Visa for India

Hi, we are on the QE segment which includes India in early April. Apparently, we need a double entry visa. Does anyone have experience of obtaining this? Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks Sandie

Hi, we are on the QE segment which includes India in early April. Apparently, we need a double entry visa. Does anyone have experience of obtaining this? Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks Sandie

I had to get one last year. It cost £75 and I wasn't even bothering to get off the ship. I used to be air cabin crew and have been to India many many times. You can get companies to apply for visas for you and handle your passport. If I can find the information I will let you know.

We have just applied for ours as we are on the HK to Dubai sector. We've used CIBT. If you go down this route, follow the link from the voyage personaliser. It's multi entry rather than double entry that's needed. The process involves an online application to the India High Commission, printing off the submission, completing paper forms for CIBT and sending both sets of forms to CIBT. We chose to do this rather than going to a centre in person as we live quite a way away from one and husband works away so this was the easiest option for us albeit an expensive one especially as India has never been on our bucket list!! Good luck!

i have dealt with CIBT... Visa Central. Their service is good, and i expect my passport to be arriving tomorrow ( with my China and India visas) ----

B U T

you must very carefully EXAMINE their statements about what they have charged you. I had overcharges in several categories..... 30$ for a new passport

( which i did not need or order or get) 45$ for "rush" china visa ( which i did not request, as i am doing all of this W A Y early.) -- and $36.75 for

inter-office fee/ fed-ex overnight fee---- because they had to do the india

visa in one city, and the china visa in another city.

When i called them about this--- they did credit my CC with the 3 incorrect charges. BUT--- Be Watchful.

i guess they figure people won't pay attention (???) and just let these overcharges slip by ????

Hi Sandie

We are on the same leg to Dubai from Singapore and have just completed our application online and have an appointment onMonday to hand over the passports as we are a bit nervy about losing sight of them.

It is easy enough to complete the forms, the Indian referee needed is the port agent and your TA will get you that name from Cunard. Ask for a 6 month visa multiple entry.

This is the site, the Indian consulate have outsourced it to VFS.

vfs global indian visa application

You can post your application as well.Or there is an application centre in Manchester and they will check your form for you.

We used VFS Global as well, very efficient.

Thanks everyone for you ur help. Jo-b - we don't live very far from you - Great Sutton - where do you go to with your passports please? Sandie

Hi

Are you going just on the cruise or are you doing it as part of a tour?

There is a VFS office in Liverpool we are going Monday morning to hand over the forms and passports. They then post them back to you using a secure courier.

And you also need different size photos than for UK documents. The photo booths in Sainsbury's have a facility to do these £7 each!!

Appointments were available from the next day, and you need to make an appointment each.

Indian Visa and Consular Application Centre

The Corn Exchange,

Room 323, 3rd Floor

Fenwick Street

Liverpool

L2 7QL

Working Hours: 08:30-15:30 with appointments only.

All applicants must book an appointment before attending to submit their applications for Visa and Other services.

Mode of payment accepted: Postal Order (payable to VF Services UK), all major credit cards (except American Express & Diners Card), Demand/Banker’s Draft, only. We do not accept personal or company cheques & cash in this centre

Just to confirm what jo-b has posted. Do make sure you press the correct button in the photo booth for 'VISA photo' and not passport style. . :)

You'll have a wasted application.

Visited the VFS Liverpool office yesterday morning, my appt was 11am OH 11.15. It said not to go earlier than 10 minutes before your set time. We got there at 10.50am and were back outside by 11am!

Very helpful, checked the forms, took the money and that was that. They did change the 6 month request to 12 months as it was the same price.

Hope you get yours sorted Sandie.

We fly to Sydney to join QM2 to Southampton, so needed visas for India and China. I was hoping to keep things cheaper so chose to arrange them myself but really it has been a nightmare. You can do it yourself, but I wouldn't really wish this on anyone! Wading through (seemingly) contradictory instructions... Anyhow my experience was that if you follow the instructions to the letter and the photo is perfect (whatever that is) then India was a breeze. I expected them to cogitate on my application for days on end, but in reality they returned my passport by courier within 48 hours. I still feel a little resentful though. It's like some countries have an attitude of: how much grief can we get away with causing people, presumably for some obscure political reason.

One important thing: I did NOT need to attend in person. I was going in circles over whether I post the application or whether I need an appointment, but my understanding is they cancelled the new rule about personal attendance quite suddenly. I did need to make the appointment on line (yet more smoke and mirrors) as part of the process, but I posted the application to them by special delivery on a Monday and on Wed morning the passport came back all done. I then tried to cancel the appointment but their system just said no changes allowed. Anyhow, I got the visa.

China however left me fuming. Fortunately I applied just before the Jan 2016 fee increase, albeit I didn't know about it til after the event (~150% increase), but although the fees are specific and published they overcharged us about 50%. I was mad over this! But what can I do? Foreign jurisdiction/law they can take me for a ride if they like and that's what they did. If I complain and ask for refund will they just cancel my visa?! So I have to take it on the chin. Be very careful with China. For my part, if I buy anything electronic on hol I will not shop in China but choose Singapore instead - Their loss.

