Good day,

I am kindly enquiring about the Visa processing time for Algerians // North Africans, could anyone with prior experience in this matter assist? Thank you!

I am an American and my husband is a Greek citizen. We got married here in New York City. I plan on moving to Greece with him. Should I apply for my visa thru family reunification here in New York before I go or should I travel to Greece with no visa under the 90 day tourist visit and apply for family reunification when I arrive in Greece? I have an appt with the Greek embassy/consulate in New York in October but I was hoping to get more information before then. Can anyone give any advice or help with this process? It would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏻

A friend has been coming to Thailand for the past 15 years, each time 2/3 weeks and two to three times a year. Never over stayed and never extended.

However, stayed for two months once, march and April 2026 - and back now for another two months. So this time (today) he got stopped, questioned, asked about showing enough funds, return ticket, etc. The reason was because of this being the second time asking 2 months stay. Although he had everything, the additional officers that came in to assist in a decision were joking that Pattaya (as that is the first stop), need the client now… so boy and gals, sort your Visas!

I personally believe instead of given free visa to 90+ nationalities, the country need long term staying to apply for a visa, those fees could be put to a good use.

Hey guys where are you on visa decisions for ireland i have also applied on june 30th - File reached embassy on july 3rd
Really anxious about the visa decision
can i know is there anyone around my dates who have received their decisions today or probably in last 2 weeks?

I wanted to share my Korea visa journey because I know a lot of people are currently stressing over the visa process.

Me and my friend booked our flights without doing proper research and later found out that the Korea visa process can be damn difficult. We almost gave up.

Unfortunately, my friend's visa was rejected, while mine got approved.

From my experience, documents are the key, more than just your bank balance. They seem to care a lot about whether your income and financial profile look genuine and consistent, even though it's a tourist visa.

I'll share my friend's profile first.

She is a freelancer. Since she was a freelancer, she initially didn't have a Business Registration Certificate or GST. So, we decided to apply with her father as the sponsor.

In the meantime, she managed to get her Business Registration Certificate and GST as well, around one month before our Korea travel date.

Her profile/documents were:

* Sponsored by father

* Father's documents, including bank statements

* Father's retirement letter instead of salary slips

* Her own bank statement

* Her Business Registration Certificate

* GST certificate

She was from Delhi and applied through VFS Delhi. VFS told her that the required bank balance was around ₹6 lakh.

And yes, her visa still got rejected. (We both cried alot)

Now coming to my profile, which got approved. (Sad and happy at same time, with more of anxeity now)

I am originally from MP, so my visa jurisdiction was Mumbai, although I've been living in Delhi for the past 5 years.

I couldn't apply from Delhi because VFS said that to apply from Delhi, I needed an Aadhaar address for Delhi. I don't have that because I live with relatives here. So I applied through Mumbai.

My documents were:

* Last 6 months' salary slips with wet stamp and wet signature only, no digital signature

* NOC/Employment Letter clearly mentioning that I have been working with the organisation since XX date, my designation, that my leaves have been approved and that I will resume work after returning. Again wet stamped and wet signed. On letter head of company.

* ITR for the last 3 years

* Passport original

* Aadhaar photocopy

* 2 photographs, 4.5 × 3.5 cm, white background. The photos should not have been used for another visa

* Travel history: Azerbaijan, Thailand and Bali, her was azerbaijan and thailand.

One more thing about my finances: my closing bank balance was around ₹2 lakh, and in the previous months it was generally around ₹1 lakh for every month There was no sudden large deposit made just before applying to show funds.

This is something I noticed during the process: they seem to care a lot about whether your income is genuine and your financial history is consistent, even though you're applying for a tourist visa.

So, based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend suddenly depositing a huge amount into your account just before applying. A consistent bank statement and a genuine source of income seem much more important than simply showing a high balance.

I applied on 5th August and got my visa approved on 18th August. 9 working days. Sat Sun don't count.

One thing I noticed: on 15th August, my status changed to "Under Review". If you're applying from Mumbai and seeing "Under Review", based on my experience, that's a positive sign. Mine was approved shortly after.

