Re: Visa help.
 

Hi,
We sent one postal order each for £39.05 Just to be safe you know how fussy they are. Use the VFS postal appliction, we used the HCI one and it was apparently out of date. Life is never easy - Good luck -

Re: Visa help.
 

Oh god - I've never done a postal app before - worried sick now as I done a postal for the two of us together.

!!!!!!!!!

Re: Visa help.
 

Noni what do you mean VFS POSTAL APPLICATION????:confused:

Do you not just send off Passports, photos, fee and visa form???

AHHHHH Help????

Re: Visa help.
 

Remy - I sent, yesterday.....my passorts, completed app, photos and a postal order for 78.10 to VFS Hayes. I'm sure I've sent everything.

Re: Visa help.
 

We paid for our visa's online, filled out the visa application form on the VSF website for each of us, printed it off, sent passports, return special delivery envelope etc to Hayes last Saturday and tracked them all the way online. They were returned the following Friday and we got a six month, multiple visit visa each. Sending postal orders increases the cost which would buy your first meal in Goa! Our previous postal application only took five days to send and receive also! :thumbsup:

Re: Visa help.
 

Just Back from Town and visas applied for by post!!!
Printed out the visa form x3 from VFS website.
Got 3 postal orders.....was just going to get one but the lady at the PO Counter said the fee for a postal order was 10% of the amount it was for. Therefore it was the same cost for three as it was for one, so to be on the safe side we opted for three.
Also Special Delivery Envelopes x3. A large one to send all off in and two for the return of passports because it says on the VFS site that they will only return a max of two passports in one SDE :rolleyes:.

Anyway total cost for three tourist visas £145.00 incl the 3 postal orders and 3 SDEs.
Counting photos its working out at approx £50 per application doing it this way.

Will keep you all posted as to the time it takes for the complete turn around.

Regards,
Remy

Re: Visa help.
 

Arrived at VFS Victoria this morning at 0820. Not such a long queue. Was Ticket No 16 for those without appointments. Doors opened promptly at 0830, and I was back outside by 0905.

When I think of the days when there were hundreds queueing outside the HCI in the Aldwych. I used to aim to get there for 7a.m. and there was still a massive queue already formed.

Good luck to the postal applicants - hope all goes well with your applications.

Re: Visa help.
 

I go up to Victoria as it is just as cheap as posting (7 applications) and I get a day out but I go up after 9.30 to get the train ticket cheaper. I do have to wait but have never waited very long and I go with something to read and a bottle of water. Afterwards I usually meet a friend and go shopping or go to a gallery and if we can get some cheap theatre tickets we go to a show. Then I do the same again when I collect the passports.

Re: Visa help.
 

Help!!!

My partner and kids passports have been returned today from VFS Hayes with no visas as they require the following because the children are under 16 (this is their 6th time to Goa and never had to provide this info before)

the letter from them requests the following;

1)Provide your detailed intinerary

2)In case of visa application for a child less than 16 years of age submitted with or without both the parents applications,following additional documentation required. Consent letter signed by both the parents even if mother and father is travelling along with the child.Photocopy of mother and fathers passports along with the copy their current India visa if already holding one. A copy of the childs full length birth certificate. In divorced cases Child Custody Letter from court in respect of the child is required. In case of a Single parent- Birth Certificate and solicitors letter, council benefit letter will be required.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now we think we have the child custody thingy all covered but whats a detailed Intinerary???....is this a hand written intinerary from us or would a copy of the flight & accomodation details suffice.
We have never had to supply this info any time before although this is our first time using VFS Global (usually went through Indian Embassy Dublin but mistakenly thought this would be easier as all passports are UK ones)

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Unbelievable! How long are you going for Remy?

Re: Visa help.
 

Hi Heidi,

I am intending to go for 6 weeks although the rest of the family only 3 due to school etc....but if they don't get going then i won't be going at all as i will be too busy protesting outside HCI London or Dublin or both.....im spoilt for choice now.:rofl:

Any luck at your end?

Re: Visa help.
 

What a absolute nightmare. Why do they have to make it so difficult !

No luck yet - hopefully there will be a little card from the posty when I get home. Not holding my breath!

I'll keep you posted.

Re: Visa help.
 

its definitely strange that they travel the world promoting Goa as a top tourist destination and then make it so difficult to get a travel visa or any visa!!!!

my partner is really fed up with the whole mundane drawn out process which is beginning to make other destinations look much more appealing!!!


You Know i can't believe my partner has to Wright a letter of consent for her kids to travel to Goa even though she is travelling with them.....obviously if she is going with them as per itinerary then she gives her consent....what a crock of s**t.

