We weren't going to go back this winter either, for no other reason than wanting to see new places , however, when we weighed up our options it came down to 2 weeks in Costa Rica on a 3* hotel all inclusive package or 4 weeks in Goa for the same price DIY ( Marinha Dourada and Santana Beach).
The chance to escape 4 weeks of winter is more appealing than 2. Goa won.
Goa will continue to attract visitors as long as it provides what is expected of it. That means something different to each and everyone of us as we have seen from the comments so far.
India has other places to visit too. We spent a month touring Kerala in March and it has a lot of different things to offer compared to Goa. Scenically it is magnificent. There are far less western tourists than in Goa but it can be considerably more expensive depending on where you choose to stay. Knowing good value hotels and homestays is the key and information isn't as widely available as it is say here on the Goa HT forum.We used a local holiday company who did us proud but on average we were spending £80 a night for overnight accommodation. This ranged from a basic tent with food included, to homestays with full board and a range of varying quality hotels, where at the top of the range we had our own bungalow with a private garden on the edge of a lake. ( £140 per night B&B)
By comparison, Goa will cost me £32 per night B&B ( and would have been £28 if I had booked earlier, and as it turns out later !)
For value and quality Goa still cannot be beaten............... yet.
Glad you are going back! See you there. 
DaveWales
When will you be at Santana Beach..... 4 of us there from 11th Feb 2011 for 3 weeks
The Preacher
When will you be at Santana Beach..... 4 of us there from 11th Feb 2011 for 3 weeks
The Preacher
DaveWales
When will you be at Santana Beach..... 4 of us there from 11th Feb 2011 for 3 weeks
The Preacher
November/December so will be able to let you know all about it before you go !
just like wayne the pros win
We will be going back for another 6 or 7 months in October and intend to carry on doing it subject to the following
1.. Both of us are still alive
2.. Both of us are having fun and still enjoying been there
3.. We can get a visa
4.. Britain doesn't suddenly become a sub-tropical paradise or the pound quadruples in value
We had a fantastic time last year, made some great new friends went out partying most nights and eat like Kings 
we could afford to do it all on my pension 
...so long may it last
1.. Both of us are still alive
2.. Both of us are having fun and still enjoying been there
3.. We can get a visa
4.. Britain doesn't suddenly become a sub-tropical paradise or the pound quadruples in value
We had a fantastic time last year, made some great new friends
went out partying most nights and eat like Kings we could afford to do it all on my pension ...so long may it last
meagain wrote:We will be going back for another 6 or 7 months in October and intend to carry on doing it subject to the following
1.. Both of us are still alive
2.. Both of us are having fun and still enjoying been there
3.. We can get a visa
4.. Britain doesn't suddenly become a sub-tropical paradise or the pound quadruples in value
We had a fantastic time last year, made some great new friends
Great post meagain
and thats exactly the words we should have used in my earlier post as we are of the same opinion .
Meagain you may go for 6 months but not seven you have to leave after 180 days for 2 months out of India unless you have a magic x visa which are now only for Persons of Indian Origan.
The passports came back on Wednesday with one year business visa instead of the two year ones we normally get but they credited our bank account the difference in price, we do have to leave before 180 days but can return with no limitations....Magic
I'm curious how a pensioner gets a business VISA !
Hi DaveWales
I retired early and will not be 65 until next year (I can feel a party comeing on) but there is no age limit to been a director of a company in this county or India.
I retired early and will not be 65 until next year (I can feel a party comeing on) but there is no age limit to been a director of a company in this county or India.
I retired early and will not be 65 until next year (I can feel a party comeing on) but there is no age limit to been a director of a company in this county or India.
Thats really interesting, I am a company director and do tend to do a little business in India whilst I am there. Do you mind me asking what the cost of a business visa is?
Thats really interesting, I am a company director and do tend to do a little business in India whilst I am there. Do you mind me asking what the cost of a business visa is?
Here is a link that explains what you need to get the visa and the cost but we have not used their services
http://www.overseasbusinesstravel.co.uk/indianvisa.php
The main advantage is you can re-enter without waiting two months and you used to be able to get one for two years, if you can manage with a normal tourist visa it is a lot cheaper and easier but don't try setting up a business in India without having the proper visa
http://www.overseasbusinesstravel.co.uk/indianvisa.php
The main advantage is you can re-enter without waiting two months and you used to be able to get one for two years, if you can manage with a normal tourist visa it is a lot cheaper and easier but don't try setting up a business in India without having the proper visa
Meagain or anyone,
Advice required for a friend, maybe you will know the answer? My friend runs a guest house in Goa. Her 5 year visa is about to run out and she is in UK to renew it as I speak. She is a British passport holder and her parents are Goan born although I believe she herself was born in Kenya. She applied for PIO in India and as we know nothing there goes plain sailing ...... and it didn't! She has this week been refused a 5 year visa and refused a business visa and has only been allowed a 6 month tourist visa. She thinks she can renew this in Thailand so that she needn't return to UK in 6 months but I have told her I don't think this is possible anymore (I may be wrong here). Now the problems will arise of running a business on a tourist visa when she returns to Goa unless of course she has a bottomless pit of ready cash
a) I can't understand why she should have had a problem obtaining her PIO (she now hasn't time to deal with this while in the UK as she returns to Goa shortly (although personally I would MAKE the time to save having the hassle in Goa)
b) I can't understand why she can't get a 1 year (minimum) business visa either
Sorry, its just bare bones of info for you, but any ideas as to what she should be doing differently?? Don't think she expected all the hassle she has had specially as she is of Indian Origin.
