Appointment System
The India Visa Application Centre operates an appointment system for the processing of all visas. After we have received all the materials required in support of your visa application, VisaCentral will schedule an appointment at the India Visa Application Centre. The current waiting time for an appointment is approximately 1 – 6 weeks.
The processing time is the time taken for the INDIAN BUSINESS VISA FOR UK CITIZENS to be received after the scheduled appointment.
Sample of the Business Travel Requirements for an India Visa for UK Citizens
- Appointment SystemThe India Visa Application Centre operates an appointment system for the processing of all visas. After we have received all the materials required in support of your visa application, VisaCentral will schedule an appointment at the India Visa Application Centre. The current waiting time for an appointment is approximately 1 – 6 weeks.
The processing time is the time taken for the visa to be received after the scheduled appointment.
- Processing FeesThe India Visa Application Centre provides a mandatory SMS notification service to all visa applications. This is charged at £1.67 + VAT per application and is in addition to the consular and VFS fees quoted.
- PassportThe applicant’s actual passport. The passport must:
- Have at least two blank visa pages
- Be machine readable
- Be valid for at least 180 days beyond exit date
- Copy of Passport Identification PageProvide a clear colour copy of your passport identification page
- Photograph(s)One INDIAN VISA FOR SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS sized colour photograph. The photograph must:
- Measure 5cm x 5cm without including the borders
- Have a white background
- Include the applicant’s shoulders
- Be taken within the last six months
- Be identical
- Business Introduction LetterYou must provide a Business Introduction Letter from the applicant’s UK employer. All letters must be printed on company letterhead that displays a UK postal address. Use the sample Business Introduction Letter provided at https://visacentral.co.uk/forms?formname=Business%20Introduction%20Letter%20Sample.pdf to complete your letter. Note that most consulates require the Business Cover Letter to be dated within one month of application submission.In addition to the language provided in the sample, your Business Introduction Letter must:
- Be addressed to:”The Indian High Commission, India House, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4NA”
- Letter of InvitationA letter of invitation from the company to be visited in India. A copy is acceptable. This letter must:
- Be addressed to:”The Indian High Commission, India House, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4NA”
- Be on company letterhead paper with the name and address matching exactly to that which is stated on the visa form
- Include the applicant’s full name as stated in their passport
- Include the passport number of the applicant
- Include the date of issue of the passport
- Include the date of expiry of the passport
- Specify the purpose of journey
- Specify the exact nature of the business being conducted
- Specify requested number of entries and the length of visa required
- Be signed and dated by the inviting party
- Company Registration DocumentThis must be provided as a copy of the registration document/certificate of the inviting company
- Declaration FormOne fully completed Declaration Form which can be found in the pack and must be signed in the original
- Letter of AuthorisationAn original Letter of Authorisation permitting VisaCentral to submit and collect the application on your behalf. Complete and signthe Letter of Authorisation provided. This letter must be signed in the original.
- Visa Application FormOne fully completed and signed application form. This form must:
- Be completed online at: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/
- Be completed with the selection “London” as the place of submission
- Be printed single-sided
- Have section G completed in full
- Only contain alphanumeric characters
- Have no handwritten corrections/modifications
- Bear a signature that matches the applicant’s passport
- Be submitted to the Embassy within 45 calendar days of completion
Once printed, the visa application form must be signed twice by the applicant. Once on the first page and once on the second page. Both sections are marked “signature”
Applicants are not required to complete the online visa payment procedure, VisaCentral will manage all Consulate charges for issuing the visa on the applicant’s behalf.
- Visa ValidityVisas are ordinarily issued for “up to one year”. Applicants who would like a visa valid for longer than one year must supply a copy of their last Indian visa and ensure the visa application form, the business introduction letter and the invitation letter all request the longer validity. Applicants are advised that the issuance of a visa valid for longer than one year is not guaranteed and is issued solely at the visa officers discretion.
Applicants who would like a visa valid for longer than two years must ensure the business introduction letter clearly states the need for a long term visa.
