Goa Visa

suzyq · 23 August 2007 at 1:26PM

I want to apply for a visa to visit Goa in Nov. I phoned the London High Commission also Birmingham H.C. countless times but no reply, eventually phoned the Edinburgh High Commission and spoke to a very helpful person who informed me that London no longer accept postal applications, and Birmingham have a back log of work so it is taking much longer to process the applications, unfortunately only people resident in Scotland can apply to the Edinburgh H.C.
There are visa surgeries at various places throughout the country but the ones close to where I live are all on days when I am working so of no use. Has anybody used Visa agencies I know that there are fees in the region of £30 on top of the £30 visa applic fee, but which ones are reliable as I am rather worried about sending my passport with the visa application?
I have looked on the net and there are various companies www.visaexpress.co.uk www.indiavisa.co.uk www.visaservices.ltd.com

medicman · 23 August 2007 at 1:40PM

have used trailfinders before - very good service and got my passport back within a about 10 days.

DKLS · 23 August 2007 at 1:44PM

Try your local Sikh temple, usually at the bigger ones on a saturday they run a visa clinic. Its where I got mine from last year,

odowdchr · 23 August 2007 at 5:17PM

suzyq wrote: »

I want to apply for a visa to visit Goa in Nov. I phoned the London High Commission also Birmingham H.C. countless times but no reply, eventually phoned the Edinburgh High Commission and spoke to a very helpful person who informed me that London no longer accept postal applications, and Birmingham have a back log of work so it is taking much longer to process the applications, unfortunately only people resident in Scotland can apply to the Edinburgh H.C.
There are visa surgeries at various places throughout the country but the ones close to where I live are all on days when I am working so of no use. Has anybody used Visa agencies I know that there are fees in the region of £30 on top of the £30 visa applic fee, but which ones are reliable as I am rather worried about sending my passport with the visa application?
I have looked on the net and there are various companies www.visaexpress.co.uk www.indiavisa.co.uk www.visaservices.ltd.com

You can turn up at Birmingham and get it done on the day....queue and drop off before 10, collect after 3 or something...it's full day though.
You've got plenty of time to post off if you're going in November, just remember to post Special Delivery and enclose a SAE Special Delivery to return it.

budgetflyer · 23 August 2007 at 10:08PM

Be aware the forms at London, Birmingham and Edinburgh are different. I downloaded the forms from the Indian High Commission website (London)+ filled them in b4 hand (to save time), sat for an hour @ Edinburgh for them to be rejected. Had to fill in specific Edinburgh ones, re queue another hour and hand them in again, then return after 2 and re queue to collect visa.
Turned out to be an all day job.

Voyager2002 · 23 August 2007 at 10:45PM

medicman wrote: »

have used trailfinders before - very good service and got my passport back within a about 10 days.

Yes, that was exactly my experience. Well worth the fee, considering the saving in time and train fares.

cundall · 24 August 2007 at 6:58AM

I would check with trailfinders to see if they are still doing it.. my friend who had to return for their year visa (180 day max stay before re-entry) and there are normally couriers dropping off visa's but there were none this year (for London). As they had a London address they got refused one in Birmingham.

Visa clinics are the best though

Uneducated_Archie · 24 August 2007 at 6:23PM

Previously I obtained my visa from London and there was a £1.00 handling fee. Looking at the application form for Birmingham I can't see any mention of it, I'm a bit [FONT=&quot]Dyslexix and can't see the woods for the trees. Has anyone else applied and received their postal visa from Birmingham and if so is this all I need:

Application form
2 passport photos
Postal Order for £30.00
Prepaid Special Delivery Envelope
Passport (more than 8 months to run)

I could always send a separate Postal Order for £1.00 just in case. (The Scottish Visa for clearly shows the £1.00 fee)

I'm not travelling until November (2 weeks) and then again for Christmas/New Year
[/FONT]

suzyq · 25 August 2007 at 3:38PM

Thanks to all who have replied to my post. I have checked out Trailfinders as medicman suggested, they can obtain the visa for me for £25 plus the £30 for the visa, there is also post and packing to be added on, but it will save me having to mess around going to Birminghan hci or spend all day waitingaround at a visa surgery
:T :T

Uneducated_Archie · 23 September 2007 at 11:18AM

Suzyq: Have you got your visa back yet? I sent mind by post direct to IHC Birmingham on 29 Aug but haven't received it yet. How were trailfinders? How long did it take them to do it? I personally can't see the IHC's position regarding postal applications direct from the customer. How can it be any easier for the IHC to process applications from trailfinders if they send them to the IHC by post? Presumabably they will receive one large sack of applications from Trailfinders instead of a large number of small ones direct from individuals? Unless of course Trailfinders are given special dispensation and go personally direct to the IHC. I think we will be looking at other destinations (Kenya etc (been there about 30 - 40 times)) where one can get a visa on arrival.

Goa Visa

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