The Indian high commission here has rejected claims from travel agents that it changed its UK tourist visa rules at the last minute, throwing the holidays of thousands of British holidaymakers into doubt, and instead maintains British applicants have always been required to present themselves in person at VFS Centres.
The mission said: “Individual visa applicants are, and always have been, required to submit visa applications at the VFS centres in person. There is no change in the visa application process for individual visa applications. It has come to our notice that unauthorised agents and individuals are illegally charging fees and collecting India visa applications for submission at VFS centres, misleading applicants and misrepresenting the services that they can legally provide.
This matter is currently being investigated. High Commission of India emphasises that VFS Global Services is the only authorised outsourcing provider for India-related passport/visa/and consular services in the UK.” British holidaymakers who have used visa agents to procure their visas for India are being forced to cancel their holidays as visa agents received notice last week that all applicants have to turn up in person at VFS Centres to submit visa applications. Many had paid hundreds of pounds to these agents to avoid having to travel to VFS Centres and now cannot get appointments before their flights take off. A spokesperson for AITO – The Specialist Travel Association, which represents 120 UK tour operators, said: “There is £10 million worth of bookings on the books of AITO operators that are at risk. The travel industry has relied on visa agents for a long time as they check it is correct and it saves people from having to travel from all over the UK to a visa centre.
It is the most inefficient way to have to go and get a visa in person, and when you are there you end up waiting for hours. This will hit the economy of India badly as these tourists would have spent a lot of money in India that would have helped small niche businesses there. The key issue is there are not enough appointments.” The Indian high commission said it was endeavouring to address shortfalls in its services whilst the Indian Association of Tour Operators has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office to request help restoring tourist e-visas for the UK.