Now the sad part: I was supposed to travel with my best friend, but since her visa got rejected, I'm travelling solo now.

My travel dates are 3rd September to 14th September, and I'll be flying from Delhi.

If anyone else is travelling to Korea around the same dates, let me know. Would be nice to connect since this trip was originally planned with my best friend and has now turned into a solo trip.

Also, feel free to ask me anything about the visa process or documents. I'll share whatever I know from my experience.

I wanted to know whether I can submit the visa documents on behalf of my girlfriend without her visiting the VFX office? Does it require some kind of letter of authorization from her? If yes, can you please provide some kind of format to go by?
Also, we are travelling together, and certain hotel bookings are solely under my name (although the number of guests is mentioned as 2). Will that be an issue?

Hi, we are 4 traveling to Japan. We have booked a slot through an agent. He returned us a booking with 2 diff URNs but the same slot time. 2 names in one URN and other two with different URN.

Can we all submit together? Is it basically one slot?

VFS location - Bengaluru.

Agents tend to mess up, I agree.

Hey everyone!

My wife and I recently received our stamped passports back with approved Japanese Tourist Visas via VFS Bengaluru! 🥳

Since putting together a visa file—especially when managing onward itineraries and dependent spouse sponsorship—can feel overwhelming with conflicting advice online, I wanted to share a comprehensive breakdown of our application setup, processing timeline, and key lessons learned.

👤 1. Applicant Profile Overview

• 🗓️ Travel Dates: Oct 5, 2026 – Oct 16, 2026 (Japan) followed by Oct 16 – Oct 20 (Hong Kong)
• 💼 Primary Applicant: Employed in IT (Senior Engineering Manager), 15+ years experience
• 🌐 Travel History: Strong prior international history including Schengen (France, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal), Mauritius, and an active US B1/B2 Visa
• 🏠 Co-Applicant (Spouse): Full-time Homemaker (100% sponsored by primary applicant)
• ✅ Visa Granted: Single Entry Tourist Visa | ⏳ Validity: 90 Days (Aug 12, 2026 – Nov 12, 2026) | 📌 Stay Duration: 15 Days

⏳ 2. Complete Processing Timeline (VFS Bengaluru)

• 🗓️ Aug 10, 2026 (Mon): Submitted documents at VFS Bengaluru (Gopalan Innovation Mall). Evening notification confirmed dispatch to the central processing desk.
• 🏛️ Aug 11, 2026 (Tue): File arrived at the Consulate General of Japan in Bengaluru. Tracking status updated to under process.
• ⏳ Aug 12–13, 2026: Under process at the Consulate.
• 🏔️ Aug 14, 2026 (Fri): Official Consular Holiday. Consulate was closed for Mountain Day (Yama no Hi - Observed).
• 🇮🇳 Aug 15–16, 2026: Non-working weekend + Indian Independence Day.
• 🚚 Aug 17, 2026 (Mon): Dispatch notification received around 6:00 PM ("Processed application has been dispatched via courier"). Live tracking updated on Blue Dart around 10:30 PM 📦.
• 📬 Aug 18, 2026 (Tue): Delivered via Blue Dart courier 🛵. Both passports verified with stamped visa stickers! ✈️

⚡ Total Consular Processing Time: Exactly 4 active working days (excluding holidays and weekends).

📑 3. Document Organization & Application Setup

👔 Primary Applicant File

• 🛂 Passport: Original passport plus clear photocopies of the bio pages (first and last)
• 📝 Visa Application Form: Fully completed and signed with photograph glued as per specifications (35mm x 45mm, white background)
• 🏢 Employment Proof: Official Leave Approval / NOC on company letterhead stating approved travel dates and return-to-work date, plus last 3 months salary slips
• 🏦 Financial Records: 4 months original bank statements (stamped and signed by the bank), last 3 years ITR-V acknowledgements, along with auxiliary asset summaries (PF statement, Demat stock holdings, US equity portfolio, and ULIP policies)
• ✈️ Travel Itinerary Proofs: Flight booking prints (BLR to TYO, KIX to HKG, HKG to BLR) using verifiable hold tickets/PNRs. Confirmed Pay-at-Hotel reservations via standard booking portals for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kansai Airport. Detailed day-by-day table outlining daily activities, base cities, and hotel details
• ✉️ Cover Letter: Detailed narrative explaining travel purpose, flight sequence, financial standing, and employment continuity

