Visa Application process (from Australia)

Shivani Skydancer · Sep 28th, 2009, 15:29

Great! Thanks so much for the replies. It makes me feel a lot better.

I guess I'm overreacting. After reading some of the other threads and hearing about difficulties a few acquaintances had gone through, my confidence was shaken. But each of those cases was different, and as you say, my application is pretty straight forward :-)

Star Emperor, sorry about that. Please don't stress. I'm sure your application will go smoothly.

Haylo · Sep 29th, 2009, 00:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shivani Skydancer

some IM'ers are saying that India is making it tougher and tougher to get visas.

Not for genuine tourists, who are still welcomed and who have nothing to worry about. The people who are finding it tougher to get visas are those who are trying to live in India on a permanent or semi permanent basis. The Indian government simply does not want foreigners living in India, no matter how much money they bring with them. That is why, unlike many other countries, they have no immigration programme.

Quote:

Also, I'm wondering why is it now no longer required to submit a copy of your return ticket with the visa application?

I'm wondering why on earth they ever required it in the first place! No other Indian High Commission / Embassy (except maybe NZ and Bangladesh) ever asks for this. It's not as if they have ever guaranteed to process your visa in time for your flights!

Quote:

Now they are saying :" Don't book your tickets until you get your visa."

Yeah, they say that on the websites on every other country too.

It might help you if you read "Don't book your tickets" as what it really means, which is "Don't come whining "Oh, but you have to give me a visa today, I have booked tickets" at us if your application is refused, or if you are stupid enough to apply the day before your flight, and you don't get your visa in time"

Quote:

What's more, the cheap seats go on sale months before.

I've always booked flights before I get my visa, so do most people. It's exactly the same gambol you have happily taken in the past when you have had to buy flights before applying for your visa - which could have been refused.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aishah

Re the plane tickets - this one is tricky, particularly since your visa starts from the date of approval, not from when you want to fly out. If this is the rule from Oz IHC, not much you can do really.

Sure there is - just go ahead and buy your tickets in advance when they're cheap. I assure you, the HCI really isn't going to know or care whether or not you have booked your flight. They are just protecting themselves from complaints.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shivani Skydancer

So it will be 7 months in Australia till my intended return to India beginning of November.

This will be my 4th Indian visa since my first trip in Aug 2006. Would they regard that as too much?

Even in Kathmandu, which seems to be the toughest place there is to get back to back visas, people have reported that after two back to back visas, they have got a third new Indian visa after only two months out of India.

I really doubt you'll have a problem, this is just bringing the procedure in Australia in line with the rest of the world, and about time too!

Shivani Skydancer · Oct 1st, 2009, 06:06

Hi Haylo

Thank you so much for that detailed reply! You've explained everything in such a positive and sensible way, that it now seems foolish to have worried.

Until earlier this year the requirement was to submit a copy of your flight tickets with the application, because they needed proof of your return ticket, or onward ticket out of India. Now they have done a complete turn around and say not to book any flights until receiving the visa!! Good to know that it is now in line with the rest of the world

vandy · Oct 1st, 2009, 06:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by staremperor73

I did not think getting an Indian visa from Oz would be so difficult

Has anyone tried to get one from Perth?

I am feeling a little stressed now

Have NEVER had any problems Re Perth.

I allways get my travel agent to organize this.

vandy

staremperor73 · Oct 1st, 2009, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by vandy

Have NEVER had any problems Re Perth.

I allways get my travel agent to organize this.

vandy

Thanks Vandy

I made some enquiries and have organised a travel agent to do it for me as well. It seems the most hassle free option

Sarah

Shivani Skydancer · Oct 13th, 2009, 15:41

Good luck Star Emperor!

Shivani Skydancer · Oct 16th, 2009, 16:08

On the tourist visa application form they are asking for "Work address".

I am not working! My last job only went for 5 weeks and I left four weeks ago. Should I put that company's name and address anyway? Or is it ok to leave it blank? The previous job wasn't much longer, just lasted 6 weeks. Since coming back to Australia, my main aim was to save fast and I took any old jobs that paid well. But on the checklist it states everything needs to be filled in. N/A might look like I left my job and am cutting all ties to move to India! Which is not the case...

