Comments on: Indian visa applications and their delivery has been outsourced to VF Services UK Ltd

By: c.s

c.s — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:57:31 +0000

I sent off my passport to Hayes two weeks ago having paid the fee and including all relevant document. It still hasn’t been returned but when I checked on the website it said that it was ready for collection in Hayes. I included a special delivery stamped addressed envelope for it to be returned by post. Do I go and collect it or will it be sent back to me? Can anyone help??

By: R. R.

R. R. — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:18:52 +0000

Living in N.Ireland, my only ‘practical’ alternative to secure a Tourist Visa was by the postal route to an address in Edgware, Middlesex.

Yes, there is a lot of ‘small print’ of requirements for this to be done, including a non-regular size of photos etc…..but I bit my tongue, read carefully,said ‘yes sir!’ and sent off my registered thick foolproof envelope. I am pleased to say I got my Visa and enclosures returned 7 days later….this was in October 2010.

I must confess however, that it took me a long time to access a lot of the sites, phone 2 friends who had been to India(1 year ago!) and then to put together all that I had found before I embarked on my postal route. I suppose a lot of this was because I was residing in N.Ireland ! I have to tell you there are loads of people from here who visit India.

A clearly worded, all- encompassing ‘Notice Board’ from the VF outsourcing agents on the Net would be so nice…..but I suppose I have to say ‘Dream On’.

By: Heena Modi

Heena Modi — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:55:56 +0000

Hmmm!
Not the best service is it?
I’ve never heard so much about the visa service, or lack of it, until it was outsourced!

By: Colin

Colin — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:04:49 +0000

Well the application was given to them in Birmingham on Tuesday; they promised delivery for Monday by private courier, which I paid for at their desk.
The passport and visa was delivered to me on Friday morning.
Excellent service.
Now they need to get their website up to a professional level, and stop ripping people off on a poor helpline.
My email enquiry one week ago to the designated Visa person in the Indian Consulate in Birmingham is still not answered.
Who stated that India was going to threaten China on its economy??

By: Heena Modi

Heena Modi — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:59:04 +0000

Let me know how it goes Colin

By: Colin

Colin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:43:12 +0000

Well I went and gave my visa application to them in Birmingham and I must say the serving staff were excellent.
I had forgotten to add postal code so they did their job.
Downside is it took 1.5 hours to get there + car park fees + 2 hours waiting time, whereas the process itself took about 6 minutes with 7 desks open.
Good news is there is a private delivery service where you can deliver to their local office (if they have one) and they will send it in and collect it. Each trip in and out is reportedly £7 but we will see what happens on Monday when my passport and visa is supposed to be delivered to me.
Since it cost me £10 for parking fees alone, this is worth it.

By: Heena Modi

Heena Modi — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:39:53 +0000

It’s such a shame!
I know of lots of people who have had problems with the new system/management.