Planning an India trip? You may need to cancel it due to new visa rules

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• BajiNahid says:

  8 Oct8 October 02:31

  I understand Pakistan being blocked by the online E-visa system, what’s the beef with the rest of the countries and bizzarely the UK?

  Has this got to do with having a leverage on the UK-INDIA trade deal at all? Maybe open up the UK to Indian nationals with ease?

  • strickers says:

    8 Oct8 October 02:44

    A combination of that, the fact that it is difficult for Indians to obtain UK Visas and that we put them on the red list at very short notice. The whole thing is political tit-for-tat. I had my appointment a few days ago so fingers crossed.

    Factually this article is incorrect, postal applications haven’t been allowed since e-Visas were introduced. When e-Visas were allowed again for all other countries the UK was excluded amongst some other, from this point, basically from when India reopened it has been appointment only. What has been removed is the ability for you to apply via an agent, they still had to visit one of the VFS offices on your behalf and charged for doing so.

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    8 Oct8 October 15:08

    Mainly tit-for-tat for suddenly blocking entry during covid.
    Many other nationalities were blocked but I guess UK was first.

• Gagravarr says:

  8 Oct8 October 04:01

  The application form will let you pick a nationality of “UK BRITISH SUBJECT”. You might think that’s the right nationality, based on what’s written in your passport. However, pick that and you’ll be rejected – you need to pick an nationality of United Kingdom

  One might think that removing “UK BRITISH SUBJECT” from the drop-down list if they’ll never accept it is the best way forward, but…..

  FWIW About a month ago it took me 2.5 hours from arriving at the Hounslow visa centre to having submitted my paperwork

  • Michael C says:

    8 Oct8 October 07:48

    I was formerly a British Subject, and indeed had visas rejected, most significantly by the Soviet Union way back when, which effectively scuppered my career path into GCHQ.

  • Robert says:

    8 Oct8 October 08:55

    British Subject is a very specific type of British nationality. It is conferred on someone who was previously a “citizen of United Kingdom and Colonies” as a person born in a U.K. crown colony who did not take up their new nationality when that country became independent.

    • Dev says:

      8 Oct8 October 11:42

      That is actually in most cases a British Overseas Citizen.

      British subjects come in two forms:

      1) people born (but not descended in the paternal line from a UK born grandfather) in Ireland before 1922 who wanted to retain allegiance to the crown; and

      2) People born in the old British India that were expected to become citizens of India or Pakistan but for some reason fell through the cracks.

      Fun fact – British subjects from Ireland cannot benefit from US ESTA and require a visa or (if their personal convictions allow) apply for Irish passport.

      • Dev says:

        8 Oct8 October 11:48

        British Nationality is a complete mess thanks to crude attempts to keep out the new commonwealth in the sixties and seventies.

      • Benjamin Murphy-Ryan says:

        8 Oct8 October 12:25

        It also applies to people born later in Ireland then moved to UK – father in law born in late 40s has this issue as a British subject

        • John says:

          8 Oct8 October 16:25

          OT but, often wondered if all Irish birth cohorts prior to the Ireland Act (1947?) are eligible to be deemed “British subjects” by operation of the law? Which would be everybody in Ireland over the age of 75.

• Mike says:

  8 Oct8 October 04:21

  A few things here, it’s tit for tat, by the Indians for the perceived slight of them having to fill in a visa, the high rate of rejects and trying to pressure the government to give visa-free or free movement of Indian to the UK. Obviously any kind of freedom of movement is bonkers given the size and income disparities and the reason for the high visa rejection rate is the high overstay rate so they get a bit more scrutiny.

  • Erico1875 says:

    8 Oct8 October 06:21

    We love india, have been at least 10 times.
    However its maybe time UK pulled all financial aid.
    We should be getting favourable terms, not worse, than other countries

    • Callum says:

      8 Oct8 October 08:13

      Would someone who genuinely “loves” India really want to see them punished for merely having a reciprocal visa scheme with the UK?

      “Give me special treatment or I’ll stop helping you” seems a little crass, especially from it’s former colonial power…

      • Erico1875 says:

        8 Oct8 October 08:54

        Its not special treatment though. Just equal treatment to what they give the rest of the world
        When your so called friend starts treating you poorly, do you just keep giving?

        • KevinS says:

          8 Oct8 October 09:02

          Not the rest of the world, as the article points out.

        • Callum says:

          8 Oct8 October 10:54

          Yes, it’s special treatment. The Indian government have specifically stated that the reason why the UK (and several other countries) can’t use the e-visa scheme is because of the hurdles they put on Indians applying for the UK equivalent. You’re insisting that they overlook that and let the UK use it anyway.

          I agree they should from a purely economic standpoint (it achieves nothing but costs their tourism industry significantly), but they’ve taken a pretty easily defensible moral decision instead.

          Your analogy is ridiculous, they’ve decided to treat us the same way we treat them.

• Dan says:

  8 Oct8 October 05:43

  Does anyone know if transit visas must also be applied for in person?

• TimM says:

  8 Oct8 October 06:16

  I have only had Indian visa. Then it was a visit in person by appointment and surrender of passports. We managed to collect our passports when the local Royal Mail delivery office opened on the way to the airport! We were mentally prepared to lose the trip.

  Re. the nationality question, my country of birth is England, my nationality is British and I have a United Kingdom passport. I am aware many countries incorrectly conflate these things into just UK. Normally it doesn’t make any difference.

  As has been stated, the latest moves appear tit-for-tat. Many Indians have a very hard time obtaining visas in order to visit their relatives in the UK under the ‘hostile environment’ approach of successive Conservative home secretaries. It is a wonder we are allowed to travel anywhere at all.

• Simon says:

  8 Oct8 October 06:34

  I’m going on Monday, and whilst it it more pricey have always used CIBT for visa applications which avoids the need to attend in person, well at least it did when I got mine in the last 2 months. Even at that time applying directly need a visit in person to a visa centre so I am not sure it has just been introduced.

  • masaccio says:

    8 Oct8 October 08:05

    From the CIBT website:

    The India Visa Application Centre requires all applicants to appear in person as part of the visa application process. Applications are accepted by strict appointment only. After we have received all the materials required in support of your visa application, CIBTvisas will schedule an appointment at the India Visa Application Centre. The current waiting time for an appointment is approximately 8 weeks.

    I entered business visa as the criteria for the search. That sucks – was hoping to go next month!

    • Simon says:

      8 Oct8 October 19:30

      Must have done mine just in time, sent in at end of August and no visit for me. I know my colleagues who applied directly all had to appear in person.

• Charlie says:

  8 Oct8 October 07:00

  After a 3 hour wait, my application was once rejected for missing out my middle name on the application form. I had to return the following day and queue for another 3 hours.

• The Original Nick says:

  8 Oct8 October 07:40

  I’m going in February flying Virgin. I need to get a move on.

  • strickers says:

    8 Oct8 October 09:05

    There’s a good guide on the TripAdvisor India forums, top right there is a link.

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