Visa Updates |
In this section, we will periodically provide our clients with visa updates to some important countries that are frequently visited by Indian travelers. Since visa changes and updates can take place overnight and this page will be updated monthly, we request you to also cross check the information with our office at the time of applying for the visa. |
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1) ECNR clearance abolished for all visa categories
(except for employment) from 1 st Oct ‘07 |
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Effective 1 st Oct. 2007 POE (Emigration Clearance) will not be required for ANY country other than for employment. So tourist and business visa holders to all countries do not require POE temporary suspension and can travel with the ECR passports.
Only applicants with ECR stamped on the passport and traveling for employment to 18 listed countries are required to obtain Emigration Clearance before leaving the country. |
| 2) Useful Information: |
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A. Documents required for new passports / renewal of passports: Documents Required (in original):
12 Photographs (Colour)
Passport Form (filled online)
Proof Of Residence* - Ration Card or Telephone bill for One year Or Updated Bank Passbook or Letter From Bank and Statement or Property Tax Papers
Proof of Birth & Place Of Birth - Birth Certificate or School/College leaving certificate
Other Documents for Degree Holder - Degree Certificate and Original Mark sheet OR10t & 12th Mark Sheet & Board Certificate
Marriage Certificate for Female Applicant (if applicable) |
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B. Schengen Visa Countries:
There are 15 Countries that are party to the Schengen agreement. They are listed as below.
| Austria |
Belgium |
Denmark |
Finland |
France |
| Greece |
Germany |
Iceland |
Italy |
Luxemburg |
| Sweden |
Netherlands |
Norway |
Portugal |
Spain |
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Poland , Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, have entered
Schengen group of countries from 1st Jan '08 taking the total
list of countries from 15 to 24.
Switzerland is the latest country to join the Schengen agreement from 15th December ’08. Anybody who has a valid Schengen visa can now travel to Switzerland without an additional visa. In the same way, Swiss will also issue Schengen visa and not an exclusive Swiss visa. The visa fees is Rs. 4200/- payable by demand draft and the VFS fee is Rs 607
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C. Some frequently visited countries that grant visa on arrival for Indian Passport Holders:
Thailand |
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D. Visa Gratis countries for Indian Passport Holders:
Maldives , Mauritius , Hong Kong , Sri Lanka |
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E. Countries requiring yellow fever vaccination:
 Kenya , Tanzania Congo , Ethiopia , Ghana , Namibia Rwanda , Senegal , Uganda and Brazil
Yellow fever is also required for South Africa if you are traveling on Kenyan Airways.
The vaccination is done in Mumbai (near the airport) and Delhi and it takes 01 day - travelers have to go personally for the vaccination.
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| 3) Visa updates: |
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A) USA visa fee has changed from 01st June
’09
The USA visa fee has changed to Rs 6550 with
effect from 1st June ‘09. So the new fees effective
1st June ‘09 are:
-1 Draft for visa fee favoring “ US Embassy- Visa Fees
” for Rs 6550 /-
- 1 Draft for VFS charges favoring “HDFC Bank A/c VFS”
for Rs. 374/-
For more details on the list of documents required and the
visa process, please visit www.vfs-usa.co.in
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B) UK changes visa fees from 1st
June 09
The British Deputy High Commission has changed
in the fee structure with effect from 1st June ’09.
The complete details are as follows.
1 Six months, single & multiple entry visas - Rs
5,400/-
2. Visit visas – 1 to 2 years: Rs 17200 /-
3. Visit visas - 5 years: Rs 32,000/-
4. Visit visas - 10 years: Rs 40,000/-
The New UK visa fees amount includes the VFS charges of Rs
200. Fees payable by DD in favour of ‘British Deputy
High Commission’, payable at Mumbai
All applicants for UK visa will have to visit a VFS centre
for biometric data collection. The UK visa is now expected
to take 4 working days to process
The address of the VFS Centre in Pune is:
VFS UK VISA APPLICATION CENTRE, GERA 77,OFF NO 305, 3RD FLOOR,
NEXT TO BISHOP'S CO-ED SCHOOL , KALYANI NAGAR PUNE 411014
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C)China – visa application to be processed from Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) from 1 st August '08:
To provide a better service for visa applicants, the Chinese Embassy has decided to outsource part of the administrative work of its visa processing to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) from 1 st August '08. CVASC will be responsible for accepting visa applications of ordinary passport holders for traveling to Mainland China , collecting visa fees on behalf of the Embassy and returning processed applications.
China visa fee structure:
Single Entry - Normal (4th day): Rs. 1000+ Rs 502 VFS charge
Single Entry - Urgent (next day): Rs. 1900 + Rs651 VFS charge
Double Entry - Normal (4th day): Rs. 1500 + Rs 502VFS charge
Double Entry - Urgent (next day): Rs. 2400+ Rs 651VFS charge
6 months Multiple Entry - Normal (4th day): Rs. 2000+ Rs 502 VFS charge
6 months Multiple Entry – Urgent (next day): Rs. 2900 + Rs 651VFS charge
1 year Multiple Entry - Normal (4th day): Rs. 3000+ Rs 502 VFS charge
1 year Multiple Entry – Urgent (next day): Rs. 3900 + Rs 651VFS charge
The official website for CVASC is www.visaforchina.in which contains all the necessary information for applying for a Chinese visa.
