Consulate General of India - Edinburgh

Answer 1:-  Indian visa becomes valid from the date of its issue.  It would therefore be advisable to apply for it nearer the time of your departure to India.  In your case, you may apply with one of the Indian diplomatic mission in South Africa which would be convenient to you.  We have our diplomatic mission in Pretoria and posts in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.  You may also consult the website of our High Commission of India, Pretoria, viz. www.india.org.za

Question 2:-  I will be in Edinburgh from November 30 through December 18.  I am a US citizen with a U.S. Passport.  I am traveling and need to apply for a Business Visa for my upcoming visit to India in December this year after my stay in Edinburgh.  I currently hold a  Tourist Visa for India and need this Business Visa for my upcoming trip.

Answer 2:-  One of the conditions of the Indian visa is that the purpose of visit to India cannot be changed.  If we affix another Business visa on your passport, it will mean that you would be holding two valid visas simultaneously.  This also is not admissible under our rules.  Therefore, you may have to get your present tourist visa cancelled and obtain another business visa.  In this case, for your subsequent visits you may obtain a long term business visa from the Indian diplomatic mission/post in the USA which will also permit you to involve in tourism apart from doing business activities.

Question 3:-  I want to know if I can apply while I am in Edinburgh rather than in the US since I am traveling outside of the US at the moment and am hoping that I can make the application while I am in Edinburgh.  If this is possible how long does it take to process the application?

Answer 3:-  Yes, you can apply in Edinburgh.  However, you will have to pay an extra fees of  £10 and it will take at least a week to process your visa.

Question 4:- I am a British citizen and my wife is a Seychelles citizen.  She is living with me here on a spouse visa.  We are planning a holiday to India in July.  Can she apply for an Indian tourist visa in the UK with her spouse visa?

Answer 4:-  Yes.  Your wife, who is a Seychelles citizen, can apply for visa to visit India.  She can submit her visa application with us.

Question 5:-  My family and I are planning a visit to Kerala in March/April.  When should we apply  for our tourist visas?  I have noted that they are valid from date of issue and I don't want to apply too early or too late.  Can we apply by post?  If so, is it the same form that our travel agent has sent for the London High Commission?

Answer 5:-  You have correctly noted that the Indian visa is valid from its date of issue and that you should not apply for it too early or too late.  You can apply for visa by post also.  The detailed procedure is explained in the relevant section of our website.  You may download our visa application from this website.

Question 6:-  I am a non-UK citizen.  I have been informed that it will take about a week to issue a visa for me to enter India.  As I have a lot of traveling to do in the weeks before my scheduled departure to India it is not possible for me to be without my passport for that length of time.  If I attend the Consulate in person with the completed application form, fee and passport, is it possible that the necessary information could be copied from my passport and an official photocopy taken at that stage so I can retain my passport?

Answer 6:-  You can submit your application along with the required fees and documents.  We will make a photocopy of your passport or note its particulars to start our visa process and in a week's time you may resubmit the passport for affixing necessary visa.

Question 7:-  I am in the process of filing in my visa application.  Since I am a Belgian citizen living in the UK I am required to provide proof of residence in this country for a minimum of one year.  I wonder what documents are acceptable - Council tax form?  Utility bills?  Bank statements?

Answer 7:-  Utility (Electricity, Gas or Water) bills would be the most suitable documents to be submitted as proof of continued residency. 

Question 8:-  I have a five year visa which was issued by you last year.  My passport has just been reissued by the British Passport Agency who is stating they are unable to transfer my five year visa to the reissued passport.  They are advising that I travel with two passports, one that is current and the second one which has expired and has a valid 5 year visa for India.  Please confirm this is acceptable for entry into India.

Answer 8:-  The British Passport Agency has no authority to transfer your Indian visa on to your reissued British passport.  The two passports - the expired as well as the reissued - will have to be submitted to us along with a filled-in Visa Transfer form which can be downloaded from our website) and necessary fee for the visa to be transferred to your new passport.

Question 9:-  I am applying for a Business Visa and have a letter from the company in India whom I am going to visit, as well as my own company whom I represent.  The letter of invite was sent to me from the Indian company via a fax.  Is a fax an acceptable document when applying for a Business Visa, or do I need to have the original letter.

Answer 9:-  The letter of invite sent from the Indian company via fax will be an acceptable document for issue of Business Visa.

Question 10:-  I have a few queries in regards to my tourist visa application: (a)  Am I able to submit an application in person for both myself and my partner?, (b) Is the Visa application processed on the day, or do we have to leave our passport with the CGI?, (c) We leave for Goa on the 9th December, do we have enough time to apply for a visa?, (d) As I am not a UK resident, am I able to submit an application for a visa on my Australian passport?

