British Expats - Visa help.

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

- Goa (https://britishexpats.com/forum/goa-170/)

- - Visa help. (https://britishexpats.com/forum/goa-170/visa-help-638490/)

You still can't return for 2 months. Visas run from date of issue.

Re: Issue of British Passports in India

I came across this Foreign Office announcement re the issue of British passports in India today:

http://ukinindia.fco.gov.uk/en/news/...sR&id=22599838

Key points - all applications now routed to Delhi and now processed and printed outside of India - emergency travel documents can be issued at certain consulates, inc. Goa.

Re: Issue of British Passports in India

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veritas1 (Post 8893018)

The way it's looking there won't be anyone in Goa long enough to have a passport processed in Hong Kong.
Just another hurdle to make life harder for the British.

:wub::wub: Postal Visa application returned to-day because we down loaded the wrong appliction form from HCI site - now you WOULD have thought that this would be correct. :rofl::rofl: silly us

You must down load the new application from from the VFS site.

Quote:

Originally Posted by morse (Post 8927823)

...
You must down load the new application from from the VFS site.

or better still fill it in online...

AndyD 8-)#

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_f_d (Post 8928617)

or better still fill it in online...

AndyD 8-)#

They're now limiting the days you can make an appointment to deliver in person (at least to the Victoria London offices) - there are only 3 "available days" to make an appointment this week - nothing for next week or the following week. In the past I'm sure it used to be about 2-3 weeks available for advance booking....................

Quote:

Originally Posted by iain492001 (Post 8928692)

Are you convenient to hayes? Always dead when I`ve been there!Found the appt system at Victoria a farce! Even if you make an appt you still take a no. and sit in line waiting- as you do if you haven`t made an appt but a different set of nos.!J

Quote:

Originally Posted by msj5 (Post 8928788)

I've heard that too about Hayes, but Victoria is more convenient - only 4 stops on the tube.

I agree about the appointments system - it sounded great the first time VFS took over - an appointment at 0830- yippee! only to find everyone else queueing had the same appointment, and, as you say, you still need to take a ticket & wait your turn. But I have to say, it was quick, I waited outside for about 15 minutes, & was back out again just after nine, and this has happened each time since. And pleasant, intelligent people to deal with - not like the old days at the H/Comm in Aldwych. I'm surprised that system didn't put people off going to "Incredible India".

Quote:

Originally Posted by iain492001 (Post 8928893)

Even with an appointment I go to Victoria prepared for a wait with a book and a bottle of water however I have never been in there for more than an hour.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iain492001 (Post 8928893)

... not like the old days at the H/Comm in Aldwych. I'm surprised that system didn't put people off going to "Incredible India".

Hah! soft southerners - in Birmingham they regularly had to call the police to stop the rioting in the queue!

Andyd 8-)#

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_f_d (Post 8930852)

Hah! soft southerners - in Birmingham they regularly had to call the police to stop the rioting in the queue!

Andyd 8-)#

I remember the days when the queue in Birmingham was from 5 a.m. and as you say, things occasionally got very nasty when they turned people away. Now there is less shoving and pushing. This time got the 1 year T Visa with 180 max stamped in it. The process was fairly painless, have to say, but slowish for my husband who has a non UK passport ( 9 working days to process). Collected in person so that did not lose time with the post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msj5 (Post 8928788)

Emailed Hayes this morning and had a reply in 5 mins. I call that good.:D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tina1 (Post 8931134)

Emailed Hayes this morning and had a reply in 5 mins. I call that good.:D

Lucky you! preferential people who even get upgaded free on BA. x

Quote:

Originally Posted by noni (Post 8931447)

Lucky you! preferential people who even get upgaded free on BA. x

Miaow! :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by iain492001 (Post 8928692)

Hi all - just an update on the above - I checked last Thursday 21st, and sure enough, only Friday 22nd was available for making an appointment.

I checked again yesterday, and OMG - the next 2 weeks were miraculously available!!!

Mad scrabble to find our passports and the Reference Numbers we had jotted down carefully when we applied online (as we haven't access to a printer till we return to UK on Monday 1st Nov), and requested our appointments for Tuesday 2nd Nov.

Yippee! Both appointments confirmed for that date.:thumbup:

Downloaded the appointment letters, and they are both for 13.00 hrs:thumbdown:

Had hoped that by getting them in first thing on Tuesday morning, they might JUST be available for collection on Thursday afternoon, as Friday is closed for the Diwali holiday. BUT I should have realised that nothing is simple when dealing with India - yet another all-too-frequent senior moment!!

Will just take our chances and turn up at 0815, get our tickets and queue up & hope for the best..................

Just on a lighter note, a couple of Christmases back when in Goa, Naz the owner of the coffeeshop Chocollatti in Candolim was selling some delightful Christmas Cards printed from Goan kids' paintings, so I bought a bundle. I noticed that the proceeds were going to the Indian "Help the Aged" - great cause - I thought at the time. Now I'm wondering if I might qualify for some of that help, 'cos India has certainly "aged" me - especially in the past 2 years:banghead::banghead::banghead: