noni

Brilliant news

k800mer

Congratulations, a friend of mine whose husband was born in Bombay was refused a five year visa last year, they said she could only have a one year T.
I don't know what she has this year and they will be going back next month. I must ask.

dreadsoc

Nice one Bipat !

Dread - x

johnny five

Congratulations, you will be able to live in 2places for a while longer now


.

afaiknow

and to own property(even multiple properties) and conduct business (even multiple business) legally in both countries, and to enjoy all the privileges and benefits of being a British citizen too.

Maybe I should marry an Indian.

k800mer

They can be British as long as they have a parent or Grandparent who was born in India and can prove it.

afaiknow

ever more opportunities to have your cake and eat it, yum yum.

dogooder

The problem is proving it - my mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born in India - but sadly all deceased and no birth certificates given in those days .................

anishq

Try British Library in London. They now maintain entire archive of India House including baptisms, etc. Through these resources a friend of mine in UK is currently tracing family born in India in and onwards from the 19th c. with a lot of success.

anishq

Sorry, forgot this bit:

http://londonresearchservice.com/bri...ia_office.html

This is not the British Library site but some information about what is available in the India House archives.

Good luck.

noni

Destination Expert
for Goa
Meerkat on Tripadvisor.


Hi all. Well, it’s that time of year again when we are all thinking about applying for our visas. The online application seems to change from year to year but we have just received our processed visas so I wanted to try and help anyone who may have queries with the online application. I hope the following information helps, even if only a little. I have compiled what I think is relevant and apologies for some of it being blatantly obvious, but I just wanted to put everything in from sections A to I, plus some additional information, all in the one place.


Indian Mission: UK – London (for postal applications)


SECTION A. Personal Particulars (As in Passport)

Marital Status – This is obviously your marital status. If you are separated from your spouse but not yet divorced, you still need to put married as this is still officially your marital status and their details must be entered in the Family Details (Section D) box, under spouse.

Citizenship/National ID No. – Just put NA. (Not N/A).


Visible Identification Marks –These are any distinguishing marks eg. tattoos, moles, birthmarks, scars etc on visible parts of the body. If you do not have any, put ‘none’.

Educational Qualification – If you are not a graduate or anything else on the drop-down list, put Higher Secondary.

Nationality by Birth/Naturalisation – By birth for people born here.

SECTION B. Passport Details

Passport Number

Date of Issue

Date of Expiry

and

Place of Issue which is GBR

SECTION C is just the applicants contact details ……. Present and permanent address.


SECTION D. Family Details

Put your parents names, nationality, place and country of birth even if they are deceased. Spouses details must be entered if you are separated but not yet divorced, as stated above.

SECTION E. Details of Visa Sought

Type of Visa is Tourist.

No. of Entries – Best go for multiple, just in case you wish to squeeze in another visit before the visa expires. Just remember the two month rule!!!

Period of Visa is 6 months (for most applicants). The fee for the 6 month visa is currently £42.20 inclusive of VFS service charges and VAT (with effect from 12th September 2011).


The total charge for a one year visa is currently £62.20 inclusive of VFS service charges and VAT. I cannot confirm how easily obtainable these are.


Port of Arrival is your first port of arrival in INDIA. (Be this Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore or Dabolim for a charter flight from the UK or scheduled from Doha). Port of Exit isn’t asked for on the online application but appears on the printed form. There is no need to write the details when you’ve printed the form.

There is a part when the form is actually printed that says “Required Detail Of”. It’s just under the ‘Port of Arrival’ question on the printed form. Again, there is no need to write the details when the form is printed. When the form is printed “Tourist Visa” appears beside “Required Detail Of”. This is what you would have entered online.

Purpose of Visit is Tourism.


SECTION F. Previous Visit Details

If you answered ‘yes’ to ‘Have you ever visited India’ – Put the address of where you stayed on your LAST visit. They don’t request all your previous visits – just the last one.

Visa Number is the number of your last visa and date of issue and ‘Visa Issued Place’ is GBR.

Countries visited in last 10 years – They won’t know whether you have or haven’t visited many countries but I would suggest looking through your passport for any stamps or visas you have for countries you’ve visited and DEFINITELY put these down. If you have already paid online and then realise you have missed a country and you definitely have a stamp in your passport, don’t panic! Write the country in black ink and initial. I would suggest enclosing a letter explaining what you have done, just to cover yourself.


SECTION G. Profession/Occupation Details

Present Occupation – most of us will be mere ‘workers’ but choose the one that is the most relevant to you.

Designation is job title. This is not a mandatory field so you can leave this blank if you so wish.

SECTION H. Address of Place of Stay/Hotel


Again, this is present on the sample application form and is not asked for on the actual online application but appears on the printed version. And again, there is no need to write the information on the printed form as it is not asked for on the online version. Why it appears on the printed version is anyone’s guess!!! A glitch in the system at present maybe?!!!

SECTION I. Details of Two Referees

In India – Put the name, address, pin code and phone number of your accommodation. Contact details for accommodation can easily be found on the net.

