Visa for Goa or India

[v551dln]

My question is in two parts: If I have one indian parent (deceased) do I as a uk citizen need a visa for India or Goa

Secondly how long does it take to get one and what do i need to do, there are some really good late departure deals at the moment. Can it be purchased on arrival or departure like for example Egypt or Mexico. Your answers would be really appeciated thanks

[Buenchico]

If you're a UK passport holder, you need a visa. (You'd only be able to get around this if you held Indian citizenship, or dual citizenship, through your deceased parent. Applying for citizenship, and an Indian passport, would be incredibly complicated compared with simply getting a visa for your UK passport!).

You can't obtain your visa on arrival. The application must be made in the UK. Postal applications can be accepted, as long as you allow plenty of time. Otherwise you'll have to apply in person, in either London or Edinburgh. (There are also some 'visa surgeries', held in major cities throughout the UK, on a few dates each year):
http://www.hcilondon.net/visa/tourist-visa.htm l

Chris

[v551dln]

Thank you Chris for taking time and sorting this for me so quickly. Loving answerbankers you're the best!!!

[warpig3]

I went to goa a number of years ago and I was advised to leave 3 months for the visa to be passed by the glasgow office, it didn;t take that long in reality though.

Happy travelling!

warpig

[mcauley]

hi, we go to goa every year and normally get the visa through our travel agent. you can down load the form on the web just tipe in visa and print it off. it will explain all you need to do on the form, i think we apply for the visa about one month before we go but there are places you can go and get it the same day, ask your local shop owner they eill help you to find the local surgery, normaly held at a local temple. there are some good flight deals out at the moment i have just booked six and a half weeks in goa for jan 08 at a cost of �457 each. enjoy.

[Dee Sa]

you can get in one day if you go in person in London,must be there by 9.30am latest as they only accept so many people, big queues, little space and too few seats, take a book or newspaper.Download forms from internet, dont forget your photos and you need cash to pay.this can take several hours and they ask you to collect after 4pm also chaotic.
Alternative is to get an agency to do it for you, worth the money no hassle.
Word of warning, last year I was in the queue with a very elderly gent and they had lost his passport and he had sent by reg post amonth before, they were very rude and very unhelpful and disrespecftful to such an elderly person, he got nowhere and was due to travel next day.
Friends in 2005 sent their passorts [ a married couple] by reg post when returned there was a third passport with theirs, they got in touch with the next of kin at the back of this passport and a guy drove down from the midlands to Suffolk to collect from them, imagine if they had sent it back
to the Embassy they would have just kept it and not had an address for it[ I am sure they would not have bothered to look at the back].
No you cannot purchase on arrival they will send you back next flight, but I doubt they would let you board your flight anyway, you would be turned away at check in.
Its getting very hot in Goa now and a lot of the tourist things are closing as it is end of the season. I think the last charter will leave soon, make sure you can get back otherwise you will have to get to Mumbai to get home.

[Dee Sa]

forgot to mention if you have a valid Indian passport to get round the visa bit, you cannot fly on a charter [ Indian Govt rules] unless you are married to a British national who will have a valid visa for India or you are sick/disbaled and a direct flight is needed, for the latter you have to have a GP letter and permission from the charter airline.
Trust me I have been married to a Goan for 20 yrs.