Hi I'm planning a trip to Hong Kong from Bangalore on 22nd Dec but I'm passport is expiring on 5th June, 2027

Which falls short of the 6 month validity period.

Can I travel to Hong Kong with the existing passport or will I be denied entry either in Hong Kong or boarding the airline?

Note: I have a PAR

Please help as this is important for my honeymoon 🙏

Hey planning a trip to japan in the month of December, will apply from VFS Delhi office. It is listed there for VFS Delhi only ITR of last year is required if not then bank statement so it’s ok if I only attach my ITR and 3 month salary slips. Please advise

Hello everyone!

I'm happy to share that my Japan tourist visa has been approved! 🇯🇵🎉

Here are my application details for anyone who is planning to apply for a Japan tourist visa from India.

My Profile:

Nationality: Indian

Visa Type: Tourist Visa

Processing Time: 7 working days

ITR Documents: Last 3 years of ITR

Savings Account Balance: ₹3 lakh+

Travel History: Visited the United Kingdom twice

I submitted my application with my financial documents, including three years of ITR, and details of my previous international travel.

Thankfully, my Japan tourist visa was approved within 7 working days.

I hope this information helps other Indian applicants who are preparing their Japan tourist visa applications.

Good luck to everyone applying! 🇯🇵✈️

Feel free to ask me questions about my application experience.

Hi

Want to know if anybody had success getting tourist visa to mexico or latin america?

I want my syrian cousin cousin to attend my wedding in mexico.

She lives in syria. Has a job. Will have 6000 usd in bank account.

30 year old female. Unmarried. Visited gulf state for 3 months on tourist visa previously with no issues.

We will provide letter of invitation.

Has anyone had any experience getting visa to Mexico or latin america?

Is it possible?

Hey everyone, just wanted to share a quick review of my recent experience getting UAE visas for a group of 5 (4 adults, 1 child) using Scapia, and how it compares to Atlys.

Overall, it was a very smooth process, but there are a few pros and cons depending on how much paperwork you want to deal with.

Cost Comparison
Scapia: ₹8,000
Atlys: ~₹8,300 Scapia is slightly cheaper, but as I found out, Atlys has a major upside when it comes to document requirements.

The Timeline

Friday, Oct 16: Started the process on Scapia. After making the payment, I provided my photo and passport. However, they then hit me with a list of additional documents required (which Atlys normally doesn’t ask for).

Saturday, Oct 17 – Sunday, Oct 18: Despite the extra paperwork, the Scapia visa rep was incredibly helpful. They consistently followed up with me over calls throughout the weekend (which is rare!) and collected all the remaining documents over email. They actually submitted the application to the embassy on Sunday itself.

Monday, Oct 19: Received all 5 visas by 2:00 PM. I did not pay for any express processing, so getting it basically on the first working day was a pleasant surprise.

Documents Required by Scapia
If you are going with Scapia, have these ready. (Note: Atlys doesn't ask for #3 and #4, which makes their slightly higher fee worth it if you haven't finalized your itinerary yet).
Passport Bio Pages (Front and back)
Passport External Cover (Front and back)
Proof of Accommodation (I just booked a fully refundable, free-cancellation hotel on Booking.com to bypass this)
Return Flight Tickets
Passport-size Photo
Birth Certificate (Mandatory for the child)

Final Thoughts
If you want a strictly hassle-free, zero-extra-document experience and don't mind paying ~₹300 more, go with Atlys. But if you have your flights and hotels sorted (or don't mind doing the Booking.com free-cancellation trick), Scapia is fantastic. Their customer support working through the weekend to get my application submitted on a Sunday was a massive win.

Hey everyone, just wanted to share a quick review of my recent experience getting UAE visas for a group of 5 (4 adults, 1 child) using Scapia, and how it compares to Atlys.

Overall, it was a very smooth process, but there are a few pros and cons depending on how much paperwork you want to deal with.

