Tourist Visa for India

[Viveash]

I live in Perth and am visiting Cochin, Goa and Mumbai on the Celebrity Constellation cruise ex Singapore on 17 January 2020 and am having extreme difficulty in completing the VFS Global online Tourist Visa application form, for India. The Indian Consulate does not handle visa applications.

All was going fine until I came to a section called Reference. It asks for the name, address and phone number of a reference in India. Well clearly as an Australian who is only seeking a Tourist visa to allow short shore excursions in each on these places, I do not have a reference in India.

However the online form will not allow me to continue with the application until I complete the Reference requested information.

I have tried unsuccessfully to phone VSF on the Melbourne phone number shown online, but on every occasion the calls do not go through.

My travel agent has sent an email to Celebrity Cruises over a week ago, but has not receved any suggestions.

I was hoping some fellow cruisers, particularly those in Australia, would have had some experience with this and be able to offer me some advice.

Alan

[JBare]

When we did an equivalent cruise on Constellation in 2018. Celebrity sent an email to passengers detailing how to fill in a full visa application. I dont think a full visa is still required, does an evisa still ask this question ? Anyway for the answer to the reference question Celebrity stated to use their port handling agents in Mumbai. At the time this was JM BAXI & CO, MUMBAI PORT. Tel No 22 22104444.  This may or may not still be the case. You should look on the Asia Ports of Call Forum and search for visa or india for possible later info. In any event Celebrity should be able to tell you their current port handling agent and that will do as a reference.

Edited October 29, 2019 by JBare
date added

[4774Papa]

We visited India (four ports on the SW) in 2015 and a visa was require.  The internet visa process was not available for cruise passengers.

 

We have been to China twice and Russia, which had somewhat lengthy and difficult visa processes, but the Indian visa was the WORST.  I tried submitting our applications direct, but it was rejected.   Finally, I used a visa application company for the process.  They told me that the question (where are you staying in India?) was the problem.  I was putting the name of the cruise ship, since we were not in a hotel.   I was told to put in the name of a hotel in Mumbai instead.  

They said that if I didn't do that, I would not get the visa.   I did that and got the visa.  Apparently, bureaucracy rules in the Indian government.

[govanguy]

I used the British Consulate address. My Visa was processed within 48 hours

 

Australian Consulate General

 Plot C 38-39, Bandra Kurla Complex, Opp MCA Cricket Club, Level 10, A Wing, Crescenzo Building, G Block, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051, India

 

It was an e-Visa

Edited October 29, 2019 by govanguy
omission

[Notts1964]

Hi

We did the same cruise earlier this year. We are from the UK not Australia. I found the evisa fairly stressful to complete, “countries visited in last 10 years” was particularly long and I had to leave some out. Anyway, I looked up the port agent’s name and address for the first port of call - Cochin I think, and put that. My evisa was approved and so it worked.

[jelayne]

We used the  used the Mumbai port agent info in 2018.  We needed a full visa as we were leaving the ship for 2 nights to visit the Taj Mahal.  Visa was the worst we have ever had to go through.  it would not accept our home address as a return address for the visa🙄

[mom says]

We visited the same ports on our Connie cruise last year. The evisa was a PITA to complete, but we just used the port agents name and address. We received the visa in about 48 hours.

[Viveash]

A big thank you to all of you fellow cruisers who took the time to reply to my request, with regard to "Reference" information needed to complete the online Indian Visa application.

As suggested, I rang Celebrity Cruises and they gave me the details of their Port agent in Cochin, which is the first port of call in India on this cruise.

It worked like a charm and the application was accepted.

As a matter of interest for any future cruisers, the details are:

Celebrity Cruises,

Willington Island,

Cochin, Kerala

Phone: 1 888 8597692

Thanks again, this just goes to show how helpful Cruise Critic can be in circumstances such as mine.

[Viveash]

16 hours ago, JBare said:

When we did an equivalent cruise on Constellation in 2018. Celebrity sent an email to passengers detailing how to fill in a full visa application. I dont think a full visa is still required, does an evisa still ask this question ? Anyway for the answer to the reference question Celebrity stated to use their port handling agents in Mumbai. At the time this was JM BAXI & CO, MUMBAI PORT. Tel No 22 22104444.  This may or may not still be the case. You should look on the Asia Ports of Call Forum and search for visa or india for possible later info. In any event Celebrity should be able to tell you their current port handling agent and that will do as a reference.

