Indian Visa in 2012

satya - Sat Apr 21 2012 09:40:09 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Here is the first line: http://www.indianembassy.org/visa.php

satya - Sat Apr 21 2012 09:41:51 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

looks like this is done by a private firm travisa: link here

satya - Sat Apr 21 2012 09:54:16 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

So screwy

they say it is not mandatory to transfer visas from old passport to new passport, however it is recommended!!

who is going to find out holed up in an airport and at the mercy of a ticked-off agent

The whole travelling rules around passport/visa, at least, getting them, is absurdly antiquated!!!

satya - Sat Apr 21 2012 10:05:45 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Requirements by mail

satya - Mon Apr 23 2012 14:43:30 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

You will need to fill in an online application: Once for each kid

satya - Mon Apr 23 2012 14:43:52 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

You will need previous visa/passport details as well

satya - Mon Apr 23 2012 14:45:40 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

You will need


previous visa references
current passport references
birth certificates
both parents passports
a fist-full of passport size pictures
  (kidding: 1 at least)
1 hour to fill the online application for each

satya - Thu Apr 26 2012 12:34:07 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Yes! I am still applying for this darn visas


Get kids signatures
   won't fit the bod
Get Spouse signatures
   Doesn't match the passport
Re do all the printing
Re attach photographs

Resign everything

Go to Kinkos to scan
Forgot the zip drive
Buy one for 16 dollars

Still far far away before I can mail in..

satya - Thu Apr 26 2012 13:00:51 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

This is never ending frustration: I hate Travisa

Kinkos guy gives a pdf scan. And travisa won't accept other than gif or jpeg crap...This is impossible!!!

satya - Thu Apr 26 2012 13:01:48 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

I still don't know how much to pay. The fees don't make sense

I need to research now how fedex works for air bills and whole other postal business...I hate Travisa again!!!

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:27:19 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Around May 15th I was able to mail in the fedex stuff

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:28:35 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Looks like the air bills are printed by Travisa

I take those air bills and take them to FedEx. They were able to paste those air bills properly and send them out.

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:28:51 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

The next big task how to carry money to India for the travel expenses

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:29:14 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Amex Travellers cheques are no longer available at most banks

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:30:42 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Some folks are using their indian accounts such as ICICI to transfer money

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:31:08 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

it takes 3 weeks to a month to get one of those

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:32:40 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Nothing in India moves without 2 passport size phtotographs

I called ICICI what it takes to establish an account and if I could do it online?

Of course not!!! You start with 2 pass port size photographs and a whole set of doucmentation including your passport and this and that and much more....

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:33:30 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Apparently one can take cash up to ten thousand dollars

and get them exchanged locally using for-ex

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:35:07 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

AmEx sold me this upgrade on their card

i thought i could use it to get either travellers cheques or transfer money

It is a big NO!!! Can't do either!!!

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:36:20 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

This is going back in time in this online age to revert to paper money...

of course amex promises that with the 400 dollar upgrade I don't get charged for foreign transactions....Big woooppp

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:41:38 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

xoom service fees

Search for: xoom service fees

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:41:54 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Xooms help center

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:44:14 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Here is their XOOM fee structure

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:45:56 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

if you pay by credit card it $30 for every $1000.00

That is just Terrible!!!

Seem to be more palatable if paid by a bank

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:48:14 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

How to pay using a bank?

looks like you need

account number
routing number

satya - Mon Jun 18 2012 10:50:25 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Travellers cheques also cost $20 for every $1000