Another thing, on the checklist, it says " I have provided accurate contact details (telephone/mobile numbers) that can be used to reach me in both Australia and India."
Does that mean I should put my Indian mobile number? But it's not in use currently, till I reach there.

Also, where it says: "Have you visited India previously? Indicate places with dates: Place............ Date....."

There's hardly enough room to put more than a word or two! Should I simply put the city I arrived at in there?

And lastly, is it better to give an Indian referee, even though it is optional? I read on the UK thread, that someone suggested they do occasionally refuse a tourist visa on the ground of having left that blank

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance

Aishah · Oct 16th, 2009, 19:27

I think you need an Indian referee unless rules have changed here?

Put the last city and date when you were last in India.

If your Indian mobile number is still current in validity, or you are able to keep it to re-activate, put that down as well.

For work - how would 'Casual' - citing last job name and dates - go down?

Haylo · Oct 16th, 2009, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aishah

For work - how would 'Casual' - citing last job name and dates - go down?

In the UK at least, they have no problem giving visas to people who are currently unemployed.

I was rather candidly told that if tourists can't afford to support themselves while in India, it's not as if they'd become a burden on the Indian welfare state, because there isn't one!

Not necessarily the same rules and attitude at the Indian Missions in Oz of course.

vireya · Oct 17th, 2009, 04:00

You don't need to fill in the Indian Referee bit. I've always left it blank.

Either the form has changed or you have the wrong form - I've never been asked for a work address, or for contact numbers while in India.

For previous visit details, I've put the main state I visited, rather than the city I flew in to.

nycank · Oct 17th, 2009, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by vireya

You don't need to fill in the Indian Referee bit. I've always left it blank.

Either the form has changed or you have the wrong form - I've never been asked for a work address, or for contact numbers while in India.

For previous visit details, I've put the main state I visited, rather than the city I flew in to.

I just looked - It indeed asks for Work Address. Contacts in India are optional for tourist visa applicants.

vireya · Oct 17th, 2009, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycank

I just looked - It indeed asks for Work Address.

Just downloaded it and had a look myself. I notice the form is dated Jun 2009, so maybe the work address is a new question.

Shivani Skydancer · Oct 17th, 2009, 17:48

Thank you everyone for your replies. But I still feel so unsure :-(

This is so confusing and I'm afraid to make a mistake!

Would it be ok to put "Not Applicable" as work address? Or should I put the place I no longer work at?

And I just don't know what they mean here:
Quote:

30. Have you visited India previously? If so
indicate places with dates:
Place: ___________________ Date: ___________
Place: ___________________ Date: ___________
Place: ___________________ Date: ___________
Place: ___________________ Date: ___________

There's not much room to put all the places I've visited! Do they want the dates I arrived and departed for each visit? What about the people who have been more than 4 times to India, would they need to attach a separate sheet of paper?

Gosh, this is scary... I don't want to mess up! This feels like sitting an important exam with trick questions.

Anyone else that recently got a tourist visa, please do let me know how you filled in your application form.

vireya · Oct 17th, 2009, 17:57

My last visa was last year, but the places visited is not that hard. You don't have to list every place you went. When you previously applied for a visa, you would have said in one line the places you were going. Do much the same here. Just state one city or state that you said you were going to on your previous applications (just in case they check them). You don't need the arrival and departure dates - just the month and year that you arrived there would do.

rekahs · Oct 17th, 2009, 18:05

I'm not much help as I am filling out our applications now.

I have put n/a for work address for both my husband and I. I am a student and he is a sessional university lecturer. His contract ends at the end of the year and it's kind of like casual work.

With regard to the visited india previously section, I cannot advise as I have never been but I asked a friend of mine who is a regular visitor what they did. They write arrival and departure cities and the month & year eg. Delhi, Mumbai May 2008
Their visa always gets approved.

Hopefully someone who has applied recently will come along and provide us with more info. Sorry I can't really help much.

Oct 16th, 2009, 19:27	#38
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 7,625	I think you need an Indian referee unless rules have changed here? Put the last city and date when you were last in India. If your Indian mobile number is still current in validity, or you are able to keep it to re-activate, put that down as well. For work - how would 'Casual' - citing last job name and dates - go down? __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

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Sep 28th, 2009, 15:29	#31
Shivani Skydancer ॐ Ψ ॐ Ψ ॐ Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 240	Great! Thanks so much for the replies. It makes me feel a lot better. I guess I'm overreacting. After reading some of the other threads and hearing about difficulties a few acquaintances had gone through, my confidence was shaken. But each of those cases was different, and as you say, my application is pretty straight forward :-) Star Emperor, sorry about that. Please don't stress. I'm sure your application will go smoothly.