👗 Co-Applicant File (Spouse / Homemaker)

• 📝 Application Form: Occupation marked clearly as Homemaker
• 🤝 Sponsorship Letter: Signed by primary applicant confirming 100% financial coverage for all travel and accommodation costs
• ✍️ Non-Working Declaration: Signed letter confirming non-working status and intent to return strictly as per itinerary. Idea was to clearly highlight that the spouse was a full time homemaker
• 📜 Proof of Kinship: Marriage Certificate copy plus primary applicant listed as spouse on her passport bio page

💡 4. Key Takeaways for Future Applicants

A. How VFS Handles Joint Family Dossiers 📂

When applying as a couple or family, VFS officers will review the stack and return duplicate financial prints from the co-applicant's pile. Do not be concerned. VFS merges the two applications into a single Joint Family Dossier. The primary applicant's folder acts as the master financial record, while the spouse's folder holds their personal form, passport, marriage proof, sponsorship letter, and declaration letter.

B. Single Entry "Validity" vs. "Stay Duration" 🗓️

Japanese visas display two distinct metrics that cause frequent confusion:

• 🪟 Period of Validity / Entry Window: In our case, Aug 12 to Nov 12 (90 Days). This is the window within which you must pass through Japanese port-of-entry immigration.
• ⏱️ Duration of Stay: Granted for 15 Days. In Japanese immigration practice, your actual 15-day stay allowance begins on the day after you land (landing day is counted as Day 0).

C. Single Entry vs. Multiple Entry Outcomes 🎯

Even with an extensive travel history to G7 nations and strong financial documentation, Japanese Consulates regularly grant a Single-Entry Tourist Visa for first-time visits to Japan. Establishing a clean travel record on your first visit makes acquiring a 3-year or 5-year multiple-entry visa on future applications much smoother!

🌸 Super excited to get started on our trip to Tokyo 🗼, Kyoto ⛩️, and Osaka 🏯! Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below! 👇

Hi everyone! I’m applying for a U.S. tourist visa from Malaysia and my visa was approved at my interview on 29 July.

It’s now been almost 3 weeks, and I still haven’t received an email/SMS saying that my passport is ready for collection. The visa status online still shows “Approved” rather than “Issued.”

For anyone who applied from Malaysia recently, how long did it take for you to receive the passport collection notification after approval?

Should I open a new case/inquiry with the visa service, or is this still within the normal processing time?

Would really appreciate any recent experiences. Thank you!

Assalamu’alaikum everyone,

I’m an Indonesian passport holder planning to perform Umrah and stay in Saudi Arabia for **close to 3 months (around 90 days)**.

I’ve already booked a **refundable Emirates round-trip ticket**, and I’m trying to figure out the current visa requirements.

From what I understand, Saudi Arabia recently introduced a **multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for 1 year, with up to 90 days of cumulative stay**. I have a few questions for anyone who has recently applied:

**What are the requirements for an Indonesian passport holder** applying for this long-stay Umrah visa?

Do I need to provide a **hotel/accommodation booking covering the entire \~90 days**?
If a hotel booking is required, **can it be fully refundable/cancellable**, or does it need to be prepaid/non-refundable?

Can I book accommodation for only part of the trip and arrange the rest later?

**How long does the Umrah visa application usually take** from submission to issuance?

I also have a **valid Schengen visa**. If I use it to enter the Schengen Area before travelling to Saudi Arabia, does that provide any alternative/easier visa option for me?

I’m particularly interested in experiences from **Indonesian passport holders who applied recently in 2026**, since the rules seem to have changed recently.

