Re: Visa help.
 

Utterly ridiculous!!!!


Perhaps you do need to visit HCI and put your case in front of them.
The "2 month out rule" only applies to tourist visa. Going from employment to tourist should not be included in this rule.

I don`t know who you`ve been dealing with but might be worth contacting this guy; Gaurav Marchant
[email protected] .He was giving me totally different info to the other helpline email address and did actually call me!

Good Luck !!!

Re: Visa help.
 

How did you manage that? - afaik it's virtually impossible to speak to anyone fron the Indian High Commission since VFS were given the job.

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa help.
 

To slightly paraphrase what afd said, you have not been refused by the Embassy/High Commission/Consulate (call a bag of monkeys what you wish), you have been given a load of bull-sh*t by VFS, who have NO RIGHT TO REFUSE ANYTHING!!!!!
They are simply the oily rag, and dont even get close to being mechanics!

I stand by everything I said in the earlier post, because IT IS FACT.

If you choose to accept this inaccurate brush off from a bunch of pencil pushers, then fine.

I will not have time till Sunday, but will provide you with the links that you can print off and take back to the @rseholes at VFS and shove under their noses to PROVE you do not have to wait 2 months..............


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Re: Visa help.
 

Thanks J5 it is good that people who have info will help others on this site.

Wishing you all the best Kernow - don't let the B....... get you down.

Re: Visa help.
 

You simply walk through the door and join the many Brits who are there applying for their PIO status. The Consul (at Edinburgh, anyway) is generally very friendly and helpful/sympathetic to difficulties. Hope your particular Consul is likewise. That is where you should take your applications.

The Consul, not VFS, has the power to grant or refuse the issue of visas.

Re: Visa help.
 

That's interesting, last time I went to CGI Birmingham you were checked at the door to see that you had 'business' to be there - I had to be vouched for by a VFS employee. The CGI Edinburgh website also says in Big Print that you must apply in person to VFS.
More importantly for OP it also says:
As per the Government of India regulations there should be a 2 months gap from your last exit from India on a Tourist Visa.

For more information click here http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/FAQ-TVisa280710.pdf
There really shouldn't be any argument - the 2-month rule only applies when the previous visa was a T visa.
Well yes, but even in the days of applying direct you only ever got to speak to front of house people, never a Consul or vice-Consul (in Birmingham at least).

It seems ridiculous that OP is having this trouble, the VFS people know the rules by now, and anyway in my experience have always been willing to refer applications to the CGI even when they thought they would be refused.
I hope OP gets things sorted asap.

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa help.
 

Thanks Andy, that was the link I was going to sort out for Kernow.

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Re: Visa help.
 

'That's interesting, last time I went to CGI Birmingham you were checked at the door to see that you had 'business' to be there - I had to be vouched for by a VFS employee. The CGI Edinburgh website also says in Big Print that you must apply in person to VFS'

Yes, of course the website directs you to VFS, I am only relating my experience - the CGI Edinburgh is a busy little offfice (5 minutes walk away from VFS) with people sorting out their various problems face to face with the Consul and/or Consular officials.

I and family have had to resort to this approach on several occasions as a consequence of VFS incompetence/inaction, and it got the job done.

'...but even in the days of applying direct you only ever got to speak to front of house people, never a Consul or vice-Consul...'

I remember those days also, when visa application was so much simpler, apply in the morning and collect in the afternoon, face to face, no hassle (and the visa was a smudged ink stamp, not a paper sticker with holograms, photographs and watermarks and all!!)

Good luck to OP.

When you applied for your recently granted 1 year X, was the small matter that (I assume) you had been travelling in at least the previous year on a T visa fail to get a mention, no questions asked?

Re: Visa help.
 

I mentioned last year's T - and the preceding three X's in the covering letter; when filling in the online form I 'assumed' that by previous visas No. they meant previous X visa, but then I added last year's no. by hand.
I wasn't asked any questions, asked for interview or for more documents - but I was kept waiting for 15 days while somebody was consulted.
(The VFS people were friendly and helpful but why is a visa dated 23rd not shown as ready until pm on 27th?)

AndyD 8-)#

P.S. On our first few visits to India no visa was needed ("Commonwealth rules" - same as the poor old nun who was kicked out recently, then reprieved).