 

Hi JBare,

You mentioned that you did the equivalent cruise last year and was wondering if you would mind lending me the wisdom of your experience in relation to a couple of matters:

1. Like many I have found Ship excursions to be expensive and so apart from arranging local tours online, are there reputable local tour operators onshore that you can arrange upon arrival, the same as there are in so many other countries?

2. Rather than obtain local Indian Currency before we leave Australia at a dreadful exchange rate, do you know if there are currence exchange ATMs at the ports like there are in other countries, where you can use your card to obtain the amount of local currency you want at the time?

3. We are visiting Cochin, Goa and the Mumbai overnight. Did you do any particular tours that you would recommend?

4. Did you visit Colombo, Sri Lanka and so could I ask the same questions in relation to there?

 

Would very much appreciate any info you can give me.

 

Alan

[JBare]

15 hours ago, Viveash said:

 

1. Like many I have found Ship excursions to be expensive and so apart from arranging local tours online, are there reputable local tour operators onshore that you can arrange upon arrival, the same as there are in so many other countries?

2. Rather than obtain local Indian Currency before we leave Australia at a dreadful exchange rate, do you know if there are currence exchange ATMs at the ports like there are in other countries, where you can use your card to obtain the amount of local currency you want at the time?

3. We are visiting Cochin, Goa and the Mumbai overnight. Did you do any particular tours that you would recommend?

4. Did you visit Colombo, Sri Lanka and so could I ask the same questions in relation to there?

 

Would very much appreciate any info you can give me.

 

So, a number of points then.

Money, you are not allowed to take Indian currency into or out of the country, I believe that’s still the case. At both Mumbai and Goa there were port-approved moneychangers at small desks inside the port and the exchange rates were reasonable, we changed a small amount in Mumbai and back again in Goa. We didn’t visit Cochin Colombo or Sri Lanka.

We normally like to do our own thing with a bit of research beforehand using public transport where possible. Depending on how fit you are Mumbai is fairly easy to get around. We spent the first day in Mumbai wandering around on our own, we walked to Churchgate station from the port (about 20 mins) bought two 1st Class (you get a seat maybe) all day rail tickets for less than £5 and travelled to a few stops to experience the infamous rail system and some famous stops, after the rush hour of course. Then spent the whole day walking around the sights to The Gate of India near the famous Taj Mahal Palace hotel, back to the Victorian  CST station then back to the port for a well-earned drink. On the second day we took the ships tour to the Elephanta Caves which are a must see if you have two days in Mumbai, a really good experience in my view.  Look for Green Gate Alexandra dock on Google as that’s likely where you'll dock.

In Goa we took another ships tour to the old capital Panjim (Panaji), which was also really good but make sure the guide spends plenty of time in the old town as ours thought everyone wanted to shop, we didn’t. Two Indian waiters on our previous cruise told us what to do as they were both from Goa. Ship docks near the MSC Melody (MS Qing)  in Mormugao Vasco port so a ships tour is a good idea.

Your Roll Call on these boards or the Asia ports of call forum will have more helpful info.  If you walk out of the port gates there are very many taxi drivers offering tours but I can’t recommend any I'm afraid.

If the Bollywood dance company come aboard to perform in the theatre, they’re brilliant.

[Jim_Iain]

When we applied for our Australian Visa 2 years ago, we were told to just put in any Hotel Name -

 

In the guide we got they said used -

 

Hilton Hotel

22 South Street

Delhi, India

Phone111111111111

 

I did as instructed and received my Visa without even a blink of the eye.     I think it is just one of those things you have to fill in something.  

[Viveash]

16 hours ago, JBare said:

 

So, a number of points then.

Money, you are not allowed to take Indian currency into or out of the country, I believe that’s still the case. At both Mumbai and Goa there were port-approved moneychangers at small desks inside the port and the exchange rates were reasonable, we changed a small amount in Mumbai and back again in Goa. We didn’t visit Cochin Colombo or Sri Lanka.

We normally like to do our own thing with a bit of research beforehand using public transport where possible. Depending on how fit you are Mumbai is fairly easy to get around. We spent the first day in Mumbai wandering around on our own, we walked to Churchgate station from the port (about 20 mins) bought two 1st Class (you get a seat maybe) all day rail tickets for less than £5 and travelled to a few stops to experience the infamous rail system and some famous stops, after the rush hour of course. Then spent the whole day walking around the sights to The Gate of India near the famous Taj Mahal Palace hotel, back to the Victorian  CST station then back to the port for a well-earned drink. On the second day we took the ships tour to the Elephanta Caves which are a must see if you have two days in Mumbai, a really good experience in my view.  Look for Green Gate Alexandra dock on Google as that’s likely where you'll dock.