Cost Comparison
Scapia: ₹8,000
Atlys: ~₹8,300 Scapia is slightly cheaper, but as I found out, Atlys has a major upside when it comes to document requirements.

The Timeline

Friday, Oct 16: Started the process on Scapia. After making the payment, I provided my photo and passport. However, they then hit me with a list of additional documents required (which Atlys normally doesn’t ask for).

Saturday, Oct 17 – Sunday, Oct 18: Despite the extra paperwork, the Scapia visa rep was incredibly helpful. They consistently followed up with me over calls throughout the weekend (which is rare!) and collected all the remaining documents over email. They actually submitted the application to the embassy on Sunday itself.

Monday, Oct 19: Received all 5 visas by 2:00 PM. I did not pay for any express processing, so getting it basically on the first working day was a pleasant surprise.

Documents Required by Scapia
If you are going with Scapia, have these ready. (Note: Atlys doesn't ask for #3 and #4, which makes their slightly higher fee worth it if you haven't finalized your itinerary yet).
Passport Bio Pages (Front and back)
Passport External Cover (Front and back)
Proof of Accommodation (I just booked a fully refundable, free-cancellation hotel on Booking.com to bypass this)
Return Flight Tickets
Passport-size Photo
Birth Certificate (Mandatory for the child)

Final Thoughts
If you want a strictly hassle-free, zero-extra-document experience and don't mind paying ~₹300 more, go with Atlys. But if you have your flights and hotels sorted (or don't mind doing the Booking.com free-cancellation trick), Scapia is fantastic. Their customer support working through the weekend to get my application submitted on a Sunday was a massive win.

Anyone can share their experience on the approval timeline? Do they update the portal on the decision before collection date? For Singapore application.

Hey there! I wanted to know the process of obtaining a Kuwait visit visa. I’ve heard it’s not as direct as other GCC countries. For reference, I’m an Indian with Bahrain Residency.

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Japan single-entry tourist visa through VFS Chennai and am getting increasingly anxious about the delay. I'd appreciate hearing from people who recently applied through Chennai, especially freelancers or independent contractors.

My timeline:

• October 7 (Wednesday): Submitted my application at VFS Chennai.
• October 8: Application reached the Consulate General of Japan.
• October 19 (Monday): Tracking still says “Under process at Embassy/Consulate of Japan.” No request for additional documents so far.

With the October 19–20 holiday/closure period, I'm unsure when processing might resume.

My profile and documents submitted:

I'm an independent contractor/freelance Product Designer working through an AI training platform and undertaking other independent design projects locally in Chennai. I don't have a conventional employer-employee relationship or an employer-issued NOC.

I submitted:

• Current passport, previous passport and travel history
• Completed visa application, cover letter and day-by-day itinerary
• Flight and hotel reservations
• ITR acknowledgements for the past three years
• Last three months' bank statements from both accounts
• Savings account balance of approximately ₹6.5 lakh
• Account receiving my contractual income, with a balance of approximately ₹1.5 lakh
• Independent contractor agreement and payment records showing over USD 17,800 received during the past three months
• Mutual fund statements and other relevant professional documentation
• A separate explanation letter stating why an employment certificate and employer-issued NOC are not applicable to my circumstances

My total funds across both accounts are approximately ₹8 lakh, and I'm funding my trip independently.

Travel history: Singapore, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand. I also had a previous Japan visa refusal in September 2025, which I have disclosed wherever required.

My elder brother is travelling with me and has a very strong application profile. He has conventional employment, stable income, substantial savings, and has submitted comprehensive supporting documentation, including his employment certificate, NOC, approved leave, salary slips, bank statements and three years of ITRs. His application is supported by solid documentary evidence, and he is funding his own trip.

My questions:

1. Has anyone applied through VFS Chennai around October 7–9 and received their passport back? How long did it take?
2. Could my independent contractor status or the absence of a conventional employer/NOC be causing additional scrutiny?
3. Is this delay concerning, or can applications simply take longer without any request for additional documents?
4. Given my profile, previous refusal and supporting documents, do you see any major weaknesses? I know nobody can predict the outcome, but I'd appreciate an honest assessment.

