hemingway I just took the trouble to look up the VFS site in order to help, and then quoted what they had said. Can you explain why you are making these remarks?

Heidi, one of my friends sent in her form with her date of birth as the current
date (eg just born) and expected to get it sent back! No she got her visa back no problem.

hope all goes well later in the week.

J

Well J5, your spot on, incompetencies of the VFS. The reason I omitted where they will be staying and port of exit is because they are questions no longer asked on the online form!!!!! The date of exit was wrong but I guess that doesn't even matter as you're not supposed to book until you obtain a visa!!

Re-done mum's with the right date on anyway. Lets see them tell me there's a problem with 2 applications active. At least I'm going in person so can explain.

I really feel sorry for those who go to Goa year after year but are not computer literate. They must be having a nightmare.

H x

Agree with you about the web site it is not user friendly to say the least. The photograph instructions are complicated. Even for the reasonably computer literate it is not easy.
(To hem and J5 I didn't create the web site only reported what I had read!).
Dreading doing my renewal in August, but fortunately within train distance of Birmingham.
Hope all goes well for you.

We have just arrived back in Goa,after getting our latest one year business visa.A word of warning for anyone applying,the Hci are realy scutinising all the documents now, especialy for people "running" business's in Goa.It took us 5 working days from applying at Vfs in person to collecting our passports,and that's during a quiet time of year for applications.

John

I have written to FCO with regard to Visa's but as yet have not received a reply.

I filled in the online form for my new Tourist Visa, and, as per previous forms (both online & manual) there was the question about Port of Entry, expected date of entry, but nothing about date of departure.

Yet when I printed the form - there it was......a box headed "Date of Departure".

I e-mailed VFS (& to give them there due, I had a reply next morning) saying that as there was no mention of departure date on the online form, just to ignore it.

They also pointed out that once the form had been filled in and submitted online, it could not be subsequently "changed or altered" in any way.

We'll see what happens when I submit the application in person on 19th July.............

Greetings from Turkey - how clean this place is, but not cheap!!!!

Hi Iain, glad you are enjoying Turkey, hope to visit myself in the not too distant future.......cheaper than Europe I'm sure, and well worth the absence of constant filth in Goa.

Last time I emailed VFS, a couple of weeks ago, they answered in a couple of hours! Surprised by the answer you got though?

Over and over again we have been told that following the now obligatory on-line application, the best next step (to avoid any problems later) is to hand your form to VFS in person as they will be checked by a member of staff and any errors corrected before final submission to HCI.........

so basically, what you were told was a load of b@ll@cks? No great surprise there then?

Hi Johnny Five

I think you will like Turkey - I'm staying at a friend's in Yalikavak, about 15km from Bodrum. The weather is glorious, the food great (especially if you like lamb) but it is by no means cheap (as compared to Goa - which itself is getting more expensive each year).

At least I'm getting a bit of sun on the old bones after 3 weeks in dismal UK in June, before returning to a couple of months of monsoon.

Here is part of the reply I got from VFS :

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your query,

Ø Please note that you would be unable to make any changes online however, “port of exit” is not a mandatory question. Hence, you can keep the particular field blank as the same is not been asked at the time of application.

The rest of the mail was all about where & how to submit & how to pay - just standard stuff.

I read this to mean that I personally would be unable to go into my online application and make any subsequent changes before going in person with the downloaded form & photos.

Let's face it, my education status could have changed from "illiterate" to "graduate" overnight!! I must admit I found that particular question quite unnecessary and rather offensive, but that's another gripe for another day once I re-immerse myself into the high-falutin' prose of the Navhind Times & Herald

Cheers for now.............

You are both correct, the on-line application, cannot be changed (on-line), but the printed out application can have additions or alterations made in Biro.
Last time my form was altered by the person at the desk.

OK, it was your phraseology then.

Following submission, no changes on line = correct

With print out at VFS desk, they can make changes (and maybe change "online"?) = correct

Others have reported making changes in pen and initialling before posting, but not so sure about that, even with a covering letter. = dubious maybe

= not strictly correct (see above)

You infer that it is acceptible to do it yourself, do you have direct experience of the success of this, as opposed to the option of VFS doing it?
.

It was very informal, she just put a line through mine and wrote over the top.
I presume I could have done the same.
This was at Birmingham and as Heidi has previously said they are very pleasant.

The web site states that you cannot go back and alter the form online.

were there only 2 options - illiterate and graduate ? do they now only want 'graduates' traveling to india !!

No - quite a few options available.

I was offended with "illiterate", but more than happy with "semi literate"

The things we put ourselves through to get to India/Goa

Just said 'good-bye' to a Indian guest in UK for 1 week for a work related conference. Yesterday evening turned into a wine fuelled 'your visa application is worse than our visa application' competition. I think she won!!
They have to give details and addresses of all children (whatever age), spouse details and address if not living together, parental details.
All financial info. income, tax return forms, 'have you any stocks and shares'? spending info. what do you spend each week? who bought your air ticket? Etc.
Employment history and present info. and addresses. Have you worked in media, police, government and others.
Finally USA type questions, "have you ever been a terrorist"? !!!!
It took 3 weeks to get. (and this is someone who has had previous visas).
It causes a lot of worry because this has to be one in conjunction with ticket buying in order to prove you have a return ticket.

At least there is no 2 month out rule (as far as I Know).