Finally, remember that you have to apply for visas within certain time-frames, you can't just apply when you like, ie early as possible. Oh, that would be far too easy. Aagh.

Dominic (and Mike)

Hi outlawuk

I am also going to do the segment on the QM2 that includes India, and we too have been having huge problems trying to work out the very complex visa system. I have a couple of questions if you wouldnt mind answering?

-How much did you pay for your visa per person?

-

I am seeing figures of £100+ and it seems so steep considering we are only visiting india for 1 day!

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

kate

Hi Kate

We paid £251 for 2 including secure postage back to us. They arrived this morning so 5 day turnaround.

You need multiple entry as we visit two places Chennai & Cochin, if you are on the same leg as us. The visa lasts for a year as now the 6 month and 12 month are the same price.

Just look on it as a tourist tax!

We used CIBT as my husband works away so this seemed the easiest option. We also live a fair way away from the nearest centre so I would have needed to take a day's unpaid leave. The cost however is high for the convenience of not having to attend an interview and we paid £443 for the 2 visas. They arrived today so we are all set for our trip on the QE on the 30th March. India has never been on our bucket list but suffice to say after paying that amount, we will certainly be getting off in both ports!

Hello Kate,

BTW, sorry I was letting off steam.

India: was £72 each for a double-entry visa.

You start the application on the Indian Government website, then when ready to submit it they refer you to their agency, but not an expensive private agency. I then completed info on their website, printed off the form (which was also submitted to them electronically). Then I posted it to them. They then referred it all to the Indian High Commission (what a faff) who sent it back to them, who sent it back to me. But all inside 3 days.

China: should have been £84, but they increased the fee from 11th Jan 2016 to £175. They sent my visas back to me before the increase, yet charged £120 each. See my problem! £120 isn't published anywhere and they obviously made it up.

I wanted to do this myself because the India visa via an agency can cost about £200 and I thought...'mmm...surely it can't be that hard'.

Well it was fiddly but you can do it. But I had a headache.

Regards, Dominic

Hi Kate

 

We paid £251 for 2 including secure postage back to us. They arrived this morning so 5 day turnaround.

 

You need multiple entry as we visit two places Chennai & Cochin, if you are on the same leg as us. The visa lasts for a year as now the 6 month and 12 month are the same price.

 

Just look on it as a tourist tax!

Hi Jo-b

I've downloaded a sample form to ensure I have all the necessary info to hand before I complete the on-line form. I've obtained the Indian 'Reference', but I'm not sure about the UK 'Reference' - is this the cruise company, the TA or just a friend?

And what did you include under the heading 'Address of Place of Stay/Hotel?

Many hanks for your help.

Neil

Hi Jo-b

 

I've downloaded a sample form to ensure I have all the necessary info to hand before I complete the on-line form. I've obtained the Indian 'Reference', but I'm not sure about the UK 'Reference' - is this the cruise company, the TA or just a friend?

And what did you include under the heading 'Address of Place of Stay/Hotel?

 

Many hanks for your help.

 

Neil

Hi Neil

We put my brother in law down as the UK reference after contacting CIBT for advice. For the Indian reference we put Cunard's port agent details. Sorry I can't help with the address of place/stay as I can't recall the question or what we put for the answer.

Hi

We are on the QM2 Singapore to Dubai leg of the World cruise January to May 2016.

We contacted CIBT and obtained the following contact details of the India Cochin port agent:

JM JBAXXI & Co,

24/1469 Subramanina Rd

Willingdon Island

Cochin

682003

Tel: 009104642667626

Agent in UK is a friend or family member.

Hope this helps

David and Julia

Hi Golfwidow100 and DavidandJulia

Many thanks for your help

Neil

Sorry to be late to the party! I left the address of place of stay blank. The sample form i downloaded was marginally different from the online version, which is also interactive so for some equations which boxes you get to fill in depend on the answer to a previous question.

Good luck!

Hi, we are on the QE segment which includes India in early April. Apparently, we need a double entry visa. Does anyone have experience of obtaining this? Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks Sandie

Can I take the liberty of inviting all cruisers on QM2 Singapore to Dubai April 5th to join the roll call for that sailing it seems we all have similar problems with visas

Can I take the liberty of inviting all cruisers on QM2 Singapore to Dubai April 5th to join the roll call for that sailing it seems we all have similar problems with visas

Can you post a link, it must be me but Incant find a roll call for this segment of the RTW

Can you post a link, it must be me but Incant find a roll call for this segment of the RTW

you had a question about the visa for india--- i don't know which country you are from, but CUNARD tells us in the US to use VISA CENTRAL, a CIBT company for this service.

we used it, it works well--- B U T they pad the invoice dreadfully and you MUST watch your invoice if you use their services.

they do quickly refund the "errors" when its called to their attention.

~~~~ Good Luck to you---- however you pursue this task.

Hello SLHW.....Sandie,

We're from Poynton doing the same leg,went to the VFS office in Manchester on appointment for 0830 waited 15 minutes and out by 0900. No problems ,passports back in 5 days by post, All the posted advice for VFS application is good and cheaper than CIBT