Re: Visa help.
 

Seems like they make the rules, then apply a complete different set of rules !!
Sorry for you K.

Dread - x

Re: Visa help.
 

No Dread, the Government of India make the rules and the local High Commission applies them.
This problem stems from the idiots at VFS, (who are not entitled to make ANY rules) talking out of their @rses and jerking people like Kernow around.
Lots of us have experienced it, stood our ground in the face of ignorance and abuse from these scumbag jobsworths, and ended up getting what we knew we should have been granted politely in the first place.
Clearly from what Babu says, Edinburgh is an exception, and this has been widely reported elsewhere. however, unless you live in Scotland its irrelevant as you are not allowed to deal with them.
It is quite apparent that Birmingham is hit & miss, as are the London offices, but it seems you are more likely to be subjected to abuse and wrongful advice - again.....THEY CANNOT REFUSE TO ACCEPT YOUR APPLICATION, so they resort to these mind games.


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Re: Visa help.
 

Well I can't fathom it, yesterday I received my passport back with a shiny new 6 month tourist visa, incidently these have changed as well in format and now also include a tiny photo of yourself, which does make u wonder why they wanted a 2x2 pic. However Mrs K still hasn't had hers back and from what they tell me hers has not been accepted. So when we get it back we will go to Brum ourselves, show them the FQA's from their website and generally argue the toss till we get what we want. After the 6 months is another story, sadly our time in Goa I think will be over, then we will have to decide where we want to live. Any one got any reccomendations for somewhere with a lot less hassle than India?:)

Re: Visa help.
 

Sadly Kernow most other countries in south-east Asia only give a 3 month tourist visa.Should think ourselves lucky we get 6/12month visas.Hope Mrs K soon gets her visa so you can come home.

Re: Visa help.
 

Thailand give a 1 year renewable resident visa (with requirements).
Malaysia give a 5 year renewable resident visa (with requirements).
Phillipeans give a resident visa, not sure for how long or requirements.
I visit other South East Asian countries only on tourist visas and all much easier than India visas to get, and never had any of this two month out rubbish, but never tried to live in these countries on a tourist visa, but you can get resident visas, ive never looked at Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc etc, i have heard of many long termers living in these other countries.

Re: Visa help.
 

Fine for long`term if your prepared to put quite large sums of money into bank accounts. In my books thats that almost as bad as buying property!And as you say- you`ve never tried to live in these countries!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you actually looked into the "Malaysia my 2nd home" package?

Re: Visa help.
 

Oh yes but not for a couple of years, and i think it is a great idea, keeps the rubbish out, I wish the UK had a simular system. No way is it anything like buying property in Goa, your money stays in a bond in one of the big banks like HSBC, and you can use that money to buy a property (even though i never would), or a car.
Your money is safe, and you can have your money back when or if you want to leave.
Thailand the money you put up, you can spend in that year as long as you top this money back up again, before you apply for a second etc resident visa.
I wish India had the same, but doubt if they could work a system out, and no doubt your money would not be safe.

Re: Visa help.
 

I`m sorry but I would never put my life`s savings into a bank in a country where I had no rights!.......Even if they gave me a long term residency permit!
Yeh, buy a car tax free, buy a house for more than a certain amount......sorry not something I`d entertain.
I`d rather stick with renting my property in Goa and abide by the 2 month rule which makes me explore pastures new!
And have my life`s savings in an off shore account -tax free and earning a decent amount of interest.

Re: Visa help.
 

Me too in the real world, but just think, Belgiums, Italians, Swiss, Spanish 3 month tourist visas then 2 months out, how would you feel then?.
How can you even think buying a property in Goa is anything like residency in Malaysia, one they dont want you, no more 5 year x visas, the other they want well off people. I also rent in Goa and enjoy decent investments, but after 13 years of Goa, being cheap does not make it good. Lifes savings, my god, that amount hardly touches the edges i would hope, not for me anyway.
If i was that poor, i dont think i could imagine retiring at 40 and living some of the dream, but each to the own. Believe me if it was my lifes savings i needed to invest i would not even think of it either.
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Re: Visa help.
 

Also i would not bost of having my savings tax free, as you know, you should declare your tax somewhere in the world, up to you, its only money!!.

Re: Visa help.
 

