Had a little ‘oops’ on my Indian Visa application and I’m wondering of anyone who has applied recently will be able to help. I’m going for a week in April for a friend’s wedding. 😀

I’ve completed the online form, saved it and finalised it – I now can’t edit it. I’ve also paid the fee online.

I’ve applied for a tourist visa, for one month.

however I didn’t realise that the duration was for the time from issue – they don’t date it from your date of travel.

So since my form is saved and paid, I’m stuck – I might have to wait till March and submit it so that I can get in and out within the month! Obviously this is not ideal.

However https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/ seems to say that a Tourist Visa (type SI No. 1) is for a duration of 180 days. Will I get issued with a 6 month Visa regardless of my form?

Anyone with a clue would be great – I’ll end up phoning them tomorrow, which will probably be painful.

My dad always ends up going to the Indian embassy to sort his – he goes 2x a year or so, and has done for 38 years.
I think he only goes on tourist visa now, but usually it was business. He may also go *because* of his history in India and is not seen as ‘normal’ tourist…?

Call them? but as with all things Indian, be prepared for triplicate and misinformation.

Our tourist Visas for Goa were issued on 01/12/2011 & expire on 31/05/2012. I’m sure you’ll get a 6 month visa from date of issue.
That form is a complete ball ache & is one reason not to go to India!

(But wer’e still going back next year) 😆

Prepare for the most frustrating time of your life! VSF global who are the agents for all Indian visa applications are your first step in the painful thing that is Indian administration. You might have to go to the office that is stated as the closest to you(not the high commission anymore) . Always get a six monther as Im sure they are the same price. Im part Indian and really must get my long term visa sorted as every year I have to run the gauntlet of the VSF website for me +3. I’ve lost all the data several times after it was apparently saved….

Wev’e been 3 times & I’ve still to get the form filled in correctly straight off. 2nd time I had 2 trips to Birmingham to get it sorted. My fault entirely but you have to be spot on with the app.

Thanks for the replies, esp. regarding the 6-month minimum. I wanted to avoid a screw-up so cancelled the application and started again with a fine-toothed comb.

Fingers crossed I get it right and don’t have to make an unexpected trip to an High Commission.

I have square eyes now from that form, so I’m going for a lie-down.

I think they issue a 6month anyway,it really is pain in the arse,even worse now vsf are involved, but like esselgruntfuttock ,its well worth the visa gripes,have just returned from our 6 th time in goa,dont forget to sign under your photo at the top,and you will have to fill a entrance visa type thing on the plane ,so dont get too drunk on the free booze.

& make sure your photo’s are 2″ X 2″ & don’t forget to sign in all the proper places otherwise they’ll send your passports & app back!

For India its often worth paying a specialist to sort out the Visa…

you don’t need to pay someone (unless you dont’ have time) you just need to spend 2 weeks reading the website. are you police or media/journalist? If so you need extra evidence for your VISA! Being Police I had to get letter from boss saying I wasn’t there for a policing purpose. And £42 for a visa, money making scam if ever, of and surely India do not have a problem with illegal immigrants? Was quite surprised at how beauracratic the process was!

You should still be able to edit it, have you submitted it? that’s the question? I had a nightmare doing mine in January to go to MTB Kerala! it really isn’t a user friendly website! I discovered that I thought I had “completed” it but you can go on line and edit it.

Mine came through swiftly, posted on 23rd Dec it had arrived by 5th Jan or something all ready to rock, 6 month tourist visa. Good luck!!

PS we had a great holiday with Mike from MTB KErala, but wouldn’t go back to India. Thailand for me every time instead .. don’t need a visa there either!

Just goto the embassy.
View it as a learning experience.
Your first experience of indian beaurocracy.
It’ll help prepare you for the mentalness that is india. 🙂

Last time I went I applied and paid for a year visa and got a 6 month visa and getting my passport back involved a trip to the VSF office and about an hour of waiting for my passport back which and I quote I had not enclosed a pre-paid return envelope for hence I had to go and collect.

No prizes for guessing what it was handed back to me in when they eventually located it.