Also please note that China has become very strict with their visa application – they are now very particular about the hotel confirmation which has to come directly from China . The confirmation should be on the hotel letterhead with the hotel's address, telephone and fax numbers clearly visible. Visa will not be issued if the above directives are not followed.
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D)
France visa – compulsory finger printing:
With effect from 13th November 2006 every applicant (6 years
and above) is required to complete the process of finger-printing
at the office of the Consulate General of France. This means
that every person, irrespective of past travel history, has
to visit the French Consulate personally for the French visa.
For more details, please visit www.vfs-france.co.in
With effect from 2nd December 2008, the tourist, business
and transit visa fees has changed to Rs 3797
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E) Spain opens visa application centre in Mumbai from 1 st July 2008:
The Spanish Embassy, which has outsourced visa applications to IVS has opened a Visa Application Center in Mumbai on 1st July 2008. All residents of Maharashtra must apply to the Consulate General of Spain in Mumbai.
With effect from 1st April 09, the visa fee for Embassy of Spain is Rs. 3934/- . Applicants in Mumbai will have to make the drafts in favor of ‘Consulate General of Spain' payable in Mumbai. The IVS processing fee is Rs. 510/-. All passports are couriered back to the applicants by Blue Dart at a cost of Rs. 200 /-
A complete photocopy of the Passport Booklet is required with support documents to apply for Spain Visa. |
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F) Australia - visa updates:
The Australia visa fees will change to Rs.
3500/- effective 1st January '09 and the fee is payable by
demand draft favoring “The Australian High Commission”
It should be made payable at New Delhi .
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G) Germany :
The German visa form has to be filled up online only at www.germanconsulatemumbai.org
With effect from 25th June '09, the Germany visa fees is Rs. 4100/- payable by demand draft favouring “Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mumbai” to be payable in Mumbai.
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H) Thailand - Visa on arrival will only be provided at Bangkok Airport only:
Please note that the first port of arrival principle has been implemented for Thailand and henceforth all passengers who have not obtained their visa prior to arrival into Thailand must obtain the same at the first port of entry into Thailand which is at Bangkok since all our flights ex - India arrive at Bangkok, even though the passengers may have immediate connections to other domestic points within Thailand. Hence please advise all concerned that the visa on arrival facility stands withdrawn for points such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai & Koh SaMui
Thailand has exempted visa fees for tourist visas from 25th June 2009 to 4th March 2010. Visa has to be procured in advance, either at the Consulate- General or at Visa-on-Arrival counters in Thailand.
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I) Malaysia – withdrawal
of visa on arrival facility for Indian Nationals:
As per the directive received from the
Consulate General of Malaysia in Mumbai, it has been officially
announced that from 1st of Aug 2008, the processing of Visa
on Arrival Facility for Indian nationals has been withdrawn.
The visa for Malaysia has to be applied from the respective
Consulate / Embassy before travel.
The Malaysian Consulate has started a full fledged consulate
in Mumbai which opened in the first week of November '07.
The visa fee is Rs 750/-
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J)
Dubai – increase
in visa fees for passengers flying Emirates & compulsory
insurance:
There is an increase in the visa fees for passengers flying to Dubai :
96 Hours Visa : Rs 3250 where the visa will be valid for 30 Days from the date of issue and the traveller can stay for 96 Hrs in Dubai. The visa fee includes travel insurance
Tourist Visa : Rs 3900 where the visa will be valid for 58 Days from the date of issue and the traveller can stay only for 29 days in Dubai. The visa fee includes travel insurance
With effect from 27th November ’08, The
Dubai Marhaba Services (DMS) office in Pune will shift
to:
Dubai Marhaba Services
Office No 101/102, 1st Floor,
Near US VFS
Sohrab Hall,
21, Sasoon Road,
Pune-411001.
The DMS office can process of 2 categories of visas:
Visit visa (59 days) and 96 hour visa.
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K) Singapore visa is now an EVisa.
Singapore has started issuing e-visas from 1st April ’09 and the visa fee is Rs.1080 per person
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Update on visa fee changes:
a) With effect from 1st April ‘09, the New Zealandvisitor visa fees is now Rs. 3600/-
b) With effect from 1st April ’09, the visa fee for the Italian consulate has changed to Rs. 3840/- payable by demand draft favouring "VFS A/c Italy Visa". The VFS processing fee is Rs. 607/- (inclusive of service tax). All passports are couriered back to the applicants by Blue Dart at a cost of Rs. 200 /-
c) With effect from 10 th June '08, the single entry visa fee for Ireland has changed to Rs 4400 /- and the multiple entry visa now costs Rs 7100 /-
d) With effect from 1st April ‘09, the visa fee for Austriahas changed to Rs 4010 /- The VFS processing fee is Rs. 607/- (inclusive of service tax). All passports are couriered back to the applicants by Blue Dart at a cost of Rs. 200 /-
e) With effect from 1st April ‘09, the visa fee for Netherlandshas changed to Rs 4020 /- The VFS processing fee is Rs. 607/- (inclusive of service tax).
f) With effect from 30 th May '08, the visa fee for Greece has changed to Rs 3926 /-
g) With effect from 1st April '09, the short stay visa fees for Belgium has changed to Rs 4200 /- The VFS processing fee is Rs. 607/- (inclusive of service tax).
h) Australia visa fee will be Rs. 4000 from 1st July 2009
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