Hello again!
So last week I had my VISA application submission at VFS Global. Like I said in my previous post, it was the first time I visited any VFS to submit my VISA application. I arrived at the location around 9:15 AM which was 15 minutes before my appointment time. I talked to the security, they guided me to 5th floor of that building after verifying my appointment.
Reached my floor and It was a chaos there. 🙄 I approached the help desk and they asked me for the appointment again. After verifying, they gave me a token and I entered the office / waiting area.
Usually you need to be seated here till they announce your token number also you could see on a screen, which taken number is in process at that time. As confused I approached a lady who was passing by and looking like a VFS staff.
She started explaining me that I have two options, either I can wait at the waiting area till my token number is announced or I can move to a premium lounge where they will help me with this process and finish early. She also said that premium lounge is only ₹3,000, I agreed to it and we moved to lounge area. After being seated comfortably, VFS staff asked me for all my documents. I gave everything to her and I was sitting there, drinking coffee.
Lounge was a tad bit better than outside. Free bottled water and coffee is being offered. After waiting 15 minutes, the same VFS staff came back with a form and asked me to fill it. I filled it so that I can receive my passport by courier. There were more and more people coming in to the lounge area and I felt the VFS staffs became a bit busy and neglected me, little did I know, my documents are being verified according to the Embassy requirements and if all documents are present as per the check list.
Another VFS staff came to me in some minutes and started explaining that all of my documents are fine but I need to sign on a couple of documents. Also my pictures were not as per the standard, which was frustrating but I could get it done at their in house studio at no additional cost. 😃
So I got my new pictures and sign the documents, after that I went to the counter and submitted documents again. The VFS staff checked everything again and in the end provided me a money receipt that I needed to pay by cash at another counter. Cash! really? 🙄
They have an ATM at the ground floor, so I went and got the cash and waited in line to deposit it. After depositing money, the cash counter provided me a conformation which I had to submit at the other counter where document submission was done. VFS staff at the counter asked me to wait some more at the lounge so that they can finalize everything.
After drinking more free coffee and waiting, finally the VFS staff arrived and notified me that I need to provide my biometrics as my previous biometrics data became invalid which was take like around 3 years back. For this final step I had to move to biometrics area and this step was completed fairly quickly in 15 mins. Before moving out from VFS I talked to the VFS staff if its the end of VISA submission process, and it was finally OVER!!!
In total this whole process took around 1.5 hrs. I would rate my experience 3.5 out of 5. Also if any more documents are missing, then this process going to take even longer so please prepare all your documents according to the check-list before visiting VFS.
I hope this helps you with preparing for your visa application. For queries regarding the same, please ask in the comment area. I will try to reply as soon as possible. Best of luck. ✌️
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