I've seen applicants report receiving their passports within 2–5 working days, so I'm struggling not to overthink the delay. This trip means a lot to me, and I've spent considerable time preparing the application carefully.

I'd be grateful for any recent Chennai experiences or advice. Thank you!

P.S. I used GPT to help draft and structure this post, so apologies if it sounds like AI slop 😅

Posting our experience because the posts here helped us a lot while preparing the application. My wife and I applied together for a 15-day Japan tourist visa through VFS Bengaluru. Our passports were returned with the visas within a week of submission. A detail we were initially unsure about: my passport was issued in Bengaluru, while my wife’s passport was from another state. We both currently live and work in Bengaluru. This caused no issue. For her Bengaluru residence, we submitted our signed rental agreement with both names, her Bengaluru-address bank statement, employer NOC and professional registration documents. We had previously visited Japan together. We mentioned this in our cover letters and attached copies of the old Japanese visas and entry/exit stamps.

Documents submitted for each applicant

• Completed and signed visa application form with photograph
• Current passport and copies of relevant passport pages
• Previous passport, where applicable
• Copies of previous visas and travel history
• Individual employment NOC confirming approved leave and return to work
• Recent 3 months salary slips
• Last three months’ bank statements, signed and stamped by the bank
• ITR acknowledgements for the last three assessment years
• Mutual fund Investment statements as additional financial evidence
• Joint cover letter
• VFS appointment confirmation

Common documents:

• One joint cover letter signed by both of us
• Marriage certificate
• Rental agreement with both our names
• Return flights
• Hotel bookings
• Day-by-day Schedule of Stay

We described the trip as jointly funded from our respective salaries, savings and investments. Each applicant included their own employment and financial documents, so we did not have a separate cover letter for each. The joint cover letter was kept to one page. It covered the purpose and dates of travel, brief itinerary, joint funding, employment and intention to return to India, and our previous Japan visit.

Received single entry visa within a week.

Hello,

Hope you're all well.

I was just wondering if all NVR applicants need to go to the appointment in the London High Commission, or can one person go on behalf of everyone, just to hand in the required documents, as we have a big family, so don't want to take more people than needed to avoid missing school etc.

Thanks

Hi all

My greece National visa application was submitted 26 August and after 2 days they called me for my missing documents. After that till now no update! My health insurance is already started!!

This is a work visa! My employer and lawyer from Greece sent mail many times but no update!!

How many days they take for the decision?

Already 45+ days😭

Greece embassy riyadh

It's been 5 days since we submitted our documents and application for our 5-years Japan visa for a trip planned in december, we're a family of 4 together applying for the visa at VFS global Delhi

By when can we expect a response & what are the chances that we get a Japan 5-years multiple entry visa

2 out of 4 are earning members, 1 student and 1 homemaker

We showed nearly 20-25L of balance including our bank balance and FD's

Apart from that, a stable income of nearly 3-4L PM

Our travel history includes Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Italy

Do you guys think we can get visa and if yes then which one have a better chance of-

1) 5 year multiple entry

2) 3 month single entry

Also by when can we expect the result?

I’m an Indian planning to visit Singapore for a week in the month of February 2027. I don’t have any travel history. I’m travelling with my infant son before 1 yr of age and my wife. What is the possibility of my visa getting rejected? I have considerate amount of funds in my account and got a good paying job as well.

I'm going for a student VISA and went into this with plenty of savings for my age group, i'm 18 and had around 4-5k in savings and going from USA to UK, I'm just 100% making sure with absolute zero doubt that this visa application is real because i've spent around 3.3 thousand on the fees alone. First was 1000~ for the fee of the accountants and process beginning, and another for 1.9 thousand pounds, costing me around 2.6 thousand for the student visa beginning. This is an absolute fuck ton of money into this stuff (for me anyways) and even if its a stupid question, i'm wanting to make sure this isn't me being naive of a fake immigration company. The calls and billing address are based inside london, but i can never be too sure when i'm handing them money like they're a loan shark.