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You said it Remy.........

Re: Visa help.
 

yes and to top it all.....they sent everything back using both the SDEs we sent including my partners passport:confused: which now means we have to return all back in another large SDE with 2 further smaller ones inside because they will only send a max of 2 passports in one SDE.

Why not just e-mail us or phone us requesting the further info (which i thought was the reason for putting all the phone nos and e-mail addresses on the visa forms in the first place) instead of posting all back and using up not one but two SDEs.

More brains in a false face!!!! Totally Un-bloody-believable!!!!

Incredible India........Incredibly Stupid!!!!

Re: Visa help.
 

Incredible India........Incredibly Stupid!!!!

I love it !

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[QUOTE=Heidigirl;8973173]Unbelievable! How long are you going for Remy?
AND you one of them:wub:

Re: Visa help.
 

[QUOTE=noni;8973770]Am I one of them?

Re: Visa help.
 

Blimey Remy

That is absolutely bloody ridiculous - what a load of nonsense they have come up with !! The requested information they have asked for is highly irregular to say the least.
Another irregular thing they ask for is a letter from an employer for people in certain occupations and the letter must certify that the traveller is going there as a tourist - this has happened to police officers, security guards and HM forces personnel !
I have come to the conclusion that the staff at VFS purposely select say one in every ten visa applications and invent reasons to make it difficult for the applicant. It's a sad attempt to empower themselves !!!!
I agree 'incredibly stupid' would be a far more accurate advertisement slogan for India! :rofl:

See you at the demos -Ill bring some noffi !!!!!

Dread -x

Dread -

Re: Visa help.
 

Quote:
1)Provide your detailed intinerary

2)In case of visa application for a child less than 16 years of age submitted with or without both the parents applications,following additional documentation required. Consent letter signed by both the parents even if mother and father is travelling along with the child.Photocopy of mother and fathers passports along with the copy their current India visa if already holding one. A copy of the childs full length birth certificate. In divorced cases Child Custody Letter from court in respect of the child is required. In case of a Single parent- Birth Certificate and solicitors letter, council benefit letter will be required. "Quote"


Blimey, I had better get some letters to go with the grandchildrens visa applications. I suppose a copy of the flights booking confirmation will do for an itinerary.

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[QUOTE=Heidigirl;8974059]One of them is a private Joke, have known remy many years.:rofl:

[QUOTE=Heidigirl;8974059][ p,s, Heidi I don't know where that bit came from it should only have been Remy's quote perhaps my netbook is getting into indian mode.

Re: Visa help.
 

I phoned our travel agent yesterday and told them what happened and about the information requested.....they said that a copy of your invoice should suffice as the itinerary. They also said that the problem with the VFS website is that all the information is not on it, as its not specific to each applicants circumstances. I certainly can't find anything on their site about the info they have requested from us unless there is a hidden link somewhere!!!

Its a lottery!!!

PS. from now on folks, we will not be booking flights until the visas are obtained....will now apply for them in early october which is over 2 months before we go......shortens the visa somewhat doesn't it! (thats if i don't throw the head up, get rid of the apartment and go elsewhere in future)

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Solicitors letter to take your children on holiday? Heard the bloody lot now!

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It is because of the increase in cases of child abduction by one parent. India has signed up to the Hague Convention which deals with this.

Re: Visa help.
 

[QUOTE=k800mer;8974312]Quote:
In case of a Single parent- Birth Certificate and solicitors letter, council benefit letter will be required. "Quote"

" Council benefit letter will be required"
Rather stereotypical prejudiced comment suggesting that every single parent is either on benefits or in council accomodation !!! Add that with the view that long termers are on the dole and there illustrates what they think of us !

Dread - x

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[QUOTE=dreadsoc;8974977]Absolutely agree with you Dread. As I seem to have posted several times about stereotypical comments!!! (Couldn't resist this reply not meant to be in any way personal :wub: )

Re: Visa help.
 

Well we have took the kids all over the world (including 6 times to India) and never needed this before....and if its a statuary requirement then why isn't it on the VFS website???

Also if we get our visas directly through HCI Dublin we DON'T have to provide this. Sorry but Hague Convention my ass!!!

Typical India stupid beaurocracy (spelt wrong but don't give a sh*t)

Also to require a letter from the employer of HM Forces, Police etc to prove that your not there on official business as pointed out by Dreadsoc....how daft is that?
If you where going on official business you wouldn't do so on a tourist visa and wouldn't be applying yourself as this would be obtained through your employer, HM Government etc, and if you are going covert your not going to tell them your real occupation to start with and again wouldn't be travelling on your own documents!!!.:rolleyes:

Bipat im not having a go at you...just these silly, stupid, daft, meaningless, pathetic rules that India is now so well renowned for!!!

