Re: Visa help.
 

Am about to make postal application for visa, usually send it to Edinburgh and they post it back.

Typically, vfs website is giving obscure information.

1) It says : "All applicants submitting visa application via post must select “UK-LONDON” as “INDIAN MISSION” while filling the online form. Application forms filled for other Indian Missions (Birmingham/Edinburgh) in the UK WILL NOT be accepted at the postal application centre for Indian visa. All the supporting documents/letters should be addressed to the High Commission of India, London."

Does this mean the centralised postal application centre at Hayes will NOT process applications where your jurisdiction is Edinburgh, even though ALL postal applications are to be sent to Hayes?

On the address list for jurisdiction of Consulates it has this warning for applications through Glasgow : APPLICANTS ARE ADVISED NOT TO SEND ANY POSTAL APPLICATIONS TO THIS CENTER. VFS UK LTD. WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY LIABILITIES FOR LOSS OF DOCUMENTS IF SENT BY POST. ALL POSTAL APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO INDIA VISA APPLICATION CENTER IN HAYES.

It does not have this warning at the Edinburgh Consulate address.

Confused.

Re: Visa help.
 

babu, are you sure you usually post to Edinburgh?
afaik all postal apps go to Hayes and the jurisdiction list is for where to go to apply in person - they will post it back if required.
Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff are just forwarders.

AndyD 8-)⒡

Re: Visa help.
 

Over the years I've done all permutations, from the days when you just had to turn up at the Glasgow Consulate (before they moved to Edinburgh) with the cash and it was all done face to face in seconds.

When VFS came in, I've travelled through to Edinburgh in person and collected in person, submitted in person and had it posted by DX, gone through the Glasgow surgery who forwarded it to Edinburgh and DX returned it at great extra charge for special courier on morning of flight (Edinburgh had assured me it was in the post, then retracted and said it had not been in Friday's post - I was travelling at noon on the Monday.)

I've had a 3 month wrangle (late 2009) with the Edinburgh Consul involving 6 cancelled flights and a huge telephone bill which involved a begging visit to the Edinburgh Consul 3 months after my initial application. This was all because I'd applied for an X Visa as usual then and they claimed to have forwarded all my documents (Sale Deed, Bank Statements, Health Certificate, Panchayat House Tax Receipt, Electricity Bill in my name, etc, etc.) to MHA Delhi who are "sometimes lazy fellows". He took pity on me and gave me a 3 month X at his own 'risk' ??? and I was left short of pocket, short of temper and greatly tensioned!

It is this sentence on the current VFS guidelines that is concerning me : 'Application forms filled for other Indian Missions (Birmingham/Edinburgh) in the UK WILL NOT be accepted at the postal application centre for Indian visa'.

If ALL applications are to go directly to Hayes I'm happy to go that route, but why confuse the issue by mentioning other Missions, and it is not specific that they might be referring to applications in person even if they've chosen to place that warning in the section referring explicitly to postal application procedure.

There's a cat's chance in hell in getting someone to answer the phone at Edinburgh or VFS for clarity.

Yes, I'm certain I made a postal application to Edinburgh VFS last year. If the rules have been changed, I'm having real trouble interpreting them. Worst case is that I'll post to Hayes who may reject and return the application which will definitely mean cancelled flights.

And this is the first year I left all my Deeds and papers in Goa since I had to travel light around South East Asia on my second year of enforced 2 month exile, so I don't have the paperwork to apply for the X Entry visa and I won't tempt fate by trying to get Edinburgh to dig out one of the many notarised copies they have had in their possession over the years, most likely filed under 'rubbish'.

Anyone with any direct contact numbers so I can get clarity would be appreciated, and thanks Andy.

Re: Visa help.
 

Here's the 'geographical' number for VFS Global Indian visa customer services:

020 7811 3976

The same number is listed on "say no to 0870" so hopefully it's correct.

As I understand it, if you apply by POST & send to Hayes, BUT have 'selected' the mission (during the online process) which your geographical location comes under the jurisdiction of, your application will not be processed.

H.

Re: Visa help.
 

"As I understand it, if you apply by POST & send to Hayes, BUT have 'selected' the mission (during the online process) which your geographical location comes under the jurisdiction of, your application will not be processed."


