So I decided to apply for my India tourist visa last month. Total pain in the ass but finally got it done. Here’s exactly how it went down step by step.
First thing – I procrastinated like hell. Thought it’d be easy-peasy until my buddy Rahul warned me: Start two months early or get totally screwed. Panicked when I saw the damn appointment slots were all booked out for weeks. Moral? Check appointment availability before you even think about applying.
Paperwork Nightmare
Filled out the online form sweating bullets. Made three stupid mistakes:
- Forgot middle name once
- Typed passport number wrong
- Screwed up date format (they want DD/MM/YYYY obviously)
Had to redo the stupid thing twice. Proofread like a maniac before clicking submit.
Document Party
Gathered papers thinking it’d take an hour. Took three days! Learned:
No photocopies? Straight to rejection city
My checklist:
- Bank statements showing $1k+ balance
- Flight itinerary (didn’t even buy tickets yet)
- Hotel bookings for first two nights
- Color passport photos with light background
- Employment verification letter
Forgot to sign one damn bank statement. Drove back home for signature like an idiot.
The Waiting Game
Submitted everything and got ghosted for three weeks. Emailed twice – nothing. Was ready to book another $50 appointment when the approval suddenly came through yesterday. Total relief!
Biggest takeaway? They care way more about your documents being perfect than interrogating you. Just dot your i’s, cross your t’s, and don’t be dumb like me starting late.
