Visa Surgeries

Marky

Has anyone attended one of the travelling visa surgeries? I was planning to go to the one in Coventry on 3rd February but as i'm flying out on 6th March I think i'm cutting it a bit fine.

New-South-Welshman

I'm a bit confused? Is a surgery kind of like a circus, where they travel around, so people who aren't so close to the consulate can use the visa survices first hand?

And isn't that for the year 2005?

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Marky

Sorry, i've repaired the link for 2007

Nick-H

A circus?

What, with consular officers doing juggling, clowning, and that sort of thing? Tricks on horseback?

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machadinha

Can someone please finally explain what are visa surgeries?

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Marky

This is what I was hoping to discover.

Nick-H

It is where the visa is implanted into an artery instead of being stamped in your passport. Generally this is not worth doing with short-term visas, as there is always a risk associated with general anaesthesia, and it is not yet available as a keyhole surgery technique.

A further complication is that the hospital stay is increased by ten days if you are not a resident of the country in which the operation is performed.

It is, of course, not possible to have the procedure done on somebody else's behalf --- which means that you cannot get it through an agency.

goagirlwannabee

sounds a bit of a con to me - be safe and go to the embassy yourself

Anders

From what I remember from other threads here, visa surgeries are when consular staff go out to locations for one day where there normally are no consulate and issues visas.
Read the old threads for info about them.

New-South-Welshman

Yeah. Just like circus'. They go out to places for other people far away to get to them. I knew it was along those lines, but to use the word "surgery".

Ahhh lucky me, living close to the Indian consulate.

rangss

Why 'surgeries'? Why not 'visa camps'?

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machadinha

Nick-H

Those are the weekend affairs where you are divide into two teams, consular officials, and would-be travellers. You, the would-be travellers, have to negotiate a tough obstacle course, while the officials do their best to stop you.

Those reaching the end are granted visas.

In other words, its a visa with a free introduction to emerging from an Indian airport!

rangss

And those who do not...would they undergo a surgery?

JamesW

Back to the point - I went to the Coventry surgery a few years back. It was in some community centre on the Foleshill road. Went in the latish morning with documents and forms. They had forms there, but I had downloaded one from the High Commission website and filled it in in advance. It was all well organised, I handed over the form, passport, money, photos, etc. We were told to return in the afternoon - had some lunch (you can get quite an authentic Indian dining experience on Foleshill - good practice!) and returned. After a bit of waiting around I got my passport and visa.

It's all done in the same day, so you shouldn't have to worry about cutting things fine. Just make sure you bring everything you need - read the application form carefully. In particular they don't take cheques, so bring cash for payment.

Just looked at the link. There are two possible venues: the community centre I went to, or a Sikh temple. Make sure you know which one they're using on the day you're going.