The High Commission may issue a visa that is of a shorter validity than requested but at the cost of the requested validity. The High Commission’s decision will be final and cannot be contested by VisaCentral - VisaCentral Order ConfirmationProvide the VisaCentral Order Form included in this kit.
- Charity and Media ProfessionalsVisa approvals for applicants working in charity or media related professions will be referred to officials in India. As a result, processing time may extend for up to 8 working days and additional consular fees may be charged. Applicants with charity or media related professions are usually only issued a three month single entry “J” visa by the High Commission.
- Applicants of Pakistani OriginThere are different visa requirements for Applicants of Pakistani origin. For a complete set of requirements return to our Visa Search box and next to the statement “I will be travelling for” select the appropriate visa type with the annotation “(Applicants of Pakistani Origin)”
- Former Indian NationalsUnder the Indian law, people of Indian origin, who have acquired foreign nationality, are required to surrender their Indian passport to the High Commission of India before submitting their visa applications. Once this process is complete, a Surrender Certificate will be issued. A copy of the certificate will need to be submitted with the application or, if travelled to India before, a previous passport with India visa(s). In case the applicant does not have the Indian passports in their possession for any reason, they are required to furnish duly notarised affidavit in this regard. A police report is also required if the passport has been declared lost or stolen.
- Additional Administrative ProcessingVisa approval for applicants of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Somalia or Sri Lanka origin will be sought from officials in India. Passports will be retained by the Indian High Commission until approval is received. Processing time will be considerably longer and additional consular fees may be charged. The current processing time is the minimum of eight weeks and an additional declaration visa form will be required. Applicants of Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka origin are advised to access visa information according to their country of origin as an additional supplementary visa form will be required. During this process VisaCentral will not be provided any updates on the status of the application.
- Over Two Year Multiple Entry ApplicantsApplicants are advised that processing time for a visa of more than two years validity is between 7-10 working days. Applicants requiring a faster service are advised to select a validity of up to two years.
- Five Year Visa ApplicantsApplicants requesting a 5 year multiple entry visa must attend an appointment at the VFS application centre in London to submit their biometric data. Visa processing can only begin once the applicant has enrolled in this mandatory procedure.
- Holders of a Valid VisaApplicants are only permitted to hold one valid Indian visa at any one time. Applicants holding a valid visa in an expired passport must present this for cancellation upon submission of a new visa application.
- Proof of Previous Visa(s)Travellers must provide a clear photocopy of every previous Indian visa they they have previously obtained
Important Information
Appointment System
The India Visa Application Centre operates an appointment system for the processing of all visas. After we have received all the materials required in support of your visa application, VisaCentral will schedule an appointment at the India Visa Application Centre. The current waiting time for an appointment is approximately 1 – 6 weeks.
The processing time is the time taken for the visa to be received after the scheduled appointment.
Sample of the Tourist Travel Requirements for an India Visa for UK Citizens
- Appointment SystemThe India Visa Application Centre operates an appointment system for the processing of all visas. After we have received all the materials required in support of your visa application, VisaCentral will schedule an appointment at the India Visa Application Centre. The current waiting time for an appointment is approximately 1 – 6 weeks.
The processing time is the time taken for the visa to be received after the scheduled appointment.
- Processing FeesThe India Visa Application Centre provides a mandatory SMS notification service to all visa applications. This is charged at £1.67 + VAT per application and is in addition to the consular and VFS fees quoted.
- PassportThe applicant’s actual passport. The passport must:
- Have at least two blank visa pages
- Be machine readable
- Be valid for at least 180 days beyond exit date
- Copy of Passport Identification PageProvide a clear colour copy of your passport identification page
- Photograph(s)
- Declaration FormOne fully completed Declaration Form which can be found in the pack and must be signed in the original
- Letter of AuthorisationAn original Letter of Authorisation permitting VisaCentral to submit and collect the application on your behalf. Complete and signthe Letter of Authorisation provided. This letter must be signed in the original.