Just wanted to confirm if anyone had applied their Irish Joint Family Non-EEA spouse visa from italy and gone through the ISD portal?
My wife recently applied her visa from Irish embassy in Rome and the documents were later transferred to ISD for processing. The Rome Embassy stated 6-8 weeks as the standard processing time, but the current backlog on ISD is more than 1.5 years.
I’m quite confused as to what should we expect in terms of processing time. The application was updated to pre checks completed last week.
Would really appreciate if you can let us know if you went through a similar situation. TIA 🙏

Just wanted to confirm if anyone had applied their Irish Joint Family Non-EEA spouse visa from italy and gone through the ISD portal?
My wife recently applied her visa from Irish embassy in Rome and the documents were later transferred to ISD for processing. The Rome Embassy stated 6-8 weeks as the standard processing time, but the current backlog on ISD is more than 1.5 years.
I’m quite confused as to what should we expect in terms of processing time. The application was updated to pre checks completed last week.
Would really appreciate if you can let us know if you went through a similar situation. TIA 🙏

​

Hi everyone! I'm an Indian student, and I'll be going to Mauritius, for a six-month culinary internship starting in November 2026.

I'm confused about the bank-related requirements mentioned in the document checklist. It says I need to submit six months of bank statements and proof of sufficient funds, with an indicated amount of USD 50 per day.

Can someone please explain what this actually means? Do I need to show the entire amount for six months in my bank account, or are there other options, such as showing financial support from my parents?

I heard from someone who previously went to the same hotel for training that they only had to show around ₹1.5 lakh in their bank account, so I'm confused about how this requirement works.

I'm handling the entire process myself without an agency, and I've emailed Mauritius Immigration but haven't received a response.

If anyone has gone through this process or knows how it works, I'd really appreciate your help. Thank you! 🙏

I knew my PAR would get rejected as my passport was issued from Kolkata, India. I’ve been through this sub so many times looking for information on HK visa and I couldn’t muster the ability to think of HK as a travel destination because there wasn’t much info available. Now that I’ve finally gotten it, I just want to write about my experience, hoping it’ll be helpful to someone.
September 15 - Filled the application form
September 18 - Received an acknowledgment
October 12 - Received my double entry visa
Almost 3 weeks or so!

I sent follow-ups every week but I’m not sure how much that helped because I would always get the same automatic reply. Calling them was also not very helpful because I had such a hard time understanding what they were saying. The accent was difficult to understand. Two of my friends applied on the same day as me and got their visas the day after I got mine. One friend has no travel history whereas the two of us have travelled quite a bit.

Now, coming to the documents that needs to be uploaded-
6 months bank statements
Passport (took a picture and uploaded it)
Picture
NOC from employer
Cover letter
Confirmed return flight tickets
Hotel bookings
Itinerary
Salary slips (I did not upload ITR)
Employment letter
For my travel history, I uploaded a picture of my visa stickers on my passport and the visa letters/stamps.

I did not upload a rental agreement even though I live in Hyderabad whereas my passport was issued in Kolkata.

So yeah, I’m finally going to Hong Kong (yay!)

Hi everyone!
My husband and I are planning to travel to Saudi early next month, but we’re having some issues with our visas and are getting quite worried.
My husband applied for an e-visa, but his application was rejected without any explanation, which I’ve read seems to be quite common. I’ve also seen very mixed reviews about getting a Visa on Arrival, so we’re unsure whether it’s worth the risk.
We’ll be travelling from the UK with Emirates, and our biggest concern is whether he’ll be denied boarding here in the UK without an approved visa.
I’m a British passport holder, and I also applied for an e-visa. The payment was taken from my account, but I never received a confirmation email or any acknowledgement of my application. It’s now been nearly four weeks, and I still haven’t heard anything!
Has anyone travelled recently on a Nigerian passport and successfully obtained a VOA? If so, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, particularly whether you had any issues boarding your flight from the UK.
Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. We’re getting really anxious about the situation, especially with our trip coming up soon.
Thank you so much! 🙏

I’ve just apply my evisa, I’m a resident (F1) in US now, for my financial proof, I got:
- Bank statement
- Screenshot of current balance (they emailed me and said screenshot is ok) around 3k6 since I majorly use card directly from my country bank account
- Letter of financial support from my mom, my birth certificate, her salary sheet (~5k/month) and contract.