Oct 1st, 2009, 06:06	#33
Shivani Skydancer ॐ Ψ ॐ Ψ ॐ Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 240	Hi Haylo Thank you so much for that detailed reply! You've explained everything in such a positive and sensible way, that it now seems foolish to have worried. Until earlier this year the requirement was to submit a copy of your flight tickets with the application, because they needed proof of your return ticket, or onward ticket out of India. Now they have done a complete turn around and say not to book any flights until receiving the visa!! Good to know that it is now in line with the rest of the world

Oct 13th, 2009, 15:41	#36
Shivani Skydancer ॐ Ψ ॐ Ψ ॐ Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 240	Good luck Star Emperor!

Oct 16th, 2009, 16:08	#37
Shivani Skydancer ॐ Ψ ॐ Ψ ॐ Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 240	On the tourist visa application form they are asking for "Work address". I am not working! My last job only went for 5 weeks and I left four weeks ago. Should I put that company's name and address anyway? Or is it ok to leave it blank? The previous job wasn't much longer, just lasted 6 weeks. Since coming back to Australia, my main aim was to save fast and I took any old jobs that paid well. But on the checklist it states everything needs to be filled in. N/A might look like I left my job and am cutting all ties to move to India! Which is not the case... Another thing, on the checklist, it says " I have provided accurate contact details (telephone/mobile numbers) that can be used to reach me in both Australia and India." Does that mean I should put my Indian mobile number? But it's not in use currently, till I reach there. Also, where it says: "Have you visited India previously? Indicate places with dates: Place............ Date....." There's hardly enough room to put more than a word or two! Should I simply put the city I arrived at in there? And lastly, is it better to give an Indian referee, even though it is optional? I read on the UK thread, that someone suggested they do occasionally refuse a tourist visa on the ground of having left that blank Any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

Oct 17th, 2009, 04:00	#40
vireya Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 425	You don't need to fill in the Indian Referee bit. I've always left it blank. Either the form has changed or you have the wrong form - I've never been asked for a work address, or for contact numbers while in India. For previous visit details, I've put the main state I visited, rather than the city I flew in to.

Oct 17th, 2009, 17:48	#43
Shivani Skydancer ॐ Ψ ॐ Ψ ॐ Join Date: May 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 240	Thank you everyone for your replies. But I still feel so unsure :-( This is so confusing and I'm afraid to make a mistake! Would it be ok to put "Not Applicable" as work address? Or should I put the place I no longer work at? And I just don't know what they mean here: Quote: 30. Have you visited India previously? If so indicate places with dates: Place: ___________________ Date: ___________ Place: ___________________ Date: ___________ Place: ___________________ Date: ___________ Place: ___________________ Date: ___________ There's not much room to put all the places I've visited! Do they want the dates I arrived and departed for each visit? What about the people who have been more than 4 times to India, would they need to attach a separate sheet of paper? Gosh, this is scary... I don't want to mess up! This feels like sitting an important exam with trick questions. Anyone else that recently got a tourist visa, please do let me know how you filled in your application form.

Oct 17th, 2009, 17:57	#44
vireya Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 425	My last visa was last year, but the places visited is not that hard. You don't have to list every place you went. When you previously applied for a visa, you would have said in one line the places you were going. Do much the same here. Just state one city or state that you said you were going to on your previous applications (just in case they check them). You don't need the arrival and departure dates - just the month and year that you arrived there would do.

Oct 17th, 2009, 18:05	#45
rekahs Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 32	I'm not much help as I am filling out our applications now. I have put n/a for work address for both my husband and I. I am a student and he is a sessional university lecturer. His contract ends at the end of the year and it's kind of like casual work. With regard to the visited india previously section, I cannot advise as I have never been but I asked a friend of mine who is a regular visitor what they did. They write arrival and departure cities and the month & year eg. Delhi, Mumbai May 2008 Their visa always gets approved. Hopefully someone who has applied recently will come along and provide us with more info. Sorry I can't really help much.