Yikes! How to get a Visa to India??
 

Hi everyone,

Visas to India have gotten super complicated since I last traveled there. I see that India fired one subcontractor last spring, and now Cox & Kings has taken over visa processing. I called Cox & King today with some specific questions about supplementary documents, and after 20 min on hold I was told by the clerk that I should email my questions so that I would have any advice I received in writing. This is making me super nervous.

Travisa is still advertising that they can provide visas to India. Can I use them and let them interface with Cox & Kings? We are hoping to travel in Dec but now I'm worried. I have internationally adopted kids and India is asking for all kinds of back of documentation for the adoption, and may ask for more on a whim, based on my conversation with the Cox & Kings fella.

When I saw your title and before I read your post, I was going to say contact Travisa. I've used them several times and have always been happy with their service. Not for India, as I obtained a 10 year visa when the San Francisco consulate was providing them. But the Travisa people are competent and if they can't help you, they'll say so. Start there.

Certainly Travisa can get your visa for you by interacting with Cox and Kings. It just adds another fee. Be glad it's now Cox and Kings. The previous contractor, BLS was accused of selling passports that had been sent for visas on the black market.

Have a look at the FAQs on Trip Advisor discussion forum for India as well. If it's a problem then it must be one that's frequently encountered, and judging by visitor numbers to India it must be a problem that's easily solved.

What has happened to their visa on arrival program?

For India?

It was supposed to be in place starting this month but I've heard nothing more about it.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-26062351

I wouldn't count on the visa on arrival program being up and running yet, Bob. This month was just the target date.

LL, the India visa has been problematic since they stopped using Travisa as their contractor. During the tenure of BLS as their contractor, nothing was "a problem that's easily solved." Ask the people whose passports were stolen, for instance.

I recently used C&K to get an Indian Visa. There is an office where I live, and it was much easier than I expected. It only took two days! I was expecting the worst, but they followed through.

We just returned from India, and we too somewhat panicked at the idea of the new visa service. Last time we went we were in Texas and just drove to Houston, where we had evehign processed the same day. We had been warned that my UK husband may have to wait months for processing. We needed to wait until about a month out as we were travelling beforehand as well. In fact his visa was turned around in under a week with expedited mail and mine (US) took a couple of days. The process is trackable online and there was an instant response when my husband left out one of their inscrutable forms. Meant another mailing, but that was included in the week time frame for total processing time. Just read the instructions and email questions. These guys are good and their email response makes sure someone has vetted the content , so don't be worried. COX AND KINGS was great. And they are the only servicing agent until they get the visa on arrival up and running.

Hi there,
Are you travelling from the US?
It is probably working there the same way as in Bangkok. My partner Matt applied just last week at the India Visa Center in Bangkok, travelling on a German passport. It was a combination of an online application and the handing in of the required papers. It works probably the same way with C&K at your side. Please have a look at the lower part of the page, where the whole procedure and requirements are described: http://konniandmatt.blogspot.com/201...4-bangkok.html
Good luck and happy travels in India!
Cheers, Konni.
www.konniandmatt.blogspot.com

Good question from kinnieandmatt. The Government of India website implies that no applications for regular tourist visas are no longer being accepted for in person presentation at visa offices in the US. The online Visa application is registered online and then must be mailed to the "mission" for your area of the country. Once again though CSKGS is the cheapest way to go and was fast and reliable in our case.

Update. I used Travisa despite them not being the recognized provider, and out whole family got visas within 24 hours of application! My husband says he's heard the new Prime Minister wants to make India a non-visa country, so maybe that is speeding things up?

Query all on reliability of India Govt website that only 10 year visitor/tourist visa (USA psprt) was available and at US$150 cost. Any other options? I may be mistaken and hope so as that cost not good and who wants to be going to India 9 years from now.

Just got a 6 month visa for $80+ with all extra fees included. Use Cox and Kings website to apply online.

If you only go places once, then the 1 time 6 month visa is fine. If, on the other hand, you're the type that likes to return to places, then the 10 year visa is cost effective for just 2 visits, not taking into account any future increases in visa fees which may or may not happen. In any case, after the remark "who wants to be going to India 9 years from now", I suspect the 6 month one will suit you fine, jobin. And while I realize it was a rhetorical question, the answer is, quite a few of us will want to return.