In Goa we took another ships tour to the old capital Panjim (Panaji), which was also really good but make sure the guide spends plenty of time in the old town as ours thought everyone wanted to shop, we didn’t. Two Indian waiters on our previous cruise told us what to do as they were both from Goa. Ship docks near the MSC Melody (MS Qing)  in Mormugao Vasco port so a ships tour is a good idea.

Your Roll Call on these boards or the Asia ports of call forum will have more helpful info.  If you walk out of the port gates there are very many taxi drivers offering tours but I can’t recommend any I'm afraid.

If the Bollywood dance company come aboard to perform in the theatre, they’re brilliant.

 

Many thanks, appreciate your helpful info.

[4774Papa]

On 10/29/2019 at 10:56 PM, Viveash said:

 

Hi JBare,

You mentioned that you did the equivalent cruise last year and was wondering if you would mind lending me the wisdom of your experience in relation to a couple of matters:

1. Like many I have found Ship excursions to be expensive and so apart from arranging local tours online, are there reputable local tour operators onshore that you can arrange upon arrival, the same as there are in so many other countries?

2. Rather than obtain local Indian Currency before we leave Australia at a dreadful exchange rate, do you know if there are currence exchange ATMs at the ports like there are in other countries, where you can use your card to obtain the amount of local currency you want at the time?

3. We are visiting Cochin, Goa and the Mumbai overnight. Did you do any particular tours that you would recommend?

4. Did you visit Colombo, Sri Lanka and so could I ask the same questions in relation to there?

 

Would very much appreciate any info you can give me.

 

Alan

We did a great tour in Mumbai with Mumbai Magic Tours.  For Cochin, Goa and the other port we had great tours with Cochin Day Tours-Muziris Heritage.

 Lijo Jose was my point of contact and may have been the owner of the company. We met Lijo while on this tour.

Our tour was the Cochin Backwater Tour that included a peaceful two hour ride on a houseboat. We had a nice Indian lunch on the houseboat. We cruised the waters of Alapuzha, and then drove back to Ft. Cochin. Back in Cochin, we had an opportunity to shop and visit the Paradesi Synagogue. It is the oldest active synagogue in the British Commonwealth of Nations. It was constructed in 1567. The tour was seven hours and cost $75 per person.

http://www.daytoursincochin.com/cochin-backwater-tour/

[barbette165]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

When we applied for our Australian Visa 2 years ago, we were told to just put in any Hotel Name -

 

In the guide we got they said used -

 

Hilton Hotel

22 South Street

Delhi, India

Phone111111111111

 

I did as instructed and received my Visa without even a blink of the eye.     I think it is just one of those things you have to fill in something.  

 

It's the same when you apply for an ESTA to enter the US. You need to enter the address you are staying the first night. The ESTA is then valid for multiple entries for two years. - How much would an Uber be from JFK to the Embassy Suites on 17th SE St?

[Jim_Iain]

I'm not sure there's an Embassy Suite in NY on 17th ST -   there is one on 37th.    Cost is approx $75 from JFK but you could see higher rates during surge pricing periods.

 

You can easily get a quote by using either Uber or Lyft apps and manually input Origin and Destination.

[barbette165]

Jim - either you've missed my joke, or I've missed yours.  When you apply for the ESTA  you need to add a first night address - which may or may not be the actual planned address. In my example I referred to the Embassy Suites in FLL, since that is a common hotel that people ask about on here. Next time you enter the US on the same ESTA, you may enter in JFK or LAX or anywhere else - but the ESTA still says that you'll be staying at the Embassy Suites in FLL.

Maybe I should have added a 😉?

[JBare]

An ESTA is a walk in the park compared to an Indian Visa.

[Viveash]

16 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

We did a great tour in Mumbai with Mumbai Magic Tours.  For Cochin, Goa and the other port we had great tours with Cochin Day Tours-Muziris Heritage.

 Lijo Jose was my point of contact and may have been the owner of the company. We met Lijo while on this tour.

Our tour was the Cochin Backwater Tour that included a peaceful two hour ride on a houseboat. We had a nice Indian lunch on the houseboat. We cruised the waters of Alapuzha, and then drove back to Ft. Cochin. Back in Cochin, we had an opportunity to shop and visit the Paradesi Synagogue. It is the oldest active synagogue in the British Commonwealth of Nations. It was constructed in 1567. The tour was seven hours and cost $75 per person.

http://www.daytoursincochin.com/cochin-backwater-tour/

 

Thanks for the helpful info.