Answer 10:- The answers to your queries are:  (a)  Yes, you can submit applications in person for both yourself and your partner. (b) In case of UK citizens, the visa application is normally processed on the day - the visa applications along with passports are accepted in the morning and the visas delivered in the afternoon. (c) As the validity of the Indian visa starts from the date of its issue, it is advisable to apply nearer the time of one's departure for India.  However, applications of those who are non-UK citizens, take longer to process. (d) As you are not a UK resident, you can submit an application for a visa on your Australian passport.  However, as mentioned in (c), it would take one week to process your visa application.

Question 11:- I am going traveling around South Asia next year.  I fly in to Delhi on 28 February but I do not have a ticket out of India.  I do however have a return flight to the UK booked from Singapore on 27 July 2007.  I wonder if you can tell me whether this will be sufficient for me to enter India or will I have trouble with Immigration?

Answer 11:-  We do not foresee any 'trouble' with Immigration on this score.  However, as you will be purchasing another ticket for your travel out of India, you will be subject to any other regulations relating to purchase of air tickets by foreigners.

Question 12:- I am a Canadian citizen, living in the UK.  I am hoping to go to India in January for three weeks.  Can I apply for my tourist visa at the Indian Consulate here in Edinburgh?  And what documentation would I need besides my passport with my current UK working holiday visa in it?  Or do I need to send my passport and application over to Canada to get it done there?

Answer 12:- You are most welcome to apply for visa at the Consulate General of India, Edinburgh.  Other details can be checked at our website.

Question 13:- I want to travel to India for few IT courses which are of full relevance to my field of study.I will be grateful if you could furnish me with all the required information as soon as you can?

Answer 13:-  According to Government of India regulation the requirement for grant of student visa are as follows:

     (i)   Proof of admission to a course in a recognised/approved educational institution in India.

     (ii)  'No Objection Certificate'from Ministry of Health in case of admission in a medical or paramedical course and Department of Education in case of graduate or post-graduate studies in an engineering / technical institute in India.

     (iii) Satisfactory evidence of financial support.

Question 14:- I am traveling to Goa (India) on the 4th December for 2 weeks traveling home on the 19th December 2006 and my passport runs out on the 17th July 2007.I have been told that you need at least 6 months on your passport before it expires. will my passport be ok or will i need a new one.

Answer 14:- As you will be traveling to India on 4 December for 2 weeks and you would be leaving India on 18/19 December, and your passport would run out only on the 17th July 2007,you would be absolutely comfortable with 6 months visa on your existing passport.   To illustrate this, even if you obtain your 6 months visa as late as 3 December 2006,it will be valid until 2 June 2007 which is well within the expiry date of 17 July 2007 of your passport.

Question 15:- I have checked your site for tourist visas. it does not say how long it is valid from the date of issue? Also if require Tourist Visas for 2 Visits in a year (both visits lasting 15 to 35 days each), what are the costs?

Answer 15:-We have the following Note below the Visa Schedule in the Visa Services section of our website:

"Please note that the duration for which a particular visa is issued will depend on the circumstances of the applicant. For example, the duration of a Business Visa will depend on the nature of business activity of a particular applicant.Similarly,there are conditions for issue of long Term Visa upto 5 years. The duration of an Employment Visa is also subject to certain conditions.

"PLEASE NOTE THAT VALIDITY OF VISA STARTS FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE AND NOT FROM THE DATE OF TRAVEL TO INDIA".

The Visa fee (cost) depends on the type and validity of a particulat visa and is not related to the number of entries/visits to India during the validity of a visa.

Question 16:-I have received conflicting advice regarding our visa, which is dated 24.10.06-23.04.07.I have been told that we are required to have entered India within the first 3 months of the visa and also that we can enter at any time during the validity of the visa?

Answer 16:-As your visas are valid from 24.10.06-23.04.07,you can travel at any time during this period. However, you would have to leave India before the expiry date of the visa, viz 23.04.07.

Question 17:-My husband and I wish to visit India around the end of March 2007 we will then continue with our travels and return to India in mid April 2007 before catching our flight home from India. how long before we fly to India can we get a visa? Is it possible to get the visa in January even though we aren't traveling until March and will need it to last until April? If it is not possible to get the visa in January would we be able to get it in February, or should we wait until early March? 

Answer 17:-Our tourist visa is valid for six months from the date of its issue. In case you are issued your visa, let us say, on 15 January 2007,this visa will be valid upto 15 July 2007,and therefore, you can visit India form end of March 2007 to mid April 2007.