Regards,
Ranting Remy:)

Ps. just noticed & re-read my signature footnote......Douglas was soooo spot on!

Re: Visa help.
 

[QUOTE=dreadsoc;8974977]Spot On!

Sure we are all just work-shirking, dole-dodging, drug-dealing, coke-snorting, cheap skates who have destroyed their country!!! Apparently!!

Regards,
Really Ranting Remy.

Re: Visa help.
 

Remy

The documentation you have been asked to provide is NOT a statutory requirement and far exceeds the recommendations under the Hague Convention. It is one thing asking for ID to show parentage, quite another to add on such onerous requests as letters from solicitors and councils.

The fact that there is nothing stated on the VFS website about this is very dubious, and the VFS are not applying these reqests for further documentation accross the board - I know 3 families with kids who have recently acquired their visas via the Hayes office with ease, one of those being a single mum !

This has nothing to do with the Hague Convention, it is just another example of irregular and obnoxious conduct by employees of VFS, who seem to have an agenda for dissuading people to visit India either frequently or for longer than 2 weeks !

Dread - x

Re: Visa help.
 

Hi Dreadsoc,

Thanks for confirming what i already suspected.;)

Kind Regards,
Remy

Re: Visa help.
 

I refuse to believe that the Hague convention requires written permission from both parents even if both are travelling with the child! - they're having a bloody laugh!

AndyD 8-(#

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What about NOC'S and both father's father's names, Plus everybodies thumb-print, and an envelope full of used fivers, innit?


.

Re: Visa help.
 

You said it Andy!

What gets me too is that in most relation ship breakdowns both partners end up loathing each other even spitting fire toward one another, which is often the way it goes.....so one or the other isn't going to give written permission in these circumstances hence the children caught in the middle are deprived of a holiday to south asia.
Thankfully in our case not only did the biological father give written permission and a passport photocopy but did so at his solicitors who stamped and verified same.........so now for 'round two' visa applications to Hayes.
:rolleyes:

Re: Visa help.
 

:rofl: yeah that might just work......don't think the fivers would do though, it would probably take a bit more.

Re: Visa help.
 

Hi Rem,
sorry to read all your problems, hope they are resolved soon - will have to get a bottle of 'noffi in just for you. Good luck.

Re: Visa help.
 

Of course you must be right, as always, Dread, and there was I thinking that some Indian authorities might be becoming more sensitive to the international child abduction issue.
I was reminded of an occasion many years ago when children travelled on a parent's passport, we had not had our passports marked on entry into India with the number of children we were taking in. On return to Heathrow we were questioned in quite a frightening manner as to the children's origin. It taught me a lesson that you can never have too much documentation/letters etc. etc. when going to or coming from India.

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Have just got our visas which included one for grandson who has travelled 3 times before to Goa had to pay for solicitors letter, also father is no longer in contact and whereabouts not known this is the final nail in the coffin after this year we are going elsewhere.Sod them they make obtaining visas a major worry i can spend my money elsewhere.

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The facts speak for themselves here Bipat! This is a sporadic request which is not being applied systematically - if it were a standard request to protect against child abduction, then one would expect it to be systematically applied ! If the VFS did apply a policy for preventing children form being taken to India illegally I would be the first to commend them, but unfortunately Remy's recent experience is supiciously non standard.

Similarly the VFS would see from the documentation already submitted by Remy that the children have entered and returned from India on several occasions - that in itself would negate any suspicion of child abduction in their case !
I do find it a little difficult to believe that Indian authorities are 'becoming sensitive to the issue of child abduction' when they allow their own young into sweat shops to work virtually as soon as they can walk !

There is a need for VFS to regulate and standardise their practices instead of acting upon what appear to be individual whimsical notions. Then they need to include proper notification of the practices on the website so that customers are informed. That way, customers will satisfied and they wouldn't have demonstrations like they do in Ireland at the moment.

Dread - x

Re: Visa help.
 

"I do find it a little difficult to believe that Indian authorities are 'becoming sensitive to the issue of child abduction' when they allow their own young into sweat shops to work virtually as soon as they can walk !"


Exactly what I (and I suspect many others) was thinking.

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As I said Dread is probably right, but I am not sure you can connect child labour with this. What the Indian Congress government do in the name of international relationships and what they don't do for their own people is often not related.