Hi Stevebenaulim,
I held a one year tourist visa before.
Go in person with your application to stand any chance of getting anything other than a six month one, via the post you have no chance to plead your case and to try to do it on the phone is impossible.
Good Luck.

Are you talking since outsourcing and VFS tookover ?

As far as i can understand, please correct me?.
If i take all my paperwork into the outsourcing office,
they must take it to the Indian embassy, and they make
the final decision.
Does anyone have a phone number that works, for outsourcing??.

Hi Steve,

Only Me (again) try the website saynoto0870 as this gives local geographical numbers and can save a fortune for enquiries of all sorts where 0870,0845 numbers are concerned,(banks, holiday companies etc)
You type in the name or tel No of the organisation you require and if listed the local number comes up

K-C

Hi poppetjay,

Wow! we both know somebody who will not be very pleased with this news!!! As you say it depends on, who is in a good mood when your papers hit their desk.

Perhaps the wife was gorgeous tottie - us oap do not stand a chance

GOOD LUCK TO THEM.

As i said, i cant understand, why its anything to do with outsourcing,
surely the final say must be with the Indian Embassy.
If you are a first timer, never had a 5 year visa before, no paperwork etc, sure outsourcing, will tell you, youve got more chance conning a Kashmiri.
But worth a try.
If outsourcing wont take my paperwork to the Indian embassy.
UK man prisoned for smashing up Indian outsourcing office, read all about it.

poppetjay said just went where please?

AndyD 8-)#

birmingham.

Sorry to be pedantic,but were the documents :-
A) Presented to VFS by your friends, and then by VFS to the Indian High Commission in Birmingham .
B) Presented directly,by your friends, at the Birmingham High Commission in support of numbered documentation submitted to them by VFS .
Who first gave them the decision regarding which visa they were going to receive ? VFS or the High Commission ?
I know it sounds very basic ,but it's all new and we are dying to know the ins and outs !

Thanks for your patience

Good questions enfield, i also want to know these??.

She applied online to VFS in birmingham, got an appointment at the VFS handed in all her documents and copy of online application.
went back in 3 days and was given a 5 year visa, some are saying it may be because she renewed her passport in India ???????????who knows, im sure she didnt question it i'd have just ran out of the building very quickly.
three other people have gone to london doing exactly the same thing online application, got an appointment taken their stuff in and received 1 year visas after 3 days...

Thanks for your detailed reply,very interesting !!!!

That is interesting. VFS actually went to the trouble of ringing me regarding my 5 year application and told me in no uncertain terms that getting a 5 year visa from Birmingham has never happened and never would.

Dave Shaw, do you already have a 5 year visa??.
I am finding if you already have had a 5 year visa, much more chance of getting a longer term visa.
Also you need, property deeds, contracts etc, bank accounts in India.
Not saying you will get one then, but more chance.
Thx.

This is not about 5 year visa but a friend who spends most of his time in Goa has just been to Bangkok to renew his visa and said it was breeze - much better now that the Thais are running it (same company as UK). Gave him the 6 month multiple entry he asked for - he is not bothered about getting longer ones as he likes to go out for hols etc. He has a UK passport and has not renewed the visa in UK for a long time and thought it may be a hassle now but was very pleased with the outcome.