Question 18:- I am a British Citizen, born in Britain with a full British passport. My wife and I are planning a holiday in India for the end of March this year. I have looked at the web site to establish visa requirements. the application form requires the names and addresses of two referees in India. we do not know anyone resident in India and would appreciate your help on how to solve this problem with regard to obtaining a visa.

Answer 18:-The two referees in India can be the name and address of the hotel/place you would be staying at and/or the name and address of the institution/individual who would be hosting you. The 'referee' can also be a tour agent looking after your internal travels in India or,even,the British High Commission in New Delhi.

Question 19:-I'm going on holidays to India for 7 weeks, from 15th March to 3rd May 2007,and I already bought the ticket. I have a Venezuelan passport and I have permanent residence in Great Britain. My passport is valid until the 22nd June 2007.I have been trying to get a new passport but at present, the Venezuelan Consulate don't have any and it seems, it would take a while before they get some. Do you think would be possible to get a tourist visa with my present passport? The type of air flight ticket I bought, can not be exchanged in any way or get the money back. I would appreciate very much your help.

Answer 19:-It is mandatory requirement that your passport should be valid at least for six months at the time of applying for visa.

Question 20:-My husband and I are planning a round the world trip. We will be leaving UK on 3rd April 2007.We would like to travel to Delhi on 18th December 2007 until 23rd December 2007 before traveling back to the UK.Can you advise the best way for us to get visa's for this trip as we will not be back in the UK before 23rd December 2007.We will be flying to Delhi from Hong Kong having spent some time traveling around the Far East.

Answer 20:-Indian visa becomes effective form its date of issue.Therefore,it would be advisable for you to apply for your visa nearer the time of your departure to India. You may therefore apply for Indian visa when you are in Hong Kong.Normally,it would take one week for the Indian diplomatic mission/post to process your visa.

Question 21:-I am an Australian and Italian citizen and need to apply for a 90-day tourist visa for India leaving on the 15th of March. Is it possible to obtain this Visa in Edinburgh with either my Italian or Australian passport, and if so, how many days does it take to process?

Answer20:-It would take one week to process your visa.

Question 22:-I am going on holiday to India at Easter and am about to send my Visa application off. Do I need to have two referees for the India section? at the bottom of the application form) Or is one ok.

Answer 22:-One 'Referee' would also be ok.The 'referee' can be the name and address of a hotel where you will be staying in India. It can also be the name of the tour agent who would be taking care of your internal travel in India. You can also write 'C/O British High Commission, New Delhi'.

Question 23:-I would like to check that the £30 tourist visa gives a six month stay from date of issue, and am also unsure what to do about referees in India, is this part of the form needed? I would also like to know if there is any way of getting an extended visa. 

Answer 23:-The maximum validity of our tourist visa is six months and it starts for the date of its issue. There is no system at present of getting an 'extended visa'. The two referees in India can be the name and address of the hotel/place you would be staying at and/or the name and address of the institution/individual who would be hosting you. The 'referee' can also be a tour agent looking after your internal travels in India or,even,the British High Commission in New Delhi.

Question 24:-I'm an European citizen living in Edinburgh for the last 4 years, I'm going to travel to India in June and I'd like to know if I can work in India under a tourist VISA.

Answer 24:-Tourist visa is granted for tourism purposes. The purpose cannot be changed on arrival in India.Therefore,in short, a tourist visa will not entitle you to work in India.

Question 25:-We have 4 people who require an Indian Visa-they are visiting on 28th February till 3rd March. Can you please advise on the following:-

• This can be done in Edinburgh we Don't have to go to London for this?? 
• Do we need to make an appointment
• How do we pay, cash or cheque?  
• What are the fees?
• Do they need paid individually or can they be paid as a group?
• Is it ok for a third party person to come with all documents or are the individuals required to attend?
• Do you need a letter to confirm any of this?        

Answer 25:-The replies to your queries are as follows:-

       * This can be done in Edinburgh we don't have to go to London for this?

            This can be done in Edinburgh also

       * Do we need to make an appointment

             No. Our Visa counter is open from 9.30am to 12.30pm for collection of applications and from 4.00pm to 5.00pm for collection of visas.

       * How do we pay, cash or cheque? 

             In cash or through postal orders drawn in favour of the Consulate General of India, Edinburgh

       * What are the fees?

             £30 for a tourist visa for six months    

       * Do they need paid individually or can they be paid as a group?

             Can be paid as a group but individual receipts will be issued.

       * Is it ok for a third party person to come with all documents or are individuals required to attend?

             Can be brought by a third party.However,the applicants should be residents in Scotland. The applications can also be sent by post.However,in case of postal application an additional  fee of £1 per application is charges for processing the postal orders.

       * Do you need a letter to confirm any of this?

             No