Booked a last minute holiday to Goa (never been before) so had to get down to the Indian High Commission for the visas.
Got there at 8.40am to find a massive queue. Finally got a queue ticket then entered a waiting room which was as crowded as a tube train in the rush hour. Waited two hours to be seen then presented the passports, visa forms and proof of residence which was one month old - me thinking
'you can't argue with that'. Sadly I was wrong. I was told that because one of us is not a British national, I needed proof to show they were a residence for more than a year. I had not come across this condition anywhere in their documentation, but you can't argue, so went home, took another day off and returned the next day to go through the same wait, crush of people, etc. Finally saw someone again and presented the passports, etc but this time with three proofs of residence going back three years, only for the officer to push them back to me saying she didn't want to see them. I paid the money, then after a further one hour wait got the visa!
I'm not sure what to think. But after queuing in the cold, being shoved and prodded, waiting for hours then having to come back for a repeat only to find I didn't need to, I have to say the experience was unpleasant and expensive. I can only dread having to do this again if I ever go back to India. It was horrendous! What must it be like for those who are elderly, infirm or disabled? Mind you, after having the most wonderful of holidays, we discovered that Goa airport is run along the same lines - only ten times worse.
Come on India, you have a great country, but please make it easier for us poor visitors. A little more planning would make things immeasurably better.
I will go back without question as its so beautiful and enjoyable. I would like it to be soon, but could not go through this again in a hurry, so it will have to wait.
I don't mean this to be a gripe, and I know many of you will have different thoughts about this, but felt I would post my experience of the visa process as I found it, at least to make others aware of what is involved and what to expect.
Les