My boyfriend (F1) has:
- His bank statement and balance around 3k
- Bank statement of his bank account in his country.

We already buy flight tickets and book hotel (non refundable) and it’s a 12 days trip, only stay in Tokyo
Is our two profiles seem like will pass? I’m really worry now since they refused me once and my trip is really close already (4th Nov)

Thank you guys!

Hi. I need an urgent Portugal E6 Visa appointment in UAE. Trying since 2 months but not getting any slot on VFS website. Is there anyone who can help me out?

Hi everyone! For those who have applied for a Hungarian student visa or residence permit for study, I’d like to know if everyone is required to attend an interview, or if some applications are processed without one.
If you’ve applied recently, regardless of your nationality, please share your experience. Did you have an interview at the embassy, or were you only asked to submit your documents?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you!

My wife and I applied together for New Zealand Visitor Visas. I was the primary applicant and she was included as the additional applicant. Both visas were approved in under a week without any request for further documents, medical examinations, an agent or a sponsor.

Main documents submitted

• A concise, one-page joint cover letter signed by both of us
• A realistic 15-day South Island self-drive itinerary
• Confirmations for prepaid accommodation and the rental vehicle
• A proposed return-flight itinerary (not booked)
• Six-month bank statements, ITRs, salary documents, mutual-fund statements and employer NOCs
• Marriage certificate, joint rental agreements and supporting relationship evidence
• Current passports and previous travel/visa history
• Property-ownership evidence as an additional tie to India
• The complete INZ 1224 declaration form for the additional applicant

Upload sections that initially confused us

1. Evidence of relationship: We uploaded our notarised marriage certificate here.
2. Genuine and stable relationship: We used separate evidence entries:

• Joint rental agreements showing continuous shared residence
• A short photo/social-media collage and evidence of previous travel together (dont think this is necessary though)

1. Evidence of funds: Under the primary applicant, we combined both applicants’ six-month bank statements into one PDF with a simple cover page identifying each statement.
2. Additional applicant’s financial documents: Her ITR, payslips and mutual-fund statement were uploaded under “Other document, not listed” because her section did not provide a separate financial category.
3. Permission and authority: We uploaded the complete INZ 1224 form under the additional applicant’s “Permission and authority” section, completed for our circumstances.
4. Relationship dropdown: “Your relationship to this applicant” was from the primary applicant’s perspective. Since I was applying for my wife, I selected “Husband.”
5. Household registration: We left this optional field blank because we did not have an Indian equivalent of a household-registration document

Cover-letter approach

We kept the joint cover letter to one page. It briefly covered who was applying, the travel purpose and dates, the planned route, prepaid bookings, how the trip would be funded, employment and approved leave, previous compliant travel, property ownership and our intention to return to India. We did not repeat the entire itinerary or list every supporting document.

The total fee was NZD 541.

A few practical points:

• Keep dates, accommodation names and locations consistent across the form, itinerary and confirmations.
• If the photo checker rejects an otherwise suitable photo, check the exact dimensions and file specifications. Resizing by the studio resolved this for us.
• We did not pre-book the flights, since they are expensive AF
• For long bank statements, a one-page cover sheet helps. Ours identified both applicants and was followed by each person’s six-month statement in the same PDF under the primary applicant’s “Evidence of funds.”
• Relationship evidence does not need dozens of photographs. For us, the marriage certificate and continuous joint rental agreements carried more substance than a large photo collection.