I've been wanting to take a trip to India for some time now. I just found out I'll have 12 days off work in the middle of May, so I thought this would be the prefect opportunity to plan a trip. I filled out the online application for a visa today and went to schedule my appointment. I will be dropping my application off in person at the Atlanta office. The soonest appointment I could get was May 2nd. I would be leaving for India on May 13th. Does this give me enough time for them to process my visa and allow me to pick it up? I work Mon-Thurs so ideally I'll drop my passport off on May 2nd, and be able to pick it up a week later on Friday, when I'm off again. I can't just go pick it up after work, as I live in Florida and have to pick it up in Atlanta.
Anyone know the usual turnaround time for applications dropped off in person? And when I applied online, the longest visa I could apply for was 5 years. I know 10 year visas are the same price. Are 10 year visas still offered? Thanks for any insight!

more info here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...residents.html

Yeah...I read through that thread. Most of it applies to the old Travisa outsourcing, not BLS, the new contract company for Indian visas. I'm worried from reading reviews that a week wont be enough. I've read around that the Atlanta office can take longer than others, just wondering if anyone has experiences with them. I'm worried that if I drop it off, they will still have my passport on the 13th when I want to leave. If India doesn't work out I've got my eyes on Cambodia/Vietnam but obviously can't do those either if they've still got my passport...

the second half of the thread is all about bls....from what i know, a week may not be enough....

I was kind of worried that a week wouldn't be enough. I was able to get my vacation pushed back a week which will give me two full weeks for them to process the visa... That should definitely be enough time, I would think.

So I just got my visa today. It took me 3.5 weeks to acquire my visa. My friend was able to get his in 7 days. If you make any errors on your application then they will hold it for a long time.

Make sure you do electronic AirBills for sending and return packages! Do not do written airbills. Make sure you sent correct amount of money order. Make sure you follow every word of the instructions. They can be tricky!!

Thanks! I'll actually be flying into ATL to drop it off in person, and flying back to ATL to pick it up again. I know it is much quicker when dropped off in person. I'll make sure to fill everything out correctly though.

I did mine in person in Chicago last fall and it took just under a week.

One recommendation I have is, once you arrive, ask someone who works there for help completing (or to look over) your forms (if you have time). I read every instruction and completed every form, but, there were still things that they seemed to want to be done or completed a certain way that was not explained anywhere.

Thanks for the replies guys... Does anyone know if Indian visas have a "enter before" date? I still plan on getting the visa but might have a work assignment now that lasts the entire month of May, meaning I'll might need to reschedule for June or July. I know Chinese visas, for example, are invalid after a couple months if you don't enter the country. This whole visa process is new to me, as I've always avoided visa destinations in the past.

India generally doesn't have enter before dates on ordinary tourist or business visas like Brazil has had. That's not to say there is none of that with Indian visas -- but I've never encountered it for typical Indian tourist or business visas.

2 weeks it generally works well. Less than 1 week and it's too often a gamble, even without errors on the application. Too frequently BLS messes up things still, even if dealing with them in person for drop-off, pick-up and whatever else. The stuff going on, for example, at Chicago with BLS is too often an unnecessary blunder for reasons that have nothing to do with the applicant -- Chicago BLS is sort of all over the place, with that inconsistency by BLS ruining trips that would never have been ruined in prior years when BLS was not part of the picture in this way.

I used PVS to get a tourist visa. Entire process took exactly two weeks, including Fed Ex time. Prompt and painless.

Hey All,
I provided mine on Friday (4/25) in person, in Chicago. They said 5-7 biz days, and I did the prepaid FedEx delivery option through BLS. I had all of my paperwork in order, photo ready, and the clerk went through each page (though I am not certain how thorough she was). This is a 1yr, multi-entry business visa with a reputable invitation letter, and our company has sent others there recently as well.

My question... Is there a chance that it comes back before May 8th?

I'd really prefer not to have to push this trip past my departure of Saturday the 10th.

They were blazing through applications that day. I was taken at 10:05am for an 11am appointment, so I am thinking it was hopefully a slow week. Also, only two people from agencies for the agent drop off time (and it only looked like a dozen or so were dropped off)...

Thoughts??

A new provider was supposed to be announced in May.

It will take time upto 15 to one month according to the availability of documents and staffs.

I have applied for visa with BLS long time ago and it was accepted on April 30th, 2014. I have tried calling them but nothing worked. Neither emailing them worked. I still haven't got back my passport with visa yet. Don't know what to do and now this new contract thing. I am going to go to India in a week from now and I need it. someone help me please. Need a solution. I can't even track on BLS website anymore and on cox & kings (CKGS) website it shows some different type of tracking but I think that it isn't up to date yet. So someone please help me. This is URGENT!