India Visa Delays Warning

Voyager2002

feet_up said:

I posted earlier and just wanted to update people.

We got a local appointment in Birmingham and turned up to an appointment on Saturday Morning. It was very crowded but also well organised and efficient (given the bureaucratic nature of the process). I would make sure you take photos and have photocopied documents done before you go as although there are facilities there, there was a queue to use them.

 And my earlier my throw away line about diplomats was trying (badly) to make the point that online VISA’s should be available in the UK as they are for the rest of the world, given the economic and family links between Indi and the UK. This is failure of diplomacy which inconveniences people and cost money in transport and time to get a visa.

D

I am glad that things are working out reasonably well for you.

Online visas used to be available to British people (I used one last time I visited India), although there are some things that were possible only with a conventional visa. The Indian government deliberately withdrew them from us in response to the difficulties that Indian people face in getting visas for the UK.

mattawellt

With the news about the change in Indian visa applications, I'm seeking some clarification.  I'm due to go to India in a couple of weeks.  I already have my Indian tourist visa in my passport which is valid as I applied in the summer.  Am I affected?

Pollycat

If you have a valid visa, you don't have a problem.
This is about people applying for visas.

mattawellt

Pollycat said:

If you have a valid visa, you don't have a problem.
This is about people applying for visas.

thank you so much

Voyager2002

CKhalvashi said:

Wicks said:

Thanks @Voyager2002.  Not planning on the trains.  We do have family there, so hopefully will have advice and help from them. Plus use their phones and internet in true MSE

They should be able to sort you a SIM at local rates, also in true MSE fashion.

Never buy one at an airport.

India... if only SIMs were available at the airport! When I needed one badly and really did not care about the cost, the process involved three complete days of running around and getting signatures, and then a wait of about a week.

And I have got SIMs at the airport in Malaysia and Oman: the cost was reasonable and the convenience fantastic. Doubtless one could get a SIM for less money in local shops but the time and effort will often be more important than the difference in cost.