emailed friends and they told me a local photographer took theirs for £5 for EACH photograph. The other couple did theirs by taking their own photograph and sending via the internet to photobox.co.uk and got them back 2 days later.

The prices quoted by high street stores are a lot more than I am prepared to pay.

So I googled

where to get indian visa photos

and found an online indian visa photo service who will do 4 photos for £5.50.

The down side is I will have to take my own photo and upload it onto the website and pay online.

The plus side is I will get 4 approved size indian visa photos for a fraction of the cost of high street camera stores

I dont think I am allowed to post a direct link so if any one is unable to find it, send me a PM

GM06
Ian

This is a update on what happened to the friend of mine who was having trouble getting a visa out from Dublin Embassy.
They ended up making contact via the fax number I had posted earlier.
Caught a train to Dublin at 5am on Thursday morning, and got to the embassy at 8:30ish. The embassy opened at 9:30am, and they had ther passport there waiting for her. Success! The visa wasn't placed properly (it was slightly out), but who cares. Friday afternoon she flew over to heathrow, and Saturday at 5am we flew over to Bangalore. Sunday night was the s---- (something beginning with S), then Monday was driving to the village where my friends family came from (7 hours by bus north of bangalore).

Tuesday - Wednesday was the wedding proper, which was truly magnificent. There were elephants, a silver chariot, horses, a marching band, dancers, some little people, and lots and lots of family... oh and food with no end!

Thursday was the bus back to bangalore, and Friday was shopping in Bangalore along with sight-seeing (Tippus Palace, Bangalore Palace, Cave Temple, Bull Temple, Botanical Gardens, Mango fair, and some other stuff I can't remember!)

Saturday was the flight back, and 21 hours later I got home....

One of the hotels we stayed at (Villa Pottipati) was fantastic, a great 19th century colonial mansion converted to a hotel... the chain even has a 14th century fort!

How far in advance can you get your visas done?

We're going back at the end of January 2012, sadly only for 14 nights
I'd like to get them done as early as possible, as I always tend to leave them right till the death.

I would wait a while.
You will see that some get long visas and some short term.
As you can't guarantee what you will get I would wait till December.

We go early January each year and send for visas at the beginning of November.Have always got a 6 month visa,but you just never know!

November sounds good, cheers

Anyone heard of new rules on filling in visa application forms: i.e Past education and places visited in last 10 years???

costco now do the correct size photos for the visa

Just took this article from yesterdays Goan Voice newapaper,looks good news on the yearly visa,but still only 180 days max. no mention of 3 month visa.

Without fanfare, the Government of India has increased the maximum length of the tourist visa from six to twelve months multi-entry. The maximum permitted stay for each visit continues to be 180 days per visit. The restriction of 2 months between two visits to India remains. Visa. The cost of the 12 month visa is £61.24 inc. VAT. Full Text.

Anyone heard of new rules on filling in visa application forms: i.e Past education and places visited in last 10 years???

No I have not heard anything. I have to admit when i first read your post I thought it was a wind up

Where did you hear/read about it?

GM06
Ian

GM06 Ian wrote:

Where did you hear/read about it?

Friends who go every year for 6 months, had a look at website and said that was the situation.

Yes those questions are on there. You can download a copy for your information when you are filling in the one on line but it is different !!!!! typical.

Education question - you do not have to put your education qualifications on as such - it is a multiple choice question and not really UK answers, sounds American so Higher Secondary is the nearest to UK secondary school I would imagine - just tick it.

Cities visited in India - there are 2 lines to type them in and you can put what you like until you run out of space or just Goa if that is the only place you have been. They don't know that you have been to Mumbai etc unless they check every Hotel there.

Another question is how many Countries visited in last 10 years? - again put as many or as less as you want - friends started in Europe and did not get as far as the places they have visas for - eg Australia and China etc. but do include India if you have been before.

Please be aware of one thing - there is a Calendar on there where you put the date of entry into India (like the one you use on a travel website to pick your flight date - a box with an arrow to move the month) it is very slow and it makes you think you have to type the date in but NO you have to wait (ages) until it moves.

It is not hard to fill in - when you get to the bottom of the page READ and RE-READ your answers before you click to move onto the next page.
Do not forget to print the Declaration page.

If you think of anything else just ask.

Split - "Without fanfare, the Government of India has increased the maximum length of the tourist visa from six to twelve months multi-entry."

Didn't know they had ever stopped them - never had anything less.

Thanks waterproof for that information. We don't usually have any problems with the visa's, just wondered what was happening when it was mentioned of the change!! Again!!

waterproof wrote:

Split - "Without fanfare, the Government of India has increased the maximum length of the tourist visa from six to twelve months multi-entry."

Didn't know they had ever stopped them - never had anything less.

Hi Waterproof, yes you are correct they have extended them to a year now, but the threat that they were going to limit the stay here to only 3 months in one go then have to leave for 2 months before re entering was the point of posting it on here.there were also several people posted on here, that wanted six month visas and only got given three.

HEEEELLLPPPP!!!

I am helping a friend to fill in her Visa Application...she is going the middle of next month, the new form seems slightly different to the ones we have filled in...she is having problems with the following;

She was born in wales....where will she need to apply (lives in Kent now)?

Port of entry Chennai but she is departing from New Delhi (it will not let her add this)?

How quick are postal applications at this time? and what is the procedure if she goes in person to the Embassy?

Many Thanks in anticipation Trina -x-

Don't worry about the departure - it does not appear on the form when it is printed out.

About 5 - 7 days turn round for postal applications. (at the moment - June)

If it is postal it is Hayes - the address is on the form.
http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/postalapplication.html

hi Trina
its where she is resident that decides which office she can use not place of birth,postal applications now all go to same address