Visa Application process (from Australia)

I regard myself as a fairly intelligent person but I have never been so confused as when reading up about the visa application process.
I want a tourist visa for my trip to India in November/December this year. I am an Australian citizen holding only an Australian passport. Could someone please walk me through this like I was 5 years old because I'm confused and terrified of stuffing this up somehow!

Presumably you are applying in Australia.

You must apply through VFS. Sometimes the different application centres have different requirements, take a look at this page and say which office you would need to apply through, it depends which part of Australia you live in. Don't worry about the links on that page, they don't work.

When I know where you are, I'll then take a look and write you a simple "how to" Too busy today though, but don't worry if nobody else comes along meanwhile, you have plenty of time.

Riffraff, I share your pain.

If the set up in Melbourne is like that in Sydney, counter applications (in person) can be a drawn out process, slow and frustrating, crowded office and not enough seating. Mine was once weirdly speeded up due to an apparent resemblance to Geraldine Cox of Sunrise orphanage (Cambodia) fame. There'd been a documentary about her work on the TV not long before this ( on 60 Minutes? or similar program) and this was a couple of years after the tsunami. I was rushed through in no time! My flight was to Chennai, and I was actually asked if I was going to set up an orphanage!

But since that freak occasion the process has been very slow, to the point where I'm even considering the potential red-tape nightmare of postal lodgement.

One thing I hope someone on IM might be able to tell me is whether I need to also apply for a permit if I am visitng Jaisalmer. Not interested in straying far from town, not interested in going west of NH15, no camel safaris - that was decades ago. There was no need for a permit in those days for visiting Jaisalmer. But would I need the permit nowadays?

Thank you for responding Haylo.
Yes, I'm applying from Australia as an Australian. I will be applying from Melbourne.
I don't mind trekking in to the city to sort it all out so long as it's not a wasted trip! If I can do everything in one hit, I'll be happy.
Oh, Aloise, I can only wish I'll be speeded up through any part of the process! You've brought up another concern of mine - I've been made aware of the fact that you need separate visas for restricted areas of India.... how am I supposed to know what they are??
So excited, yet so frustrated!!
Tracy..

I did search, but the thread on Jaisalmer restriction is old.
Jaisalmer - restricted area??? visa problems


Surely it can't still be the same deal for Australians?

Okay let me give it a shot, I re-did my work one recently so guess process is the same.

1. checklist -checked i.e. ticked and signed
2. Form A http://www.vfs-in-au.net/visa.aspx
3. Places of visit and stay duration
4. Contact numbers for yourself in Aus and India (maybe put mobile on roaming and get another SIM here anyway)
5. Photo light- NOT WHITE background
6. Passport (min. 6 months validity and min. 2 blank pages)
7. Form H for restricted areas etc -see link above
8. Money!! I have always just had a Australia Post money order made out to 'VFS Services Australia Pty Ltd” only (hahaha note use of word only got that from vfs website too only )

Ensure this money order (think mine was $4 or something) is the total amount of the following and made payable to VFS as detailed above!!

$75 for 6 month tourist visa fee + $50 for restricted area fee + $18 for processing fee + $16.50 for return courier fee (or $8 if you go normal post) = money order for $159.50 courier returned or $151.50 regular post. (double check my addition though!)

VFS Services Australia Pty Ltd
PO Box 23057
Docklands VIC 3008

I wouldn't bother standing in line, express post in and courier out is much less hassle.

I express post them all my documents, and pay for courier service return, and norm have it back within around 6 working days. online tracking though is handy so make sure you jot your passport number down somewhere at home before you hand it over to them.


ummm hope this is of some help. It is a very confusing website. almost as confusing as phoning them

No permit is needed for visiting Jaisalmer, that is for definite.

Great, thanks for that info Haylo! AusE you really have done your research, just the sort of details people need, thank you for that.

Hi

I have read through the embassy info. Just wanted to check there's nothing new I should be aware of.

I had a six month visa from London, then a 6 month one from Nepal and then In Sri Lanka they only gave me a three month tourist visa. Now been in Oz for 9 months or so.

a) Any restrictions on a six month tourist visa, as I haven't been to my country of residence for some time now?

b) What time should I get to the queue if I go in person?

c) Is it in Docklands (I had heard there was a new office)

d) Seems 5 year visa not possible, but I see from website that there are many lucky European countries who can get 5 year visas at the moment!!! So jealous...

Thanks for your help

How soon in advance can I apply for a visa? I thought I read somewhere you can only apply 30 days in advance? Just wondering when to do it....
Thanks for your response AusE !!

Riffraff Mama. I also get very anxious about my tourist visa, each time I travel to India. I find that applying through my travel agent, Flight Centre, takes a lot of the worry away.You can also apply through them, even if you booked your ticket elsewhere. They give you the neccessary forms to fill in and lead you through the process and they have a reliable special courier that takes it to VFS and then Flight Centre calls you when it is ready to be collected. I live on the Gold Coast and it gets sent to Brisbane.

You can apply whenever you like, but remember, the 6 months start to count down from the date of issue!! So, leave it till about 3 weeks before your travel date, if you are staying only 2 months.

Also, you can't do it in one visit, even if you go to VFS office directly, because VFS has to send your paperwork to the Indian Embassy. It takes up to 15 working days to get back, but more usually around 10.

You don't need any special permits for Jaisalmer.

Thanks Shivani,
I thought of the travel agent option and I went and asked one whether they could do it and they said "yeah, sure. For an extra $50 on top of the costs!" and I thought that was just a little extravagant lol.

Hi there,

I usually book my Ticket through Jetset and also get them to do my Visa at an additional cost of Approx $20 - $30, Absolutely no
Hassle at all.


Rgds

vandy

But Riffraff Mama that would include the courier fee both ways. Flightcentre charge less. It's your choice...

Wow, amazing, I just did my visa application at the counter in Sydney's Clarence street office. There were three of us, never ever seen the place so deserted! Yeah, and no worries about a rejected postal application being returned and having to start the process all over again.

Although, even though the place was deserted it was still a 45 minute wait.

Oh well, can't have everything going smoothly, now can we.....