- Visa Application FormOne fully completed and signed application form. This form must:
- Be completed online at: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/
- Be completed with the selection “London” as the place of submission
- Be printed single-sided
- Have section G completed in full
- Only contain alphanumeric characters
- Have no handwritten corrections/modifications
- Bear a signature that matches the applicant’s passport
- Be submitted to the Embassy within 45 calendar days of completion
Once printed, the visa application form must be signed twice by the applicant. Once on the first page and once on the second page. Both sections are marked “signature”
Applicants are not required to complete the online visa payment procedure, VisaCentral will manage all Consulate charges for issuing the visa on the applicant’s behalf. - VisaCentral Order ConfirmationProvide the VisaCentral Order Form included in this kit.
- Applicants of Pakistani OriginThere are different visa requirements for Applicants of Pakistani origin. For a complete set of requirements return to our Visa Search box and next to the statement “I will be travelling for” select the appropriate visa type with the annotation “(Applicants of Pakistani Origin)”
- Charity and Media ProfessionalsVisa approvals for applicants working in charity or media related professions will be referred to officials in India. As a result, processing time may extend for up to 8 working days and additional consular fees may be charged. Applicants with charity or media related professions are usually only issued a three month single entry “J” visa by the High Commission.
- Former Indian NationalsUnder the Indian law, people of Indian origin, who have acquired foreign nationality, are required to surrender their Indian passport to the High Commission of India before submitting their visa applications. Once this process is complete, a Surrender Certificate will be issued. A copy of the certificate will need to be submitted with the application or, if travelled to India before, a previous passport with India visa(s). In case the applicant does not have the Indian passports in their possession for any reason, they are required to furnish duly notarised affidavit in this regard. A police report is also required if the passport has been declared lost or stolen.
- Additional Administrative ProcessingVisa approval for applicants of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Somalia or Sri Lanka origin will be sought from officials in India. Passports will be retained by the Indian High Commission until approval is received. Processing time will be considerably longer and additional consular fees may be charged. The current processing time is the minimum of eight weeks and an additional declaration visa form will be required. Applicants of Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka origin are advised to access visa information according to their country of origin as an additional supplementary visa form will be required. During this process VisaCentral will not be provided any updates on the status of the application.
- Children Under the Age of 16Applicants under 16 years of age must provide the following additional supporting documents:
- Copy of birth certificate (long version)
- A clear copy of the information page(s) from both parents passports
- A clear copy of any current Indian visa held by either parent
- An original and dated letter of consent signed by both parents which must be addressed to:”The Indian High Commission, India House, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4NA”
- In case of divorce, Child Custody Letter from court
- In case of single parent, Solicitor’s Letter and Child Benefit Letter
- Application form must be signed by applicant’s parent(s)
- Requirements for Selected ProfessionalsApplicants who are self employed or with an occupation which includes Media Related Professionals, Police, Researcher, Lawyer, Armed Forces, Commercial Pilots, Medical Personnel, Charity/Social Workers and Priests must:
- Include a copy of a letter of employment from the applicant’s UK employer stating purpose of travel
- Include an undertaking letter stating no professional related activities will be undertaken during their stay for applicants who are self employed media related professionals
Applicants with these occupations are usually only issued a one month single entry visa and may be charged additional consular fees.
- Over Two Year Multiple Entry ApplicantsApplicants are advised that processing time for a visa of more than two years validity is between 7-10 working days. Applicants requiring a faster service are advised to select a validity of up to two years.
- Five Year Visa ApplicantsApplicants requesting a 5 year multiple entry visa must attend an appointment at the VFS application centre in London to submit their biometric data. Visa processing can only begin once the applicant has enrolled in this mandatory procedure.
- Holders of a Valid VisaApplicants are only permitted to hold one valid Indian visa at any one time. Applicants holding a valid visa in an expired passport must present this for cancellation upon submission of a new visa application.
- Proof of Previous Visa(s)Travellers must provide a clear photocopy of every previous Indian visa they they have previously obtained
