Burkha!

H.

From the person (me) who brought you;

New visa forms and everything on-line (unannounced)

New photo sizes (unannounced)

The latest is.............
Children (and accompanying adults) - One month only visas!
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewt...?f=60&t=149372

Now this could be down to one of the officious jobs-worths at VFS, or a simple cock-up, but Chilly is an old "Goa hand", and I have been right about the visa changes so far..........

Dread, take note!


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Thanks for all the info ; according to the people on this link there are also security issues with the VFS website and payment portal during the past couple of days (which appears to have put a few of them in a bit of a panic, nice start to their holiday plans):

Goa Forum: Beware the Visa website

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...bsite-Goa.html

I saw Sharm El Sheik 5 Star All Inclusive 2 weeks advertised for something ridiculously cheap like £309 the other day, free visa on arrival if I'm correct (4 hours flight time). If we weren't tied to a property which the Goa Govt. might eventually say we don't own, I'd be tempted to bag a few of these tweeker deals for some Winter sun.

Wouldn't mind at all if the Brit charters pulled out of Goa. Just a shame the place is overrun now by domestics and Russians, so no going back really (if only we could get out!). They're certainly not making things any easier, short term or long term.

Thankyou J5 and Babu,

and i thought that i had been having visa problems.
dare i say it...UN-BLOODY-BELIEVABLE!!!

I actually believe that most of these problems and foolish decisions are coming from VFS Staff and not the HCI London, i say this because HCI Dublin haven't implemented any of these 'new rules' and you still apply for your visa directly with them and not through an outsourcing agency such as VFS.

so the plot with the visas thickens... I am beside myself...... my 80 yr old mum, dad and my grandson are coming out on 12th feb for 3 weeks... we sent off for visas some weeks ago .. including all additional documentation now required for kids ... my mum received a call today from VFS to say they could not process her visa yet as kids (and accompanying adults!!) can only have a one mth visa.. they told her everything she sent is in order but they are returning everything and that she has to reapply in mid jan... sooo..... heres the anomoly... how can she apply in mid jan??!! the visa is applicable for one mth from date of stamp, she is coming for three weeks till 6th march... if we send for visa in jan it wont be applicable for her trip as the mth will be from date of issue and if we leave it till last minute ie at beginning of Feb we probably wont get it back in time for travel !! my mum is 80 lives 200 miles from London and no way can she get up to victoria to deliver and collect it in Feb... which at present seems the only sure way of getting the visasa.........so what do we do now!!!!

I am just so down with this whole scenario.... and she is ready to rip up the tickets... any ideas please guys??? apart from me flying back to the UK to go to London to hand it in myself for her someone here tonight mentioned using an agent?? anyone able to assist me in a reputable recommendation and an idea of costs etc...i am guessing they will have to pay all over again for the visas as they paid already online... this is just a nightmare and i feel for anyone who is briniging out kids this season

Copied from Holiday Truths - can you believe it? I just don't understand what is going on.

And here is another Visa story, so beware

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...bsite-Goa.html

This post was written yesterday on the 30th and if they applied for their visas a few weeks before (which is what they are claiming) then that would be the same time as we applied for ours and yet Janis and the two kids have all got a 6 month multiple entry visa. Its beginning to look like some of VFS' staff don't really know their ass from their elbow......nothing is consistent and no flexibility or common sense is being applied to each applicants personal circumstances.

It appears that VFS are over zealous in returning applications seeking additional info and inventing 'new rules'. WTF!!!

... and their website is up the creek.

which is a major catastrophe considering that applying online is now mandatory.

I did my applications online before I knew about all the problems. As it happens, as far as I know the forms are ok and the payment I made went through the 'verified by visa' system so keeping my fingers crossed but also checking with my credit card company.
this thing about only giving a one month visa for children and accompanying parents, is that a fact because if so how is anyone supposed to be able to get their visas in time to travel for three weeks. Pretty hopeless if you use the mail unless they are going to date the visas from the date of travel.

Remy you must come to the meeting with the BHI on the 13th December.
Speak to you soon will pm our number it should be the same as before.

WTF indeed! I'm sure I've read before that VFS Global is owned by Kuoni of Switzerland, if that is the case VFS Global certainly doesn't seem to be running like the proverbial Swiss watch.

I can't get my head round the huge differences in different customer's experiences from perfectly fine to complete Fu**ing nightmare.

The best of luck to anyone currently suffering anguish at the hands of VFS.

H.

Thats because most Swiss watches do not have a bunch of Persons of Indian origin with attitude problems as their works!
As I am sure all of those who have attended a VFS office will have noticed they are not exactly an "equal opportunity" employer.........


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Could it possibly be due to the circumstances of this particular family? It must be unusual for a child (even a teenager) to travel from UK to India with great-grandparents in their 80's

but its not just this particular family that has been having problems, as J5, Babu, Myself and others have pointed out, many many people are having serious problems and i must reiterate that this appears to be a VFS problem as other HCIs including Dublin have not implemented any of these 'new rules' or changes so if its coming from the HCI then its just the British HCI.