In United Kingdom – The name of a relative or friend is acceptable.

Don’t forget to make a note of your web reference number (beginning with a ‘W’ followed by a series of digits) and your web file number (GBRL followed by 8 digits). The web file number is on the printed application form but the web reference number isn’t. Print an extra copy for your own records or save the application to your computer or do both.

Photos MUST be 2 inch by 2 inch. You can take your own photos on a digital camera, resize on your computer and print yourself. Just make sure that you follow the photo specifications on the VFS website to the letter.


Remember to make a note of the SDE number for posting to Hayes so you know the applications have safely arrived at Hayes and the SDE number for return (if enclosing your own envelope). The cost of one pre-paid SDE is currently £5.90 but if you choose to have VFS return your passports using DX Secure, the cost is £7.40 which is paid along with the visa fee and service charge at the time of application. Remember, only two processed passports will be returned in one envelope.


FOR MINORS - (under the age of 16), the following documentation is required:


A copy of the childs birth certificate showing both the parents names.

Consent letter signed by both the parents.


In case of divorce, child custody letter from court in respect of the child is required.


In case of single parent, solicitor’s letter and child benefit letter will be required.

FOR MEDIA RELATED PROFESSIONS, POLICE OR ARMED FORCES, COMMERCIAL PILOTS, CHARITY/SOCIAL WORKERS and PRIESTS going to India for tourism, supporting documentation is required in the form of:


Letter from the employer stating the purpose of travel.


Media related professionals who are self employed need to provide an undertaking letter stating no professional related activities will be undertaken during their stay in India.


The visa fee for such cases (media related only) is currently £57.00 plus service charges (£10.20). The above fee is inclusive of £2.00 consular surcharge.




You can pay online or by cash, debit or credit card (excluding American Express) at an application centre. Postal orders or bank drafts should be made payable to “VF Services UK Ltd”.


The application centre for all postal applications remains at Hayes:


India Visa Application Centre


1 – 3 Canalside
Uxbridge Road
Hayes
Middlesex
UB4 0JN

Remember also to print the declaration form, write the requested details in black ink and enclose along with your printed and signed application form and your other documents. Check your passport signature for a good match for the application form and the declaration form. The link for the declaration is below:

http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/pdf/Declaration.pdf

A few web addresses are also below for your convenience. I don’t think the links will work but you should be able to copy or cut and paste straight into your address bar.

Online Application Form
in.vfsglobal.co.uk/onlineapplication.html




Create/Reschedule/Cancel Appointment

http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/modify.html


Make a Payment
http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/retrieve.html


Visa Fees
in.vfsglobal.co.uk/touristvisa_fees.html




Document Checklist

in.vfsglobal.co.uk/touristvisa_CheckList.html




Photo Specifications
…vfsglobal.co.uk/touristvisa_photospecs.html


Sample Application Form
…vfsglobal.co.uk/pdf/…20Form.pdf




Retrieve and Reprint Your Application Form

https:/…Reprint.jsp

Track Your Application
in.vfsglobal.co.uk/trackyourapplication.html




Application Centres

url]http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/contactus.html[/url]


Email Helpdesk

[email protected]


Hope this helps and good luck to all

Many thanks to Meerkat20 at Tripadvisor.

dogooder

I love the archives at the British Library and lots of references to my family - unfortunately the IHC will not accept baptism certificates - they want birth certificates and apparently these were rarely issued when the British ruled -
If anyone has managed to get birth certificates with the baptism certificates as evidence I would be grateful to know

noni

Dear Noni,



We thought it might be useful to do a quick update on what’s been going on in our world. I’d be grateful if you could share this with the community via the forum.




Thanks,

Diana







On X Visas:

· We have received guidance from the Indian High Commission in London concerning the requirements for X Visas. Although we feel that this is a step in the right direction we have sought further clarification. We will update you on this once we have more information.

· The British High Commissioner wrote to the Indian Home Secretary in June and we will be following this up with the recently appointed Indian Home Secretary.



Property owners:

· In relation to those British Nationals who purchased property in India on an X Visa, the status of the X Visa unfortunately still remains unclear.

· We would like to reiterate that if you have not heard from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by now, it is unlikely you are subject to investigation.



Tourist visa:

· We are aware of the new FAQs on the MHA website (http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/FAQ-TVisa280710.pdf). The British High Commissioner will raise this with the newly appointed Indian Home Secretary.



British Business group:

· In consultation with the British Business Group, the British High Commissioner raised a number of issues concerning British Nationals working in India with the India Home Secretary. Amongst these were:

Ø The time it takes to obtain/renew a Business or Employment visa, and the duration of the visa itself.

Ø Information relating to applying for and renewing Business or Employment visa.

Ø Registration at FRROs





Next meeting:

At the meeting in March 2011 it was proposed that the next town hall could be in early 2011. Please let Noni know your preference for the timing of the meeting.

kernowpisky

The answer may well be on here already, but im buggered if i can find it. Currently my employment visa has finished as the employment has, can i return to India on a tourist visa before 2 months ?

jcbrum

Yes !!

John