Passport with Visa - VFS courier logistics question?

[suki_sheik]

Hi gang -

Parents got visa at Chennai. Was a 30 second interview with just 2 questions from the VO - who are you visiting, and where does he work. That's it - and she took the passports (guess saw the earlier entry stamp to US - they had a 1 yr multiple entry from years ago, and had visited me in 1999 for 4 months).

Later got an earful from amma for putting them through all that document preparaton, ration card, pension book, yada yada yada + all that stress from making them read this immihelp B2 forum. Anyway it is over and hope it is a 10 year M visa. So people - don't overly stress your old man and mom - ask them to take it easy.

Now they are going to spend a week in Chennai - and will return home. Heard the VFS passport courier is really fast, and guess it will show up at home before they reach home. Is there a contact for VFS's courier service in Bangalore? Any telephone numbers? How to delay the delivery by a week?

Thanks!

[waitin_toolong]

check vfs website to track passport. They hold the passport at a designated vfs office till a certain time before shipping it out. It can be collected from there next day most often. The tracker will tell you more.

[nnpagola]

Passport dispatch is very quick. I got my passport within 2 working days from the date of the interview. I was not in Bangalore at that time, but my mother collected it on my behalf.

[nikki9999]

If I am not wrong, it is more than a day that your parents have appeared for the interview. If not, they can pick up the passport from the VFS office the next day after the interview. To confirm status before getting to the office, you can SMS "Visa US <passportnumber>" to 7333. Also, check the pickup times for Chennai's VFS office.

I don't think there is anything like VFS courier office where the passports can be "held". If you can figure out which Bluedart office (depends on your residence address) the package is going to, you can call them and ask for the package to be held with them until a particular date. Your parents can later collect the package in person from the bluedart office. At the expense of alarming you, I have to mention Bluedart offices do send back documents if both of the following happen: 1) the package cannot be delivered at the destination address 2) No request has been put in for holding the package at their office.

If nothing above applies to your situation, call VFS before it is too late and explain the matter, they might have a solution.

Nikki

[keithmb]

..... Cont.

Sorry - got distracted and the log-in timed out!
As I was saying been to India many times and love the place. I know anyone who takes the trouble and time /money to get a visa for Oz will enjoy the experience here. So dont be put off and CERTAINLY DONT try and take short-cuts as inveriably they wont work!

[keithmb]

From an Australian married to an Indian

Hi Guys
I actually wrote this and then and took so long doing so that I lost my log in and then found that I lost the lot - Thats why there is '.....cont' from me which I thought would be added to my first !
Anyway what I said was this:
1) Always read and fill in ALL forms - if in doubt fill in the form! You know what governments are like - they just love forms!
2) DONT try and take short cuts - they dont work and then you will be refused.
3) DONT get stressed - if you are a genuine tourist (and not a terrorist!), and provided you can show that you can support yourself (or someone here can), there will be no problem.
4) I am married to an Indian Lady (very beautiful) who was born and bred in Delhi. We had to go through the same proceedure (3 years ago) for her initial tourist visa so I know what its like! We now live in Oz.
5) Having been to India many,many times, I know the 'Indian Proceedures' for dealing with goverment departments there - THEY DONT work here! Regardless of what someone's cousin tells you, if you try and side step the system YOU WILL FAIL. Then you will really have a problem. If you are refused then the chances are it is because the Oz Government thinks that you have insufficient funds for the trip. Remember, relative to India, Oz is expensive - especially food. Better to have someone here who you can stay with and who will be able to sponsor you or have your hotels booked and paid for in advance
6) It is far better to have a return ticket with a booked (not open) return date.
Hope this helps
Keith