Three working days ! ! ! I knew things had been going too well.
It's taken 19 working days to finally collect my passport and visa.
First of all they wanted a letter from me confirming my travel plans - evidently the information in the two Explore letters wasn't sufficient. I think it may have been too much : flight times/numbers etc etc for the whole holiday, whereas all they wanted was the where, when and how of the entry and re-entry to India.
Then they wanted clarification as to whether I wanted a Double or Multiple entry visa - the written advice from Explore had mentioned both and in the application I'd mentioned one and in my confirming letter I'd mentioned the other.
The next query was whether I really needed a Triple entry visa as I was changing planes in Delhi - I'd presumed that, as I was in transit, I would not need a visa covering changing planes. I think there might of been some confusion arising from me leaving London on 28th February & flying out of Delhi on 1st March and February only having 28 days !
The final twist was when I went to the counter - after a very short wait - and they couldn't find my passport ! ! !
Never mind, I now have my passport back with both my Indian & Bangladesh visas. The permit for Sikim and the visa for Bhutan are Explore's responsibility - I just have to remember to take with me a supply of passport photos and a copy of the Bhutan visa application which I sent to Explore. What can go wrong ?
It's taken 19 working days to finally collect my passport and visa.
First of all they wanted a letter from me confirming my travel plans - evidently the information in the two Explore letters wasn't sufficient. I think it may have been too much : flight times/numbers etc etc for the whole holiday, whereas all they wanted was the where, when and how of the entry and re-entry to India.
Then they wanted clarification as to whether I wanted a Double or Multiple entry visa - the written advice from Explore had mentioned both and in the application I'd mentioned one and in my confirming letter I'd mentioned the other.
The next query was whether I really needed a Triple entry visa as I was changing planes in Delhi - I'd presumed that, as I was in transit, I would not need a visa covering changing planes. I think there might of been some confusion arising from me leaving London on 28th February & flying out of Delhi on 1st March and February only having 28 days !
The final twist was when I went to the counter - after a very short wait - and they couldn't find my passport ! ! !
Never mind, I now have my passport back with both my Indian & Bangladesh visas. The permit for Sikim and the visa for Bhutan are Explore's responsibility - I just have to remember to take with me a supply of passport photos and a copy of the Bhutan visa application which I sent to Explore. What can go wrong ?
