# India Visa



## justforus (Jul 28, 2008)

Hi Folks,
My birthday is in the middle of Ramadan and I feel the need to escape. Where do I get a visa from, how much does it cost, and how long does it take to process? Or...is there somewhere cheaper to fly to that I haven't thought about? Found flights for 2390 for two of us.
Ta


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Indian Embassy.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

How about Thailand or Malaysia - no visa needed.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Where exactly are you planning on going to, in India? If it's not Goa or Kerala, don't bother going for a short break. Like Wandabug said, Thailand or Malaysia would be a much better option...Thailand especially!


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

As for the Indian visa, the Embassy or Consulate do not accept applications. You need to go to the visa service centre. Here's the link..it has all the information.
Indian Passport and Visa Service Center


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## justforus (Jul 28, 2008)

Was thinking of Goa. No way I am going to Thailand, just got back from a month there. Thought of India as its a quick and cheap flight. I don't know where the Indian embassy is, I posted this here because I have spent an hour on their website which couldn't be more complicated.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

justforus said:


> Was thinking of Goa. No way I am going to Thailand, just got back from a month there. Thought of India as its a quick and cheap flight. I don't know where the Indian embassy is, I posted this here because I have spent an hour on their website which couldn't be more complicated.


Goa is a good choice, but it's smack in the middle of monsoons now so all the bars, etc are pretty much shut with only a few operating. Their high season begins towards the end of September. There are some very nice resorts in Goa though, so if you'd like, pm me what exactly you're looking for and I'll point you in the right direction.
Have a look at my post above, and I would recommend having someone to help you with your Indian visa. If a travel agency can do it for you, all the better. It's quite a tedious process, the queues are extremely long and the place is a bit too crowded.


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## justforus (Jul 28, 2008)

pamela0810 said:


> Goa is a good choice, but it's smack in the middle of monsoons now so all the bars, etc are pretty much shut with only a few operating. Their high season begins towards the end of September. There are some very nice resorts in Goa though, so if you'd like, pm me what exactly you're looking for and I'll point you in the right direction.
> Have a look at my post above, and I would recommend having someone to help you with your Indian visa. If a travel agency can do it for you, all the better. It's quite a tedious process, the queues are extremely long and the place is a bit too crowded.


******! might have to rethink if everything is closed. A lot of stuff was closed in Malaysia when I popped over for the weekend a few weeks ago. Is it not worth going at all then? Don't mind queues, have nothing else to do until September. Thanks for your help!


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## britishindian (Jan 31, 2010)

We were at the visa processing centre in the Karama post office early on Saturday morning and there was no one there at all so if you want the visa on your own you can go there. I was told they were fast as well in processing from there for some reason.


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## woodlands (Jan 13, 2010)

pamela0810 said:


> Goa is a good choice, but it's smack in the middle of monsoons now so all the bars, etc are pretty much shut with only a few operating. Their high season begins towards the end of September. There are some very nice resorts in Goa though, so if you'd like, pm me what exactly you're looking for and I'll point you in the right direction.
> Have a look at my post above, and I would recommend having someone to help you with your Indian visa. If a travel agency can do it for you, all the better. It's quite a tedious process, the queues are extremely long and the place is a bit too crowded.


Empost office in Karama is easy as breeze.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

woodlands said:


> Empost office in Karama is easy as breeze.


That's the one I went to and couldn't get my foot in, let alone my entire body!  It was unbelievably crowded and when I finally got in, was told that I was sent to the wrong place! 
Guess I just went there on a busy day!


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## stewart (Jun 21, 2009)

justforus said:


> Was thinking of Goa. No way I am going to Thailand, just got back from a month there. Thought of India as its a quick and cheap flight. I don't know where the Indian embassy is, I posted this here because I have spent an hour on their website which couldn't be more complicated.


You back eh.
See you tomorrow?

Pamela,
I did not realise I needed a visa for india, thought us Aussies could just get one at the airport when we flew in...........................???:confused2:


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Yep, it's the Central Post Office in Karama you need to go to.

