PLEASE CONTINUE ON "NEW VISA FORM" THREAD. THIS IS STRICTLY FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION - A STICKY. THANKS EVERYBODY.

From Diana Joseph



On your specific question for an update, we have been working closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi but at this moment I’m afraid we do not have anything substantive to report. We will of course keep you updated once we do have something to share with the community.



Please do let me know if there is anything else I could help you with.

Either VFS or HCI are making up new rules as they go along or I`ve had a real
a******e process my visa application.
I put it in at Hayes on Weds 10th in readiness for flying on 22nd (62 days after leaving India).I`ve tracked it on the web site today to find it saying resubmit after 21st.
Nowhere on the VFS site can i find anything about 2 months gap between visas.I`ve wasted a fortune on the premium charge no. getting absolutely nowhere and am awaiting a response to my email.
I applied 12 days in advance as the office is shut for the next 2 mondays and didn`t want chance it not being ready in time.

There used to be a one month rule which was apparently dropped and didn't make sense anyway. What visa were you on (12 monthT ?) and when did it expire (20th June ?).
This does sound like a nonsense - I hope it was a mistake - we came back to the UK early April but our 12 month T visas are valid until 12th Sept; we absolutely don't want to wait until 12th November!!!

AndyD 8-)#

Hi Andy.

Yes it was a 12 month T and it expired 21st June which was the day I left India.
Last year I definitely applied within the 2 month gap and had no problems.

I was told when i handed this recent application in that they only give 1 yr T to Indians now - i was told to write a letter explaining why I wanted a 1 yr.
I`m still waiting for a response- Looks like it will be Tuesday now as office shut for holiday on monday.

You should`nt have any probs having been out of the country for well over 2 months.
Angry J

That happened to me last year (Nov 2010) , MSJ5 - I submitted my form in person at VFS Victoria about 4 days before the end of my 2 months out of India, yet no-one there bothered to check my passport to see when I had actually left India to tell me I was applying too soon.

Like you I found out when checking status on-line.

Try e-mailing them to see if they will rush it through for you - it may just work.

Best of luck.
Iain

I don't understand why they've done this???? We got mum and dads ready for flying out exactly 62 days after leaving India? This has got to be wrong!

Thanks Iain.
I emailed them at lunch time. Not heard back and sadly Monday is an indian holiday so on a limb until Tuesday. Next monday 22nd(when i should be flying home) is also a holiday. So things could be tight even if they agree to accept it and fast track it.

J

Thats exactly what I had planned Heidi!!

Hi Jill

May be worthwhile addressing another email to POOJA JOSHI at the VFS Helpdesk.

She was the person who advised me last November.

Wishing you best of luck

Cheers
Iain

Thanks Iain.
Anything is worth a try.
J

Ø Please note that there should be a gap of at least 2 months between two visits to India on a Tourist Visa. This ruling applies to short term Tourist visas i.e. 6 Months and 1 year and does not apply to the long term entry visa for 5 yrs or any other visa category.



Ø The applicants who have travelled to India in the past two months can not apply for a fresh Tourist Visa until their two month GAP is not over. The applicant can apply for a different visa category with supporting document but not again for Tourist Visa. (For e.g. If the applicant is of Indian Origin travelled to India in past two months on a Tourist Visa, the same applicant can apply for an ENTRY VISA without a gap of two month with the supporting documents of Indian origin as specified on the website, but will not be able to re-apply for Tourist visa without a GAP of two months).

This is the reply I am getting from VFS help desk!
Sadly the mail addressed to Pooja Joshi was answered by someone else.

J

This must be something new Jill - it didn't apply when my parents got theirs in June?! Has something changed??

Wish I knew Heidi. Nothing on the web site.

The MHA site does not say that - what it does say is worse!:
I don't know to what extent this has been enforced before (I thought it had been dropped), but if enforced it is going to impact all the property owners who, like me, previously had X visas but were given 1-year T visas last year.
The 180 day limit together with the 2-months out rule mean that the only real use of 1-year T visas is to get a full 6-month stay. If they also mean that there has to be a 13 month gap between visa applications they are completely bl**dy useless!!!

btw: The reply from VFS is badly phrased - what does 'travelled to India in the past two months' mean? The OP had travelled from India in the past two months.

AndyD 8-)#