Inida - Visas

Note: we are UK nationals (pleasedon’t swamp this post with what happens in other countries for othernationals).

Having spent countless hours trying toget Celebrity to accept that an e-Visa will suffice I gave up and decided to gofor the (expensive and difficult) multiple entry visa. I went on-line to what I believed is theofficial Indian Embassy Visa application centre / process and I am nowwondering if it was that or a third party company?

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/ Indian Visa & Consular ApplicationCentre VF Services (UK) Limited.

I’ve been calling 0121 236 1556 for twodays and it just rings out. What do Ido?

An e-Visa is not acceptable. vfsglobal is the official application centre and the cheapest way to go. The application looks daunting at first, but is fairly straightforward. You can make a postal application. I will provide help if you have any queries, although I don't know what the phone problem is. You complete the form online and post it off with your passport and photos (or take it to visa application centre).

replying to my own post! . . . . .

I have just called 'Visa Central' (the company Celebrity suggest we use) (charge £75 a head) and they (very kindly (as I am not paying them)) told me that vfsglobal is the Indian G'ment site and the same site they use.

I also asked them if we would need to go to the Embassy in Birmingham (100 miles south of us (liverpool) and they said there may be some where closer?

I think you have the wrong phone number - try 0203 793 8629 if you really need to speak to them.

You can apply by post. Select UK-London as the application centre and post to Hounslow. If you do want to go to an application centre there is one in Manchester. All the details are on the VFS site.

Just go a reply from vfs stating "you can schedule an appointment from the following link” . . . . I went to that link and the first thing it said was . . . “All applicants are requested to make an appointment before visiting our centers to submit their visa applications” I completed the on-line application form, do I need to complete another form and take it with me or will the on-line submission suffice? What is the 'flow chart' on this process?

See my previous post - you can make a postal application. You complete the on-line form (NOT the sample form), print it off and post it off (or take it to the application centre) with photos, passport and fee.

If you do decide to go to an application centre there is one in Liverpool also.

SUITE NO 207,

Second Floor

GRAEME HOUSE, DERBY SQUARE

LIVERPOOL, L2 7ZH

Another hour spent on this trying (and failing) to find how I can get to the on-line application form and print it up to post it off. Why is this so difficult / why do they make it so difficult to find out what the hell they want me to do?

The application form is here:

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/mandatory.html

You may want to print off a sample form first, to try and complete beforehand. Note that this is not entirely identical to the on- line form:

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/pdf/Sample_Copy_Application_Form_150116.pdf

I am now looking for a time machine to take me back to the date I booked this cruise so that I can stop myself. I accept that it is going to be difficult to find a time machine but I have formed the view that it will be easier than getting a visa!

The application form is here:

 

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/mandatory.html

 

You may want to print off a sample form first, to try and complete beforehand. Note that this is not entirely identical to the on- line form:

 

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/pdf/Sample_Copy_Application_Form_150116.pdf

Thanks that's where I went to complete the application form which, clearly knowing what I know now, I should have printed it off but at the time I thought was submitting an on-line application. Now I don't know how to retrieve the 'completed' form and print it up.

If you do decide to go to an application centre there is one in Liverpool also.

 

SUITE NO 207,

Second Floor

GRAEME HOUSE, DERBY SQUARE

LIVERPOOL, L2 7ZH

There is one there, I managed to find the caretaker for the building who told me "they don't have any phones in there!"

You have to complete the on-line form first and make an appointment before going to the application centre, so it is still easier to do it by post.

We managed to get our visas, but it was torture doing so. One thing to note is that once you have completed the application it takes 24 hours before you can log back in and make the appointment. We considered doing by post but decided to go to our designated office instead which personally I think is a wise move. We opted to pay when there so that once checked by the official we then handed over the money. There are 4 of us and the postage special delivery bags were going to cost almost £30. We didn’t want to risk them being sent back with a tiny error and having to pay again. As it seems you have a local office I would definitely go down that route. We used a website to generate the correct size of photo (an awkward size to make life easy!) and uploaded pictures we had taken ourselves at home. Worked fine and we had the passports back within a week - it’s up 3 weeks if you do by post.

