[akshaymahajan]

Originally Posted by Lij

The FAQ on both the VFS Italy websites is basically the same. On both websites it says in case you need to transfer you need to submit a new application.

Why do you need to transfer visa, you can very well travel with your expired passport with a valid visa on it as mentioned in the Kolkata website. I guess Delhi website might have missed on updating this information, you can call them up and get a confirmation as well.

Correct, they just ommited the first line in one case. I did write to them and am quoting the reply here.

Thank you for writing to the Italy Visa Help Desk.



Addressing to your below query, we would like to inform you that if you
have a valid visa on your older passport and if a new passport has been
issued to you, for visa transfer you need to submit a new application
form along with all supporting documents as per checklist and need to
pay the fees.



Please be informed that the applicant cannot travel to Italy carrying
both the passports.

Here they clearly state otherwise.

[Lij]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

...

Here they clearly state otherwise.

That's interesting, infact when I inquired initially with BLS on the same for my Spain visa, the first person who answered my call said that I would need to apply again. But after checking online on a few forums and realizing I need to apply I called them again and this time the person who attended said that I need not transfer and can use travel carrying both the passports.

Do let us know what the embassy says.

[akshaymahajan]

Originally Posted by hserus

I have traveled multiple times to various schengen countries with a visa in an old / expired passport + my new passport, as long as the visa remained valid. Never to Italy but there shouldn't be any lack of uniformity to the regulation in other Schengen countries.

Originally Posted by Lij

I had a valid Schengen business visa on my expired passport and used it to travel to Spain in Nov 2017. You obviously need to carry both the passports, the expired one on which you have the valid visa and the new passport.

PS - I too had emailed the Spanish embassy and got a response in the affirmative.

One question, was your old passport completely out of pages? I still had two pages left when I got a new one.

Called VFS, and they gave the weirdest reply when I questioned them on the Kolkata FAQs. They said that if your visa was issued in Kolkata, you can carry two passports. Else, you need a new Visa.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

...They said that if your visa was issued in Kolkata, you can carry two passports. Else, you need a new Visa.

Looks like someone is having a funny bone there.

Valid visa even in an expired passport is not an issue; you just need to carry the old passport as well, since they will need to see it (obviously).

Whether two pages or 10 pages in old passport is irrelevant as an expired passport is no longer valid.

[GJ01]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

One question, was your old passport completely out of pages? I still had two pages left when I got a new one.

Hi Akshay,

My experiences are related to US and not Schengen, but I dont think the regulations would vary by country. When my passport was expiring in 2009, I had a US L1 on it till 2012, I got the passport renewed and got a new one. I was returned the old passport with a stamp that said "Passport cancelled for re-issue, valid visa not cancelled". This was on the first page of the passport facing the name details. I have travelled on my new passport and using the L1 in the old PP without any issues at all.

I dont know if things have changed now, but I know of many of my colleagues who have their US BVs on an old passport and have renewed it now and continue using the visa on the old passport.

[akshaymahajan]

Update

I did travel on two passports and there was no issue at all. No one at the airport or at immigration was surprised or asked me for any clarifications.

I did carry all the supporting documentation stating that this is allowed by the EU Zone along with email confirmations from the Swiss, French and Dutch Embassy just in case.

Sucks that VFS and the Italian embassy are allowed to mislead people!

[sindabad.sailor]

Hello all,

I had recently applied for 2 year UK Visit visa. Application was well supported with documentation including invitation by organisation, flight and hotel booking confirmations etc apart from regular documents. This being 5th UK Visa application, I was pretty confident of getting it in 5 days under priority.

GOt a surprise in the form of following mail

Unfortunately, the processing of your application has not been straightforward and we have been unable to make a decision on your application within this internal customer service target. We will continue to progress your application and make a decision as soon as possible.
We will write to you again if there is any change to this expected date.

Few questions on this

1. For a priority application, after this, how many more days they would require to decide on Visa

2. I sense from net based search that this comment usually leads to Visa refusal. Is it so in reality?

3. With 5. something GBP per mail or 1.something GBP per minute for assistance, all that is offered is general guidance on navigating the website visa4uk. Is there anyway of checking with Consulate what is exactly the matter.

