noni

Why do indian men have a mobile in one hand and his scratching his balls with the other. Does it enhance his hearing on the mobile?

msj5

Get OH to try it Noni and let us know if it works!!

noni

He can't use a mobile!

noni

http://www.inewsone.com/2011/03/10/t...tourists/34542

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/7668404.cms

Don't know if you have already read this, but it was handed to me to-day on the beach a letter in the Herald, sometime when I was away

Property Confiscation -David Bodley UK
I am sure most British visitors to Goa would not wish to see Goa turned into a concrete jungle and would understand the need to protect the state from land sharks and speculators.
But what about the severe penalty of property confiscation ad a fine on a foreign national, who purchased a property for personal use in full compliance with prevailing laws? So ca the Koan Authorities justify property confiscation from a British national (Herald 2nd March) as an instance of the former category and not the latter?
The fact that FEMA regulations make no mention of the type of visa needed for purchase and phrases such as "indefinite period" are open to interpretation. Indeed they have been interpreted differently now.
There are estimated to be 1.5 million Indians living in Britain and several Goa living in one town along in south=west England. Many have purchased property. Imagine the international outcry if the UK government retrospectively changed their property ownership rules and confiscated them.
Mr. Bodley said he will press the UK Government representatives in India to seek assurances from the authorities that this ruling by the D of E is fair and just

noni

http://www.expresstravelworld.com/201103/market28.shtml

Goa records a high number of tourist arrivals in 2010

www.goanvoice.org.uk.

An additional fee of Pounds two will be collected as ''Consular Surcharge'' from all individual applicants approaching the Indian High Commission for various services. The surchage would be applicable from March 14 on services like Visa, passport, Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card, People of Indian Origin (PIO) card and other consular services, beside the usual applicable fee...

k800mer

Thats interesting, if this counts as a service will UK VAT be chargeable on it as well or as it is the HCI would they be exempt. Sorry, I did Vat returns for an Insurance company for many years so these questions occur to me. I do not expect an answer.

Horse Doctor

Hi K800mer
Think that, as now, the HCI use an outside business agency to process the visa applications.
We must then pay VAT for the service proccess charged for, at the standard rate. Think this may be required by English Law.
However I think it is interesting to note that if you request a 12 month visa which they charge for, and then they only offer a 6 month visa or even none at all, they claim not to be liable for a refund. Think this is not English Law, and the office of fairtrade or a simular authority should be involved.
I would be interested in a reliable response.

Bipat

I think it must be because the actual visa is issued by the country concerned not the visa agency. The same rule applies to all nationals of other countries applying for a visa to come to the UK (including Indian people). (You can view this rule on the VFSGlobal general site).

Horse Doctor

Hi Bipat
Thank you for your opinion, but are all visas provided by outside agencies for other countries? Or are they purchased from an Embassy or Consulate as it use to be, which I have always believed to be technically foreign soil, there land, there law and there rules.
Now we use an outside agency, from within the UK. outside the Embasy, thats why we now pay VAT for the service
If I purchased a product or service in the UK, then the responsibility is that of the seller not the manufacturer or source of the product.
Just not sure

Bipat

If you look at the VHSGlobal site it has the same rule for anyone wanting a visa for UK. My only personal experience is of Indian people getting visas for UK; as we did, they used to have to go to the British consulate, but now others act as agents, including travel agents who arrange the tickets etc. for the visit.
My understanding is that the agent sells its 'service' but merely acts as an 'agent' for the consulate who makes the decision as to whether to issue the visa or not. My experience when arguing for a longer visa is that the agency warns "the consulate will not refund". In Birmingham the applications and money are taken straight round to the consulate in a nearby street.

johnny five

Always thought it was pretty clear,,,,,,,,VFS Fees = VAT liable, UK operation etc etc.

Actual visa charge levelled by foreign country via their embassy = No vat.

This particular example of an extra Pounds Two = normal Indian grab some more dosh off the foreigners for no justifiable reason.......but what choice do they have?

noni

Cabbies who attacked Ukrainians may lose license 12

Mar: IBNS. Goa Tourism Department has decided to cancel licenses of three cabbies arrested in the attack on eight Ukrainian tourists


So many different stories going around the village about what really happened.

a_f_d

This was discussed at some length when visa processing was first outsourced. A couple of people approached trading standards who said it was wrong but they would need a formal complaint - the consensus was that such a move would carry a real risk of being blacklisted.

AndyD 8-)#

Horse Doctor

Thank you a-f-d guess I missed the original thread.
I was beginning to believe I had it completely wrong, as I had understood English trading laws.
However I also thought trading standards was to be used to uphold the law of the land without implicating an individual ?

Bipat

Did the trading standards understand this particular issue though (without investigating a complaint)? The agency is not selling visas but merely handling money on behalf of the Consulate. Also if the British Embassy has the same rule? I seem to remember the same rule before the outsourcing; although obviously if you went in person you would know if there was a refusal and therefore not pay too much. The rule is obviously unfair but it is unfair to all who apply for visas to UK also.