Indian Consulate for Visa

[Tricky]

Hi, Due to travel to India VERY soon! - Anyone ever been to the Indian Consulate in London and queued to get a counter service visa?

What was the queues like when you were there?

I know they have a ticket/token system and only accept people up to a certain time of day (08:30am to 10:30am) where as Birmingham accept people 08:30 through 12:30

London is more accessible by train for me whereas Brum I'd probably drive (200 miles each way)

[Charlie_Bubble]

Originally Posted by Tricky

Hi, Due to travel to India VERY soon! - Anyone ever been to the Indian Consulate in London and queued to get a counter service visa?

What was the queues like when you were there?

I know they have a ticket/token system and only accept people up to a certain time of day (08:30am to 10:30am) where as Birmingham accept people 08:30 through 12:30

London is more accessible by train for me whereas Brum I'd probably drive (200 miles each way)

Hmm, better take a look at this link and the pictures of the queue..... Ok, it's a few years old now, but do you really think they've got themselves a bigger place and a more efficient system?

[handyman]

My boss went to Birmingham a few months back and had to get there early to queue. I'd reccomend calling in 1st.

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by Charlie_Bubble

Hmm, better take a look at this link and the pictures of the queue..... Ok, it's a few years old now, but do you really think they've got themselves a bigger place and a more efficient system?

Great link and thanks this is ideal
I am planning going down night before and staying over so can just nip out of bed for a bit, queue, sort it out and then return to hotel for breakfast (or lunch)

[bopdude]

My brother used to d/l his visa from the net, I'll give him a call and find out what the crack is

[danielf]

You could consider using a Visa service.

e.g.: http://www.skylorduk.com/visa.htm

Normally, you post your passport to them, they go to the embassy for you, get the visa and post your passport back.

I've not used the service I linked to but have used similar service for chinese visa in the past. Mind, you may not want to send your passport off to an unknown company. It can be a bit of a gamble.

[bopdude]

Originally Posted by bopdude

My brother used to d/l his visa from the net, I'll give him a call and find out what the crack is

Sorry, even though you can d/l the forms, they still have to go to the embassy, happy queuing

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by danielf

You could consider using a Visa service.

e.g.: http://www.skylorduk.com/visa.htm

Normally, you post your passport to them, they go to the embassy for you, get the visa and post your passport back.

I've not used the service I linked to but have used similar service for chinese visa in the past. Mind, you may not want to send your passport off to an unknown company. It can be a bit of a gamble.

Yes, Seen number of these but I go in 2 weeks and I've yet to have jabs etc.!

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Tricky

Yes, Seen number of these but I go in 2 weeks and I've yet to have jabs etc.!

I see. You'd better get a move on then, as the consulate will probably take a couple of days (at least) to process your application.

[Tricky]

Should get a same day service hence reason for visit... I'll be the one in starbucks waiting working waiting for passport back!

[danielf]

Cool. Enjoy the trip. I've only been once (15 years ago) and found it a bit rough. This was my first time outside Europe though. I've hardened since

[Tricky]

Well the images in the link above were very correct

I turned up at 7.15 this morning, plan was to check the lay of the land then grab a muffin and Coffee at nearest Starbucks. When I got there there was probably 100+ already in the queue for the Visa office so I joined. within 30 minutes I couldn't see the end. At 8:30 the queue slowly shuffled forwards, by 9am I had 3 "Q-cards" to be seen at the office between 8:30 and 9:00am today!

So shuffled inside to a room with a number of booths (bank teller style) and a little LCD board saying what card number should goto which booth. Finally got to the window/teller at 9:30 handed my forms over x3, £30x3 and was given a receipt and told "Window 1 in 1 hour" which is what everyone else was being told.

Decided I'd go get my breakfast and return, so left at 9:50 - Noticed still a huge Q of people still getting cards but no longer going in the building so i assume to return much later.

Went back at 10:45, stuggled my way into the building as the queue system had died all together, show my dodgy printed paper receipts to show I was collecting passport/visas and they let me in.

Got to Window 1 and there must have been 50 people scraping to get to the window. The bloke behind the counter was just shouting numbers and if that person was there they would pass their receipt over the crowd and the crowd would pass their passport back.

I was out by 11:20 with 3x Passports with Visas

An eye opener to say the least - roll on India next Monday!

Whereabouts in India are you going?

I have been to Mumbai and Pune, and it is a bit of a culture shock.

[Tricky]

bangalore & delhi
Expecting a HUGE shock

I would recommend this book Culture Shock

It's not in stock at Amazon, but your local Waterstones etc might have it in.

I have the 1998 version, and found it very useful.