We filled in the form multiple times before we got it right, printed and went to the right mission! Best fill it out and start again...have you got the contact details in India. I have them somewhere if needed.

We received our visas back by post within a week. For the Indian reference we used the address for our first port - in our case Port of Cochin, Willingdon Island, Cochin, Kerala 682009

Just a quick note regarding visa info if you look on the December 7th roll call for the Consellation there is a weath of info gleaned from suffering souls like you, me being one of them. With regard to the e visa whilst a number of ports are listed perhaps not all Mumbai being one and that aside the e visa is only good for two entries.

Harry

Just a quick note regarding visa info if you look on the December 7th roll call for the Consellation there is a weath of info gleaned from suffering souls like you, me being one of them.

Harry

Thanks - where can I see that?

Thanks - where can I see that?

Look across the top find your roll call open that then search Celebrity Constellation December 7th you may need to register but you will find lots of information regarding visa applications

Harry

• Information received direct from Celebrity in an email:
  
  
  Guests from the United Kingdom amongst other countries MUST obtain a single/multiple entry Tourist Visa (they are the same price) for India before beginning their travel. Please be advised that the Indian ‘E-Visa’ is NOT valid when entering India by sea. Therefore ALL guests will be required to obtain the Regular (Tourist) Visa prior to travel; anyone without it will be denied boarding. You may apply directly by visiting the High Commission of India’s website at:
  

Note: we are UK nationals (pleasedon’t swamp this post with what happens in other countries for othernationals).

 

Having spent countless hours trying toget Celebrity to accept that an e-Visa will suffice I gave up and decided to gofor the (expensive and difficult) multiple entry visa. I went on-line to what I believed is theofficial Indian Embassy Visa application centre / process and I am nowwondering if it was that or a third party company?

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/ Indian Visa & Consular ApplicationCentre VF Services (UK) Limited.

 

I’ve been calling 0121 236 1556 for twodays and it just rings out. What do Ido?

Hi we have just filled our form in through VFS and submitted them and paid online for them. we then made an appointment with one of their local offices ( we live in North Yorkshire and the office was in Bradford) , we went with our passports/ itinerary/ printed out application form and a pre paid next day envelope. It was a painless procedure and the man was very nice and helpful, they then check the forms and send them to the Indian embassy so now fingers crossed we get a visa!.He did explain that a e-visa is not the right visa for cruising into India and would not be expected.

Thanks that's where I went to complete the application form which, clearly knowing what I know now, I should have printed it off but at the time I thought was submitting an on-line application. Now I don't know how to retrieve the 'completed' form and print it up.

when you submit it you would of been given a ref number you use that to re print the form to take with you.

Read their instructions on the VFs site it tells you step by step what to do it is quite simple lol !

We used the same process as funnybunny twice --our local office was Bristol. A note re the return of your docs we had to pay for 2x courier service as they will not agree to put them in the same envelope

Liz

Note: we are UK nationals (pleasedon’t swamp this post with what happens in other countries for othernationals).

 

Having spent countless hours trying toget Celebrity to accept that an e-Visa will suffice I gave up and decided to gofor the (expensive and difficult) multiple entry visa. I went on-line to what I believed is theofficial Indian Embassy Visa application centre / process and I am nowwondering if it was that or a third party company?

http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/ Indian Visa & Consular ApplicationCentre VF Services (UK) Limited.

 

I’ve been calling 0121 236 1556 for twodays and it just rings out. What do Ido?

Shame you didn't look around this site or the relevant upcoming Constellation roll calls because you'd have found out all you need to know without the hassle. All the information is there and has been repeatedly posted by myself and others, with follow ups on our experiences...