Entry permits into a country are called Visas. It is the most essential document you require while travelling abroad. Preparing for the visa too, takes time, so applicants must plan their visa well in advance to avoid any sort of disappointment, delay, or rejections. Sometimes, the consulates also require personal presence of the applicant, other times you can apply through authorized agents or Visa Facilitation Centres, also called VFS.
TYPES OF VISAS
There are various types of entry permits, depending on what you are travelling for. They are:
Tourist Visa: This is a short stay visa required when you are going for a holiday.
Business Visa: This is again termed as a short term visa required when you are going for a particular meeting with a foreign company and don’t intend staying over 15 days.
Student Visa: Required when you plan to go abroad to study for a number of months or years. This process is lengthy and takes time. There are special authorized agents to help you obtain your visa.
Seaman Visa: This is for people working with the navy or going to join a vessel at some foreign port. The process is again country specific.
Work/Job Permits: This is when you have been granted a job abroad. These are long term visas and take time to process.
Immigrant and Fiancé visas: Immigrant visas are required in case you are moving base to another country. The Fiancé Visa is as the name suggests a spouse visa, when you require to bring abroad your foreign spouse.
The most common ones being the tourist and work visas. The possibility of getting a visa depends on the rules and regulations of the country you are visiting and on the documentation submitted by you. Student visas and Work permits take the maximum amounts of time to be processed as compared to the Tourist or Business visas, which normally take anything from 3 to 10 days. Every application for a visa is based on its own merits. No assurance regarding issuance of visas can be given by anyone in advance. Nowadays most of the embassies have their websites with all the details required to obtain visas, which keeps getting updated by them, as and when they make modifications in the process. But its always best to also contact them on telephone to avoid any discrepancy.
THE GENERAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
For almost all kinds of visas, the following documents are a mandatory standard :
* Passport , with a minimum validity of 6 months
* Photos , as per specifications given by consulate
* Return confirmed ticket
* Visa Fees , in demand draft or cash
* Application Form , duly filled and signed
* Covering letter , addressed to the consulate , stating the reason for travel , duration of stay and proof of funds.
* Foreign Exchange and/ or International Credit Card , photocopy
* Travel Insurance
* Bank statement for last 6 months , attested by bank
* Income Tax Returns of last 3 years
* Invitation from abroad , for Business Visa
* Salary slips , for Business Visa
The above are the basic guidelines. Over and above this, you may or may not be asked by the consulate for more documents. In most cases, the above documentation will suffice.
AVAILABLE WEBSITES OF SOME CONSULATES
The following are some websites which may help you, to download the forms or go through the photo specs and other visa requirements. The websites include their addresses and phone numbers too. Some countries do not require a visa to be taken in advance. For example: Hong Kong, Srilanka, Mauritius, Nairobi, Thailand etc. You get the stay permit on arrival too.
NORTH and SOUTH AMERICA
| USA | http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/ |
| https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ | |
| Canada | http://www.vfs-canada.co.in/ |
| Mexico | http://www.sre.gob.mx/india/ |
| Brazil | http://www.brazilembassy.in/en/ |
EUROPE and CENTRAL EUROPE
| Russia | http://www.russiaconsulmumbai.mid.ru/ |
| France | http://www.vfs-france.co.in/ |
| Germany | http://www.vfs-germany.co.in/ |
| Netherlands | http://www.vfs-nl-in.com/ |
| Spain | http://www.ivs-spainvisa.com/ |
| Italy | http://www.vfs-italy.co.in/ |
| Austria | http://www.vfs-austria.co.in/ |
| Portugal | http://www.embportindia.co.in/html/consular.html |
| Denmark | http://dk.vfsglobal.co.in/track.aspx |
| Sweden | http://se.vfsglobal.co.in/ |
| Belgium | http://www.vfs-be-in.com/ |
ASIA
| Singapore | http://www.mfa.gov.sg/mumbai/ |
| China | http://www.chinaembassy.org.in/eng/sgsw/t126966.htm |
| Thailand | http://www.thaiemb.org.in/en/ |
| Malaysia | http://www.kln.gov.my/web/ind_mumbai/home |
| Philippines | http://www.newdelhipe.com/ |
| Japan | http://www.mumbai.in.emb-japan.go.jp/en/ |
| Indonesia | http://www.kjrimumbai.net/ |
| Vietnam | http://www.vietnamconsulate-mumbai.org/en/ |
| South Korea | http://ind-mumbai.mofat.go.kr/eng/as/ind-mumbai/help/privacy/index.jsp |
MIDDLE EAST and AFRICA
| Dubai | http://www.dubaivisa.net/ |
| Bahrain | http://bahrainconsulatemumbai.com/ |
| Oman | http://www.omanembassy.in/ |
| South Africa | http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/sa_abroad/sai.htm |
| Mauritius | http://www.gov.mu/ |
| Egypt | http://egypt.visahq.com/embassy/India/ |
AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND
| Australia | http://www.vfs-au-in.com/ |
| New Zealand | http://www.immigration.govt.nz/ |
OVERVIEW
While these are some of the consulates in India, there are many more who actually do not have a website but do have an operational office. Securing a valid visa entitles you to travel to that country. The dates of entry and exit are binding, so once you do obtain the visa you apply for, always double check the visa dates.
DISCLAIMER
All the information is subject to change as per the rules of the consulates. the websites may or may not go through upgrading processes, so it is always best to double check. We on our end will keep adding any new links we can, to assist you as and when they are available.
