still need to send the print the papers and send them to the Hayes address?

So do I just need to include in that envelope the printed visa application, the declaration, x2 photos, my passport and a receipt of payment? A friend tells me to sign the back of the photos and that when I pay I can also pay for special delivery for return of my passport.

Is all the above correct?

If so I have a few other questions:

- Where can I get some 2x2 photos from?

- When I was doing the online form I was asked for my spouse's name and details as a mandatory question in the family details section...but I am not married.

- I was also asked what countries I have visited in the last 10 years but I can't name them all (too little space). If I miss any off but have stamps in my passport will it matter?

- I was also asked to complete a "referers details" which is fine as I will visit a friend. But with the phone number it asks for it to be entered "in mission" or something like that. It means nothing to me.

Can anyone please help with these questions?

Many thanks in advance.
Pete

There could be some answers here, although that's about 280 pages.

I'm in the process of applying for mine, but I can help a bit. I got my 2x2 photos done at Happy Snaps (for the handsome price of £12.99!). Also, for the spouse bit, if you chose "Unmarried" in the drop down box just above that, it blanks out the spouse bit. I'll leave the rest to anyone else.

Hi Pete - the general advice in that 280 page long thread is that it's better to visit a centre than do it by post - quicker and you find out about any problems straight away. But lots of people post their stuff and get a visa back with no problem.

I can't see anything you have missed in the documents list as long as your job doesn't cause any problems - I had to go back with a letter from my employer as I work for a charity and being a journalist seems to add a few complications.

No idea what 'in mission' means but just put in a phone no: most people applying for tourist visas just put in the name and address of a hotel - whether they intend to stay there or not!

And I did exactly what you suggest re countries visited - I put in all the ones for which I had a stamp/visa in my passport and one or 2 other European ones for good measure.

Hope that helps and have a great trip.

And welcome to Indiamike

Jan

Hi, i was worried that i would get something wrong or my application would take to long (it doesnt get looked at for the 1st 10 days) when posted to vfs.
after looking around i found a company called rapid visa you send your application to them (they will help you if you have any questions on filling out the paper work) they check your application to make sure it's compleate & wont be sent back, & if your application is succesfull you will get your visa within 8 days of them recieving your paperwork (mine was done in 5 days) the total cost is the basic visa fee around £40 + a handling fee of £35 to rapid visas, i thought that was worth paying for my peace of mind & they dont even mind you calling them every day to check the progress

I would welcome any help in getting my tourist visa as I fear I'm running out of time to make my first trip. I have a small window for holiday and want to leave on 19th March!

I live and work in Bristol ...Go to London, Cardiff will forward it to London which will add 2 -3 days

My understanding is that if I do the tourist visa online then although I would have paid it I still need to send the print the papers and send them to the Hayes address? .....Correct unless you hand deliver

So do I just need to include in that envelope the printed visa application, the declaration, x2 photos, my passport and a receipt of payment? A friend tells me to sign the back of the photos and that when I pay I can also .......Pay for special delivery using your own SDE's from post office (Cheaper than DX) for return of your passport, unless you collect.


- Where can I get some 2x2 photos from? ...... Larger or well known Photo shops or print off your computer and photo printer if you have the settings. My HP325 printer does have 2x2 settings

- When I was doing the online form I was asked for my spouse's name and details as a mandatory question in the family details section...but I am not married..... Enter NA, also enter NA in other areas where information is not required

- I was also asked what countries I have visited in the last 10 years but I can't name them all (too little space). If I miss any off but have stamps in my passport will it matter? ...... Enter the stamped ones

- I was also asked to complete a "referers details" which is fine as I will visit a friend. But with the phone number it asks for it to be entered "in mission" or something like that. It means nothing to me...... Enter hotel in India


I hope this helps.......Mike

Pete, if you do decide to do the sensible thing and take the forms in person and you are driving, go to Hayes, it is very close to the M4 and avoids entering London proper. If going by train, then probably Victoria office.

You really dont have time left for post both ways......