Fizz
sorry if this is the wrong thread but on reading you got a 1 year business visa without too much trouble it made me wonder what she should be doing differently. As for pro's and con's - seems like anyone whether PIO or otherwise gets visa problems but we still go back regardless.
Advice required for a friend, maybe you will know the answer? My friend runs a guest house in Goa. Her 5 year visa is about to run out and she is in UK to renew it as I speak. She is a British passport holder and her parents are Goan born although I believe she herself was born in Kenya. She applied for PIO in India and as we know nothing there goes plain sailing ...... and it didn't! She has this week been refused a 5 year visa and refused a business visa and has only been allowed a 6 month tourist visa. She thinks she can renew this in Thailand so that she needn't return to UK in 6 months but I have told her I don't think this is possible anymore (I may be wrong here). Now the problems will arise of running a business on a tourist visa when she returns to Goa unless of course she has a bottomless pit of ready cash
a) I can't understand why she should have had a problem obtaining her PIO (she now hasn't time to deal with this while in the UK as she returns to Goa shortly (although personally I would MAKE the time to save having the hassle in Goa)
b) I can't understand why she can't get a 1 year (minimum) business visa either
Sorry, its just bare bones of info for you, but any ideas as to what she should be doing differently?? Don't think she expected all the hassle she has had specially as she is of Indian Origin.
Fizz
sorry if this is the wrong thread but on reading you got a 1 year business visa without too much trouble it made me wonder what she should be doing differently. As for pro's and con's - seems like anyone whether PIO or otherwise gets visa problems but we still go back regardless.
Hi Fizzy, I think your friend may only get a 3 month visa in Thailand, if a visa is granted, and she would still be subject to the 2 month out of the country rule.
If your friend can provide sufficient documentation then she should apply for PIO in the UK but it will take about 4 weeks and she will be without her passport during this time. An OCI is for life so works out better value for money but takes around 4 months. The passport doesn't have to be handed over until after the OCI is granted so that the sticker can be put into the passport. This can be applied for by post.
Don't necessarily go by the list of documentation required on the HCI website. Throw whatever proof you have got at them, the more, the better. Indian passports, even photocopies, of parents and grandparents will go a long way.
If your friend can provide sufficient documentation then she should apply for PIO in the UK but it will take about 4 weeks and she will be without her passport during this time. An OCI is for life so works out better value for money but takes around 4 months. The passport doesn't have to be handed over until after the OCI is granted so that the sticker can be put into the passport. This can be applied for by post.
Don't necessarily go by the list of documentation required on the HCI website. Throw whatever proof you have got at them, the more, the better. Indian passports, even photocopies, of parents and grandparents will go a long way.
Hi Fizzy
I can't really help you, the visa people are a law unto themselves and you must make sure they have all the right info and letters when you apply but I also think you can give to much info and that can confuse them, they then seem to fall back into safe mode and will only give you the minimum
I don't know if there is an appeal system but I would recommended she contacts the Embassy but make sure she has the two letters required for the business visa and I would leave getting PIO status until next time if she does not already have it. The only other thing is leave it alone and apply again when the tourist visa runs out
We used to do a lot of unpaid voluntary work for a Indian charity and thought it might help to mention it on the visa application, big mistake, we was threaten with prosecution for working without a permit and on a tourist visa, it took 3 months, lots of letters and phone calls to get our passports back with only a 3 month single entry visa
I can't really help you, the visa people are a law unto themselves and you must make sure they have all the right info and letters when you apply but I also think you can give to much info and that can confuse them, they then seem to fall back into safe mode and will only give you the minimum
I don't know if there is an appeal system but I would recommended she contacts the Embassy but make sure she has the two letters required for the business visa and I would leave getting PIO status until next time if she does not already have it. The only other thing is leave it alone and apply again when the tourist visa runs out
We used to do a lot of unpaid voluntary work for a Indian charity and thought it might help to mention it on the visa application, big mistake, we was threaten with prosecution for working without a permit and on a tourist visa, it took 3 months, lots of letters and phone calls to get our passports back with only a 3 month single entry visa
Thanks for your ideas Meagain and KatieP. I'll be speaking to my friend again soon so I will pass on your suggestions. Quite a worry though, just hope she isn't going back to huge problems. I believe her parents own the guest house. Fizz
Why do most of the posts on here end up about something else ?...visas, whos going where ?,when are you going ? etc. Im sure there are plenty of posts for these questions or why not just PM them
Rant over
Rant over
I can see your point Noggin and you are correct we should not wander away from the the OP but we are only poor weak humans, just trying to help each other
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