a_f_d

he tweeted, they didn't blink exactly but one eyelid drooped a bit <s>

AndyD 8-)#

a_f_d

Not even visas on arrival, a British Passport was accepted at face value ("Her Britannic Majesty's Principle Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs requests and requires.......").

I would guess we introduced visa requirements for Indians.

AndyD 8-)#

Goacrazy56

So it was tit for tate,that makes sense thank you
GC

emsirrah

I tried to link question and answers from Goan Voice but the link would not work.

Looks like we are well and truly stuffed for the beginning of Feb then - review in 6 months is no good to us.

If anyone knows anyone who is going to try and go back before their 2 months is up will you post the result please. Will try and appeal to Jet Airways but we have a fixed date ticket so not holding out much hope.

hemingway

Okay, I shall try & make this as ambiguous as possible in order that I don't risk identifying anyone concerned:

It concerns friends who go to Goa usually 3 times per season for relatively short trips.

They visited Goa for 2 weeks at the start of the charter flight season on 6 month multiple entry tourist visas. I've not seen their passports but I'm confident in saying that the passports were NOT stamped "no re-entry within 2 months" on exiting Goa. This new '2 month rule' wasn't really common knowledge at the time.

Within the last few days, the same friends have gone back to Goa (approximatley 25% short of two months since their last visit) for another relatively short term visit - I think it is safe to say that they have not been refused entry to Goa & have not been put on the next flight back to the UK. However, I have not yet spoken to them in Goa, but if & when I do, I will ask them if they had any issues with immigration at the point of re-entry.

I am sure these friends DO NOT know anything about the new '2 month rule' - nor would they have wanted to listen to me if I had tried to inform them because they 'see no problems in Goa' - so I kept my mouth shut & at present I'm glad I did because if I'd told them & they 'got in' without problems I would have been a 'loser who reads the internet' (not my words I hasten to add) 'scare mongering' again. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

H.

P.S. - I wish all B.E. members good health & happiness for 2010.

Goacrazy56

Ditto Hemingway
I really hope you are right. Anyone that as asked me I have refered them to the British Consulate or IHC.I think you were right not to say anything.What if they had cancelled their trip on your say so.I think you would have been off their Christmas card list.
GC

noni

Em friends went home for Christmas, went to HCI with their return ticket and were refused permission to return until 2 months were up

johnny five

Maybe I am being a little simplistic here?

But Jet is an Indian airline, with whom tickets were bought in good faith.

The present situation was brought about by the Indian Govenment changing the rules without notice,

Surely Jet have a moral obligation to allow a change of flight date to comply? Its not as if you are asking for a refund!

I know the same principle could be applied to the railways and the hotel, but lets not pretend we are dealing with civilised people here. Jet however are an International operation and need to apply International standards in this case, or face as much bad publicity as can be stirred up!
Remember our problems with SriLankan? You got a better result than we did because you dealt directly with the airline, whilst we went through an agent who couldnt give a f**k.

emsirrah

Thanks for the replies - my OH says to just wing it and deny all knowledge of the situation and a few rupees to the man with the stamper. Hope your friends got through hemingway.
J5 - they were booked through Southall who, we have been told, don't want to know when anything untoward happens but will not deal with them at all if we decide to go down that route. Re train tickets - L has told us we can change the dates but by the time we get back the seats will all have been sold for the dates before friends go home and you know how hard the hotel was to deal with when we went with you!!!
a-f-d - from your other topic reply - have not read of people getting through this rotten situation but it gives us a little hope.

k800mer

I heard this evening about a couple that had gone to the UK for Christmas and got back in without trouble but I do not know them personally. Another couple who went home because of a family emergency have supplied proof and left their passports with the visa service. The have been told to go back on the morning they are due to fly and they may get their passports back with the visas stamped to allow them back in. Like everything else it is hit and miss.

D4ve M

No one blinked an eyelid at Delhi on Dec 31 when we came back in within the two month period - subject wasn't mentioned by immigration. Another couple on our complex came in 2 days ago without problem after less than 2 months away.
But heard today of someone on the complex who had been in Goa for a couple of weeks prior to Xmas and wanted to return in Jan (with flights booked) - so asked the HC in London and was told they could not return.

emsirrah

Thanks - looks like we will just turn up and see what happens. Sounds like if you approach HCI they will say no. We went out in December and intend to return in February so hopefully they will not have enough fingers to count up the days

noni

There are a few couples on the beach who have returned no problem (immigration probably does not know the new rules) but also we know of people who have return flights book for Jan and HC refused them.
Pot luck.
Good luck Em.

Goacrazy56

Pot luck sounds about right just like the visa,it's a lottery some get what they want and others don't
GC

a_f_d

you have to think like a Civil Servant:
not doing anything is always the safe option

- HCI staff might get into hot water if they issue a waver, so they won't (after the Headly thing I'm guessing consular staff won't sneeze without clearance in writing from Delhi).
- Immigration staff aren't stopping people because of some new rule they have'nt been [properly] told about, which has changed at least three times, and is internally inconsistent, so you've got a valid visa with no embargo stamps- you get in!

AndyD 8-)#