Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Asia > India
Reload this Page >

Possible to get visa upon arrival in DEL?

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Possible to get visa upon arrival in DEL?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 24, 2007 | 6:26 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
30 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bellingham
Programs: UA Gold MM
Posts: 732
Possible to get visa upon arrival in DEL?

A friend is scheduled to fly SEA-AMS-DEL tomorrow; however, he just realized he needs a visa. Other than rescheduling his trip, and eating a hefty change fee, is there any way he can get a visa upon arrival?

(No, it's not me.)
SeattleFred is offline  
Old Feb 24, 2007 | 7:02 pm
  #2  
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
30 Countries Visited
100 Nights
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ PPS, Mar LTT, Hyatt LTG, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,155
Originally Posted by SeattleFred
A friend is scheduled to fly SEA-AMS-DEL tomorrow; however, he just realized he needs a visa. Other than rescheduling his trip, and eating a hefty change fee, is there any way he can get a visa upon arrival?

(No, it's not me.)
Not sure of the situation in SEA, but in TLV you can pay an extra fee and have the Indian embassy open, even on a day they don't' work in order to issue a visa on the spot.
yosithezet is offline  
Old Feb 24, 2007 | 7:33 pm
  #3  
100 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: LAX, SAN, ORD, MAA & COK
Programs: AA LT EXP 6+ MM, AC, DL (MM) & LT SkyClub, All Airlines 10+MM, Hilton LT Diamond, Bonvoy LT Plat
Posts: 761
Boarding may be denied without a visa

Most airlines will not even allow you to board flights to India without a vaild visa. It looks like an expensive oversight on the part of your friend.
ROW2Aisle is offline  
Old Feb 24, 2007 | 7:38 pm
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Conversation Starter
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-PP, HL-DM, MR-LTP, HY-LTG
Posts: 26,017
Originally Posted by SeattleFred
A friend is scheduled to fly SEA-AMS-DEL tomorrow; however, he just realized he needs a visa. Other than rescheduling his trip, and eating a hefty change fee, is there any way he can get a visa upon arrival?

(No, it's not me.)
Unfortunately no. Otherwise why bother with getting visas in advance at an Indian Embassy.

He will not be allowed to board for his flight to India. And if he is, he will be faced with hassles in India or worse, be deported.
Guy Betsy is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2007 | 8:06 am
  #5  
1M
40 Countries Visited
50 Countries Visited
80 Nights
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Programs: AA EXP, UA Gold 1MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 358
Most airplanes will not let you on without the visa. If you do manage it, you will likely be sent back to the destination with a significant fine for the airline. In extremely rare cases, a 72 hour, transit card is given (usually with an Embassy's intervention for official travelers and even then still not done very often) and the passport is taken until the departure.

Bottomline is that your friend should not try and come, and needs to get the visa before he departs--even if it is in Amsterdam
indiahoosier is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2007 | 12:33 pm
  #6  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
The answer generally applicable to this situation for US and Canadian nationals is "no, and expect to be turned around on arrival if the airline failed to catch it first" and extraordinary arrangements haven't been made.
GUWonder is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2007 | 2:50 pm
  #7  
Original Poster
30 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bellingham
Programs: UA Gold MM
Posts: 732
Thanks for the info. My friend is flying to SFO today, hopeful that he can get a visa on Monday. He will then purchase a new ticket to DEL for a Tuesday departure. An expensive error, indeed.
SeattleFred is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2007 | 12:31 am
  #8  
Original Poster
30 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bellingham
Programs: UA Gold MM
Posts: 732
Originally Posted by SeattleFred
Thanks for the info. My friend is flying to SFO today, hopeful that he can get a visa on Monday. He will then purchase a new ticket to DEL for a Tuesday departure. An expensive error, indeed.
Follow-up: My friend was able to get a visa today, in SFO, and he will be flying to DEL tomorrow. His new ticket, which will take him SFO-JFK-LHR-DEL and then back to Seattle (I don't know the routing) on UA and IA, set him back $1450. He claims that NW/KLM, on which he was originally ticketed, will let him use the value of his ticket on a future flight of equal or greater value.

All in all, I think he got off pretty easy.
SeattleFred is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.