visa ticket/ticket visa??

Kapumana

I hope someone out there can clear this up for me.

We arrive in BKK on October 1st en route for Sikkim (I know this doesn't sound logical but believe me there is a good reason for this.) I was hoping to be able to prebook tickets on Indian airlines for say, 10 days later, get the visa and go. However, the travel agent I'm in touch with in BKK says the airline won't issue a ticket until they have the visa number. Presumably this means that I'll have no way of reserving a ticket, getting a visa and confirming the flight in so short a time. I don't want to delay things too much in getting to Sikkim as I want to make the best of the good vis before it gets too cold.

I somehow think there must be an easy solution to all this but for the life of me can't see what it is. I need the six month visa as I'm travelling on after Sikkim so I don't want many wasted days at the beginning of the visa period.

Any help or advice would be very gratefully received.

wonderwomanusa

Your visa will be good for X months from the date of your first entry into India. You won't lose any time by making a stop or two before you get to India

__________________
The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

steven_ber

Not sure about other countries, but Visa's issued in London start on the day of issue.

__________________
.
How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.


Train information.


RAC & Waitlists explained.

wonderwomanusa

My last visa (yes, too many years ago) says "First entry into India should be within six months from date of issue of visa. Period of stay in India is X months from the date of first entry. Good for multiple entries."

Have they changed it?

-m2-

yes they have, at least for Canadians. I have a couple of mid-90's rubber-stamp visas such as you describe, but my past few visas have been in the form of a page-filling sticker which has an issue and expiry dates (180 days later) writen in by the issuing consulate. Also, you must request multi-entry at the time of request.

edit: in rechecking the visa, the expiry date is actually 6 months from issue -- I was confused because of a note in the fine print: 'registration is required within 14 days of arrival in India for visas vaid for more than 180 days' (something I have never done)

to the original question: requiring a visa nr seems odd -- you will not be allowed to board a flight to India without a visa, but I can't see why it would be a requirement for ticket purchase unless it has something to do with Sikkim, which I believe requires a special permit. Possibly your nationality is a factor??

Kapumana

Thanks for all the information. I think I might be having communication difficulties with the travel agent. I have a British passport and won't be applying for a Sikkim permit until I get to Siliguri, so I don't think there are problems there.

Will keep plugging at it

chok dii to all