Thats actually a good idea, i cant see them checking up on every single applicant.

Fact is they don't. I've done this many times when applying for tourist visas in other countries. I've never had exact addresses so I would just put down Holiday Inn .......... , Ramada ........ etc. There was a girl in the queue for a visa a few years ago and she was panicking about having forgotten the name/address of her hotel... I suggested put down Hilton, Mumbai. Worked!

Well Fiona just read your post (no surgeries in Glasgow and Dundee) and it looks like there is going to be another fiasco with the issuing of visa's, this may just tip me over the edge to change my holiday plans for Christmas if there are no surgeries.

I know I had a go about them (visa surgeries) last year but if you look back the thing that is most important is that you are in possession (albeit in a fashion when its put on the table to be stamped) of your passport when obtaining you visa and its not floating about in the post.

I don't know if any other HT'ERS have visited the Indian website yet and seen what we are in for, might be jumping the gun a bit but somehow I don't think so when you are dealing with the Indian set ups/organisation's, Fred Karno's springs to mind?

Will be interesting to view the first applications, I await with baited breath and a wish of good luck to "ALL" who will be first to apply for there visa's....jxk8

I don't think they are doing visa surgeries- definitely not in Scotland anyway

As far as i know it's still business as usual at Rose St. Will report back.

hmmm
I'm getting more and more fed up. How many people are going to find it easy to return 2 days later- not many. My OH needs his passport for his work- we cant afford weeks on end with no passport. ( I still haven't forgotten Sleeps problem this last season)
For us, it will mean him having 2 trips to Edinburgh this time but I can't see that he is going happy to have to keep doing this everytime we want to go away. How many other people will this put off I wonder?
Nobody has bothered yet to reply to my emails I sent.

Fiona,

I agree, I just filled in the form and printed it out. I'm not actually going to go in for another month or so.

I think the whole thing is a bit of a farce. I think the online form is ambiguous... 2 Indian referees for a tourist holiday visa! I actually had a look in my wallet for bus' cards for 2 'friends' in Goa and just used them. Also who has the exact address, phone number AND Post code of their hotel?

Certainly the new office looks more organised when I visited with seating for about 80 people and aircon', much better.

Also the fee is up to £39.50

This is plain crazy.
What do people do if they do not know which hotel they'll be staying in, say if they went to an un named hotel in North Goa.

I will have the same problem.My wife never knew who her father was,so what do we do.It looks like we will have to make one up which is ridiculous.

Fiona , VFS never replied to any of my e-mails either, it was after constantly phoneing them that we eventually managed to get through and get our questions answered. Seems it is either " teething problems for the new system or they can't be bothered"

jcbrum , I wish you all the best with your wife's application. As for us we just fed up with obstacles being put in by the IHC , Firstly last years fiasco and now this.

Fiona, can we put this latest info on a new thread with a heading of "Latest Visa Info" as some of our HT'ers may not tune in on this thread regularly....jxk8

As someone said before if you don't know the information make it up , who is going to follow this up. Its not the best way , but if you don't know your parents details, make them up, you are not breaking any laws and there is no way that the Indian Govt. can access your personal details.

If needs must,do it, they can only refuse. This is purely a paper excercise and you are not breaking any law of the UK ,(that I am aware of), and I doubt of India.

These are just the usual obstacles, something new every year.

As someone said before if you don't know the information make it up

I was certainly confused by the online form and some of the information that HAD to be filled in. I certainly got 'warnings' saying certain mandatory boxes had to be filled in and yes POSTCODE was one of them. What tour operator actually gives you the postcode. I did manage to get through the whole IT online experience and printed out my app'. I would certainly say that this is going to make life difficult for a lot of people... expect a lot of problems. Get your VISA early!

IT stands for Intense Torture

Johnsq what youve been told I think is ridiculous, and to think youve been a frequent visitor to Goa in the past. Its total nonesence.
Neil, thanks for the info on the Edinburgh consulate because thats the one we need to use as well. However, I will not be travelling thru from Glasgow and then returning 2 days later to collect it that is a stupid and unaccommodating set up. I might have to look at a postal application which I am loathe to do. I take it postal applications are still allowed?
Neil, if I hand in my application and payment at Rose Street would it be ok for return several weeks later? That would be a better option rather than travelling thru in the nightmare traffic within a 2 days timescale.

Gemma
we will have to do a return journey from Aberdeen, which is just ridiculous but not everyone can lose their passports for weeks on end.

Exactly Fiona, the whole situation is ludicrous.
I so dont want to do a postal application as well. What a mess!!! As per usual!!!!

I have e-mailed VFS global a few times now and not had a reply, my query was concerning postal applications as they no longer do the local surgeries.
on their site it says that if you if you dont supply a special delivery envelope(SDE) VSF can arrange for one at a nominal charge of £7.40 and that they will return two passports in this envelope, what i wanted to know was would i have to pay this per application....it can all be very confusing.

The other query was just how soon can i apply for a visa before i fly out because when i went via the surgery they would not take your application till at least 10 days prior.

Neil, if I hand in my application and payment at Rose Street would it be ok for return several weeks later? That would be a better option rather than travelling thru in the nightmare traffic within a 2 days timescale.

That I don't know. I have submitted my application electronically but have not actually gone in with it as I am not travelling till Nov. I suppose I could get a visa now as I will not be going again this year. I do think that would be possible though.

I would suggest however that everyone applies early as it will be chaotic come November. There's a long discussion on India Mike about the whole eVisa thing.

The main problem is if you fill in the online form wrong.. there is no online help or phone help!!!

If you think this is bad try applying for a tourist visa to China, a friend of mine had to make 3 visits to the Embassy here in Edinburgh, or if you need a US visa to do any work (paid, unpaid or charity) you have to attend an interview in London!

Seems like every country is tightening up and the India case is most definately getting back on the UK restrictions on Indian workers.

Out of curiosity i phoned one of our local surgeries (the one i usualy applied my visa through) and was told that there is NO change and CAN get my visa through them at a cost of £50 this includes the visa fee and rest for their charity.