India Visa Dilema
I know this topic has been discussed a lot, but I couldn't find any answers to my specific question, so here goes..My husband and I are both from New Zealand, currently living in the US. We will be traveling around Europe for 4 months before heading to India for a couple of weeks during mid September (departing Dehli on September 22nd).
By my calculations the earliest we could apply for our visas is March 22nd, but our flights from the US to Europe leave April 18th, which seems to be cutting it a bit fine...
So, it looks like we will be applying for our visas somewhere in Europe.
We plan to travel (driving) over a large part of Europe (doing a counterclockwise loop from France out to Turkey and back) but weren't really planning on spending more than 3-4 days in any one place.
Does anyone have recommendations of a good place in Europe to stop and get our visas? Processing times we might expect? Any knowledge at all would be appreciated greatly as handing off our passports in a foreign country makes me a little nervous.
Our other option is to hope that Visa on Arrival is brought to Goa Airport by the time we are due to fly in (apparently this is coming soon) ... but I'm not really the sort to sit and hope!
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I`m a little confused.Your Indian visa will begin when it is issued. If you`re only spending a couple of weeks in India, how is the timing of the visa an issue? You`ll receive a 3-month at the least wherever it is issued. And you`ll wait as long as it takes wherever you apply. Try Bern, Switzerland - it`s small and civilized here and likely could be one of the easier places.
About the 4 months in Europe - you`re aware you can only spend 90 days in each 6 months in Schengen countries, right?
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Thanks for the response. I realize getting the visa won't be an issue... my main question was where a good place might be to do so, and if anyone had any experience doing so in Europe.As far as I am aware:
Nationals of New Zealand are permitted to travel without a visa for up to 3 months in each of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland (plus Hungary if it is the final Schengen destination), regardless of time already spent in other Schengen countries.
So I think we'll be ok?
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regardless of time already spent in other Schengen countries90 days in 6 months. Period. The only way for you to spend 4 months is to spend the first 30 days in a non-Schengen country (like England). You really don`t want to overstay your Schengen.
My g/f (who is a Swiss citizen) got an Indian visa in 1 day in Bern a year ago. There is expedited service as well - same day.
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New Zealands bilateral visa waiver agreements with countries like Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France override the Schengen agreement - that's where we will be for our last month so I think we'll be alright...Switzerland / Bern sounds like a great option I'll look into that further - thanks!
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override the Schengen agreementGood luck on that one. Overstay in a "nice " place like Switzerland if you`re really planning on this. They don`t like to send people to jail here.
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If you come to Bern in Sept, give a holler. I`ll be back here then. We live just in south Bern, 10 mins from Bernbahnof.9
We got great deals on flights into Goa from Egypt, so are invested in that now. I hadn't actually read about visa on arrival for Mumbai and Dehli until after we had booked out flights either.We're still hoping that Goa gets visa on arrival... but otherwise we'll be hanging out in Berlin or possibly Switzerland for a week or so while we apply.
simple96 I know that for NZ citizens it is definitely possible to get a visa on arrival in Mumbai, but I am not sure about US citizens.
Looking at the application form they encourage you to not purchase plan tickets until you have a visa approved. You do need an address in India tho... that you can get around by using the address of a tour company, we are using a company called Mumbai Magic (who's services we will most likely use for a day anyway).
India is definitely proving the most difficult part of our trip to organize!
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No VOA for Americans. Not really worth it for the ones that can get it. Only good for a month and, I believe, only twice a year.they encourage you to not purchase plan tickets until you have a visa approved
Depends on your country. For some it is required in advance, others not.
India is definitely proving the most difficult part of our trip to organize!
You`re in the running for Understatement Of The Year.
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You`re in the running for Understatement Of The Year.I believe that :)
We will definitely get in touch if we end up near Bern, thankyou.