4. I had applied for processing the application in Mumbai Consulate. Why am I getting above mail from Chennai Consulate.

Thanks in advnace.

[saildrive]

Guys

Can i get a Kiev, Ukraine visa on arrival?

I read somewhere that we are eligible for visa on arrival to Kiev, I am traveling to UK and would visit Kiev for a few days.

What documents would be needed for the same?

Hope to hear soon.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by saildrive

Guys

Can i get a Kiev, Ukraine visa on arrival?

I read somewhere that we are eligible for visa on arrival to Kiev, I am traveling to UK and would visit Kiev for a few days.

What documents would be needed for the same?

Hope to hear soon.

The information you need is available at this link.

[mn2363]

Hi guys! How does the German long term visa (for 2 years Masters) work?

My friend received his admission decision from the university 10 days back. Now after getting all the documents etc ready for the visa, VFS says there are no appointment slots available for submitting the application.

Last date for univesrity enrolment in Germany (one needs to be there personally present) is 15 September.

Do travel/immigration agents make/hog a lot of dummy bookings? Can anyone point out some solutions? Never had this weird issue with UK study visa.

Thanks a lot.

[sindabad.sailor]

Posting query for a friend who is about to take a job in Netherlands.

IND.NL website mentions about apostilling documents. He came across another standalone website which mentions that for apostilling the documents, they need to be issuesd within 6 months of application.

In relation,
1. Which all documents would need to be re-issued (e.g Birth Certificates, marriage certificate, Degree certificate etc)
2. Any reputed agents in Mumbai doing this?
3. Expected costs and timelines?
4. If state issues any certificate in Local language, where can it be officially translated. Will the translated copy be apostilled or the original.

If anyone has been through, please advise from your recent experiences.
Thanks in advance.

[blackasta]

One of my relatives are planning for a trip to USA. The parents live & work at Mumbai , and their daughter is a student in the eastern region.
They had a few questions, some of which I could resolve, but following are the one's I need help with:

• Address in passport (all of them) is of Mumbai. Can visa be applied for & obtained from Kolkata?
• Can daughter (Age 18+) take visa from Kolkata and parents from Mumbai for the same journey?
• What is the earliest date of biometric and Interview?
• How many days gap is there normally between biometric and Interview?
• If visa is taken from Kolkata can fees be paid at Mumbai? (I guess fees are paid online so this is of lesser concern)

It would be great if someone could help with the above.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by blackasta

...

It would be great if someone could help with the above.

1. The norm is to apply to the Consular District that covers your area of residence.

2. Previous point applies.

3. Depends on the Consulate you're applying at. Chennai and Bombay tend to be pretty busy based on personal experience, but they're efficient. You'll have choices for interview slots while applying. Choose a convenient one.

4. Biometric and in-person interviews are usually scheduled for consecutive days, biometrics first.

5. Form submission, fee payment and appointment selection is all online. The only point to remember is your appointment is not transferable between Consulates (can't take an appointment at one and turn up at another).

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

1. The norm is to apply to the Consular District that covers your area of residence.

2. Previous point applies.

3. Depends on the Consulate you're applying at. Chennai and Bombay tend to be pretty busy based on personal experience, but they're efficient. You'll have choices for interview slots while applying. Choose a convenient one.

4. Biometric and in-person interviews are usually scheduled for consecutive days, biometrics first.

5. Form submission, fee payment and appointment selection is all online. The only point to remember is your appointment is not transferable between Consulates (can't take an appointment at one and turn up at another).

thanks a lot - this really helps !

[Jaguar]

Not an advice, but thought this might come in handy for someone.


I got invited to an impromptu get together in Singapore with less than a week's notice. All the travel agents I spoke to said getting the visa was not possible and they need 5-7 working days to get it done. But on a friend's recommendation, visited the Thomas Cook main branch and they accepted my application and got the visa processed in 3 days flat. This was after the Thomas Cook call center had rejected my request. So instead of trusting the call centers, it might be worthwhile to visit a major branch of a travel agent to try your luck.