Thanks, that's the way I've interpreted it, so have made an online application with London as my Mission Post and will post all documents to Hayes on Monday.

The website crashed at the crucial point of payment, just before the Verisign Visa should have popped up and continually went to Connection Error (even though there wasn't one on the browser), but will have another go later today.

Here's hoping they can turn the application round without complication, and Diwali holiday so one lost working day.

Re: Visa help.
 

Hope you get an X visa.
I`ve only been back in Goa just over a week and I`ve heard of two more people who have previously had a 1 yr and a 5 yr X and they`ve been given Tourist visa s like myself.

Re: Visa help.
 

I do seem to recall that Edinburgh is ine of the consulates where they do actually let you through the door nowadays - might be worth a visit re, X visas (after all you don't want to apply for a visa you're not entitled to <g>).

AndyD 8-)₹

Re: Visa help.
 

We always use a visa application service based in London who do everything for us..,we send the forms and passports and they come back with the visa in a few days. We have to pay for the service but it takes away all the concern that you are having. They are Prince Visa.http://www.princevisa.com/mainvisain...b&d=551&from=o

Re: Visa help.
 

Their web site doesn`t give you the option of an Entry(X) visa. Only Tourist or Business.

Re: Visa help.
 

Write to Saadia at Prince Visa and ask what you want..

Saadia Anwar <[email protected]>

She may be able to help and advise. She even checked the letters I used for our Business Visas before we sent them off.

Re: Visa help.
 

Hello to everyone on British expats and very sorry if i have posted this in the wrong place!
Just a question to ask please: We have come to Goa for the duration of our visa ( 6 months )...but we were hoping to go to Thailand for 1 month to meet some friends, we didn't see any problem with this as we have "double entry" visa'a....but now we have been told that if we do leave India we must stay out and leave a gap of 2 months! ...which is more than we wanted to stay...it seems the only way we can do this is if we get permission..but who/where do we ask?..and are we likely to be allowed? Thankyou in advance.

Re: Visa help.
 

Is your visa as described below (from the VFS website):

Double Entry Tourist Visa
Applicant(s) on a Double Entry Tourist Visa can travel to a third country from India during their holidays and can re-enter into India without a GAP of Two Months to continue with their holidays. In such cases the visa will be issued with a permission to re-enter into India from the specific country (city), which allows the applicants to re-enter into India without a GAP of Two Months from their last exit date.

Applicant(s) are required to provide a tentative itinerary in order to apply for Double Entry Tourist Visa.Â

Re-entry on a double entry visa is allowed only from the neighbouring countries*. i.e Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand etc.

If not, then you need to do the following(again from the VFS website):

In case of requirement to visit India within 2 months, permission should be sought from the High Commission of India, London or the Indian Consulates at Birmingham and Edinburgh directly without going through the outsourcing agency VFS Global (UK) Ltd. Applicant may fill up application from, one photograph, application stating reason for re-entry within two months with supporting documents/travel itinerary etc and a fee of £9/-(Inclusive of £2.00 Consular Charges). Where permission is accorded in such cases, registration with the local FRRO/FRO would be required within 14 days of arrival in India. Request form can be downloaded through the website:

As described here:

http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/news.html

Regards

H.

Re: Visa help.
 

Has anyone been to Nepal for the 180 day visa run? If so how did you get there from Goa, how long is it worth staying and where did you stay? Thanks:thumbup:

Re: Visa help.
 

Oh thankyou Hemingway for all the trouble you went to,to answer our question. I must admit i am a bit lost now! but looking at our visa which we actually got in Thailand because we were there before we came to Goa it says it is a" T visa..Double entries"..it is valid for 6 months..also which i didn't notice before is a stamp in small print which reads "Tourist visa Non-Extentdable gap of 2 months mandatory between 2 visits" !...so maybe not looking good : ( any advice appreciated.

Re: Visa help.
 

Your visa is fine - it's good for two entries to India (!) e.g # Thailand > India > Thailand > India > anywhere ##

N.B. total elapsed time between # and ## is 180 days or the validity of your visa whichever is the less.

(Actually this is exactly what hemingway said in part 1 of his answer - ignore part 2 unless you find yourself needing to enter India for a real emergency reason).

The small print is pre-printed and is over-ridden by the double entry (do you also have an stamp - something like 're-entry permitted from Thailand'?)

AndyD 8-)₹