leavinggoa

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

Veritas1

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.

Mrs Brinks Matt

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.

morse

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. silly us

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

a_f_d

or better still fill it in online...

AndyD 8-)#

iain492001

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....................

msj5

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

iain492001

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".

k800mer

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.

a_f_d

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

Andyd 8-)#

erinsgirl

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.

Tina1

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

noni

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

Tina1

Miaow!

iain492001

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.

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

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