Boast even!!!, its all hourse for courses, ive enjoyed Goa, and yes its been good on my pocket, but maybe im lucky enough, i have the age and money to enjoy (i hope) other countries, as most of us long termers have realised Goans do not want us, maybe it will be the same in other countries, i have spent many months in Malaysia, Thailand etc, and yes soon time for a change, but still 3 years left on my 5 year x and 3 more years in my flat in Sunny Benaulim, soi will enjoy.

Re: Visa help.
 

I have an extremely good FA and accountant and all is above board!
Thanks for your concern.

Re: Visa help.
 

Good on you, im sure his advice would be, do not broadcast offshore tax free
, but what do i know?.

Re: Visa help.
 

Filled in the Visa FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF orm! taken 2.5 hours as the HCI site keep going down. Just need the visa returned now.

Re: Visa help.
 

Good luck Noni. Have you asked for 6 or 12 month?

Whatever happened to all this x visa for property owners that was mentioned a few months back? Any developments?

Hx

Re: Visa help.
 

You must have missed my #839 and all its avatars! :=

.................................................. ...............
Noni.
are you not trying for an X ?

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa help.
 

No just a tourist, 6 months will do us nicely - have lost the enthusiasm for staying longer with all the hassle.

Re: Visa help.
 

Had the same prob but then did it thro Internet Explorer which is what they recommend and it was fine.

Don`t forget to post it all off Noni! Including the declaration form!

Re: Visa help.
 

Do I need the declaration form if I am handing it in! will have to go back onto the site.! enough is enough for to-day. I did do it through internet explorer but still had problems, but at least the printer worked.:curse:

Re: Visa help.
 

I don't know if you still need the declaration, I couldn't find it on the main website, but found the link below.

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

I printed the form, signed and took it with me, but the man at the desk did not appear to look for it, just put everything in the folder. Better to take the form though in case needed.

Re: Visa help.
 

When I handed it in at hayes the guy checked for it and I noticed people in line before me who hadn`t got it were given a copy to sign.
yes the declaration is still required.

Re: Visa help.
 

This is correct. They specifically asked for it when we went to VHS Birmingham in person.

Re: Visa help.
 

Thanks everybody :thumbsup:, will have a look tomorrow, enough is enough for to-day.

Re: Visa help.
 

... property / business owners are not eligible for T visas of course!

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa help.
 

I did one in case, but I thought it was included in the application form: section J. - Declaration

... not so?

AndyD 8-)#

Re: Visa help.
 

well according to them, we do not own property :rolleyes: If you just fill in your app. v. form you do not see what you are or are not eligible for.

Re: Visa help.
 

I have just read the declaration (I may have signed one last year but do not remember) it is a bit of a catch all to absolve VFS of any liability for anything. There is something in contract law relating to unfair terms which could possibly nullify this if someone had a problem with it but I will sign it as no doubt will everyone else who wants a visa even though VFS have no say in the actual granting of the visas, your documents have to get to the high commission via VHS after all. I always go to the counter and smile and greet the person politely no matter how fed up I am with waiting.
I also take a book to read and a bottle of water - Just like in Goa.

Re: Visa help.
 

"All the applicants are requested to sign the declaration and submit the same along with the Visa Application Form. Please Click here to Download/Print the Declaration."

Re: Visa help.
 

Yes that is what I did.
Just checked the photocopy of my application.
I think it is possible that the application form for long term X visas is different from the tourist visa form.

Re: Visa help.
 

Can I edit the Form once it is printed?

The online form cannot be edited once it has been printed. Please ensure that you verify all the information you enter before you finally submit the application and take a print out. IN case of an error, you would have to redo a new application form.


Can I confirm all my travel bookings before getting the visa?

No bookings or travel arrangements should be confirmed until a visa decision has been made. VF Services will not be responsible for any loss of expenses borne.


Blonde and senior moment :thumbdown:my problem is I have just noticed I have not put in where I am staying when I get there!! BUT if you should not book before you get your visa, how could you say where you are staying!!

Suppose I should do it again - what do you think?:banghead::banghead:

Re: Visa help.
 

If i remember correctly Noni that question doesn`t actually come up on the on-line form.
If you are going in person to hand it in I`d be inclined to leave it blank and ask whether or not you should fill it in by hand when there.
:thumbsup::fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed: