JANUARY 2017

VISA APPLICATION FOR INDIA IN JOHOR BAHRU

We didn’t know, but according to some other sailors and groups on Facebook it has been very difficult to get visas for India for non-residents in Malaysia. According to some stories people have been refused visas, even after paying their fee. This is information on how we obtained ours.

First

Go to www.indianvisaonline.gov.in and fill in the form on the screen (tourist visa) and follow instructions carefully about uploading passport photo and PRINT this form. You get a number so if you like to print later you can do that with that number but be aware….if you want to CHANGE something in the form after you have submitted it you have to start all over again (and get a new number).

On your printed form is another number and that is the number you can use to see your status (on the Indian visa online website)

You need to supply an address in your home country and a phone number in your home country for emergencies. Have that info ready.

Second

Go to www.indianhighcommission.com.my/visa_service [Broken Link] You get a page with information about visa application but the most important thing is a link to get a form for Non- Residents of Malaysia (and Non-Malaysians) This link is halfway down the page and difficult to see. This link gives you a new form. Print it out and fill in, sign and TAKE WITH YOU to the visa centre. It is separate from the online form.

Third

You need TWO passport photos but they have to be exactly 2″x2″ !!! They can make them at a photo studio on the ground floor outside the Indian Visa centre. Costs 20 RM for 4 pictures.

Fourth

You go with all the forms (printed visa application, non-resident form, 2 passport photos and MONEY), to the Visa Centre in Johor Bahru, (open 9 am-2 pm) Unit M-03 Mezz. Floor MENARA TJB building #9, (This is close to the Istana- JB Central), Jalan Seyd Mohd Mufti 80000 Johor Bahru

Tel.07-221330

The visa application is then sent to the High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and the cost depends on your home country. We had a Dutch passport (198 RM for 3 months) and a UK passport (594 RM (!! )for 3 months)

It took 11 working days to get confirmation (by phone from India!) but that was the period around Christmas and New Year. Then you have to go back to the Visa centre in Johor Bahru with your passports and then it takes 4(?) working days to get the visa “stamped” in the passports.  In fact, it is a sticker. Then you can pick them up. We agree it was a long wait, minimal 12 working days.

We can’t guarantee that if you do it this way you get a visa. We don’t take responsibility for that but… it was the way we got our visas so maybe it works for other people as well. In any case in Johor Bahru. We don’t know if the other visa centres will do the same.

We have never mentioned to the visa centre staff that we were sailors and were planning to sail to India. The application form is not asking for this information so we kept quiet about it. However, we have stamps in our passports which mention the name of the boat and we mentioned as our address in India the Marina in Cochin.

GOOD LUCK WITH IT.

Tony and Karin