It took a week and a half for them to process my visa because I hadn't been living in the UAE for over 2 years. Unfortunately, the day I got my passport back was the day I was due to return from the trip I had scheduled but couldn't go on in the end.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Apparently only 5 nationalities can get visas on arrival for India and New Zealand is one of them but not Australia!  :d


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

what are the 5 nationalities?


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## sdh080 (Jan 20, 2010)

pamela0810 said:


> Apparently only 5 nationalities can get visas on arrival for India and New Zealand is one of them but not Australia!  :d


It's to keep those dodgy Aussies out. 

I know an Aussie couple, he's also got a Kiwi passport due to being born there and there's quite a few countries he can visa on arrival with his Kiwi passport and not his Aussie one.


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## justforus (Jul 28, 2008)

Yes back now. We are going to Latitude tommorrow so won't see you unfortunately.

Is it monsoon season in Sri Lanka too?

Thanks for al the help folks!


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Justforus, yes, it's monsoon season in Sri Lanka too. But the place is really beautiful in the rains, so is India...but the bars, etc are closed in Goa, so Sri Lanka would be a better option in my opinion.

Wanda, the 5 nationalities are: Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore.


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## sdh080 (Jan 20, 2010)

pamela0810 said:


> Justforus, yes, it's monsoon season in Sri Lanka too. But the place is really beautiful in the rains, so is India...but the bars, etc are closed in Goa, so Sri Lanka would be a better option in my opinion.
> 
> Wanda, the 5 nationalities are: Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore.


What a random collection of countries, any rationale behind it?


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

sdh080 said:


> What a random collection of countries, any rationale behind it?


My guess...some guy walked into one of the government offices one fine day with no education, no qualifications, probably with a criminal past but demanded he get a government job because of his constitutional rights. So they figured what the heck, let's make this guy pick 5 random nations (that sound very exotic) from different parts of the world, excluding America (because they really have everything going for them anyway) and let's pay him boat loads of money because picking 5 different countries out of so many really is a very difficult job! But let's add in a clause that even though you could belong to one of these countries, there is no way in hell that we would give you a visa on arrival if any one of your parents or grand parents (paternal or maternal) were born in Pakistan! (No joke!)
Sorry, what was the question again? :confused2:


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## sdh080 (Jan 20, 2010)

pamela0810 said:


> My guess...some guy walked into one of the government offices one fine day with no education, no qualifications, probably with a criminal past but demanded he get a government job because of his constitutional rights. So they figured what the heck, let's make this guy pick 5 random nations (that sound very exotic) from different parts of the world, excluding America (because they really have everything going for them anyway) and let's pay him boat loads of money because picking 5 different countries out of so many really is a very difficult job! But let's add in a clause that even though you could belong to one of these countries, there is no way in hell that we would give you a visa on arrival if any one of your parents or grand parents (paternal or maternal) were born in Pakistan! (No joke!)
> Sorry, what was the question again? :confused2:




New Zealand is certainly exotic.

I'd have thought it might have been 5 countries linked to the Empire or something but obviously not.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

sdh080 said:


> New Zealand is certainly exotic.
> 
> I'd have thought it might have been 5 countries linked to the Empire or something but obviously not.


Ooh that could be it...but what empire? The one that struck back?


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

sdh080 said:


> What a random collection of countries, any rationale behind it?


Well a serious reply to it - from what I recall from the newspaper reports that I read, it was analysed that the threat of terror activities from these countries is the lowest. 
A big reason why India doesn't allow visa on arrivals is the security situation it finds itself in. 
(and that could be a far ranging amount of activities. e.g. - someone holding a US passport conducted recces which resulted in the Mumbai terror attacks)

Again - this is what i read - so don't pick on me for it


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## SBP (Jan 4, 2010)

How about Turkey?


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

SBP said:


> How about Turkey?


What about Turkey?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

SBP said:


> How about Turkey?


An a EU passport holder you can enter Turkey without having a prearranged visa. You pay for a tourist visa on arrival.
-


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## richy dixon (Jan 6, 2010)

Hi There,

Its quite easy to apply for a single entry visit visa for India. Just pop down to Karama post office, they have a section there. All you need is your passport with residence visa.


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