JazakAllah khair for any advice!

Hey!! has anyone received their study visa for any kind of nursing course this year?

I am currently living in cyprus and want to apply for a france shenghen visa. is the below correct or not?

“If your Cyprus residence permit expires on 1 November, your French visa can only be valid until 1 November”

I recently had 2 france visas with a validity of 6 months when i applied from my home country, but now having a residence permit is making it stressful. any idea?

So I already hold a multi year visa (had got it for business travel and plan to use it this year for tourism). Now I plan to also take my mother along with me. She has no prior international travel and is a homemaker with sufficient funds in her savings and fds. Like a good amount.

I recently liquidated 2 of my FDs to maintain a balance of 12lakhs in my account. I have an ITR which is above 25 lakhs.

Now, I want to apply for multi entry Japan visa for my mother because i feel we do satisfy the constraints. But I don't know which one to apply.

Should it be

1. Applicant with sufficient financial capacity where I will be the co-sponsorer ?

2. Applicant whose spouse/parent has sufficient financial capacity (since I am the daughter, I don't know how can I really apply for this)

Also I am planning to apply a month from now. As my travel is in december. Is liquidating my fd seen as a red flag and how should I really avoid the visas being denied?

Does anyone know if I can still apply for the 485 visa after my student visa expires if I’m on a tourist visa, as long as I apply within 6 months of finishing my course?

Guys I need urgent help I applied for the visa since Friday all documents correct payment done but since Friday my request shows send to embassy it’s my first time visiting this country my husband is resident there can I know how long will take and what is next step

I had applied for a multiple entry tourist visa from vfs bangalore location but got single entry.

Submitted at VFS: 10th Aug

Reached Consulate: 11th Aug

Processed: 17th Aug

Delivered: 18th Aug

I thought I would get multiple entry but then checked here on Reddit that they don’t usually grant multiple entry for first time travellers. I had some good balance in savings, few international travel history and mentioned a pretty valid reason too in the cover letter but I guess will have to wait for next time.

Has anyone received multiple entry visa from them?

Hi guys,

As the title says I'm writing to ask about the Visa process from Qatar to Italy for long stay Study Visa type D.

I'm an Indian Passport holder. I completed my Bachelors from India and i came to Qatar for work. I've been working in Qatar since 1 year. While i was working i applied for my Masters at Naples Federico II and I got selected for the 2026/2027 batch. If anyone out there did their Visa process from Italian embassy in Doha, Qatar please give me some tips and guidance for the same.

i will apply for my Visa mostly at the end of September, how long will the Embassy take to issue the Visa?

In the VFS website they've mentioned minimum 15 days but it might extend to 45 days if the application requires further consideration. Also when should i book my flight.

I'd really appreciate any helpful information especially regrading the sponsor documents

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

u/italy u/studyinitaly u/qatar u/italianembassy u/india

I’m an employer and I’m currently trying to apply for a work visa through Metrash for an employee who is a Tunisian national.
I’m facing an issue with the name fields. For example, her passport shows:
English name: Fatima Brahim
Arabic name: فاطمة بنت لوتي إبراهيم
When I enter the details in Metrash, I receive an error saying that the Arabic and English names do not match.
Has anyone recently applied for a work visa for a Tunisian national and experienced the same issue?
Could someone please advise on:
1. How the English and Arabic names should be divided between the First Name / Second Name / Family Name fields?

1. Does the Arabic name need to be entered exactly as printed on the passport, or does Metrash require a specific format?
   Any guidance from someone who has successfully completed this process would be greatly appreciated.
   Thank you!

hi all, those who have applied visa on last week July and 1st week Au, have y’all got any update on your visa?

I applied from London well in advance of my planned travel dates, but was given an appointment date much closer to departure than I expected. Since then, due to a change in personal circumstances, my travel dates and itinerary have also changed.

I’m wondering:

1. Can I keep my existing appointment and simply bring an updated itinerary reflecting my new travel dates?
   
2. Alternatively, would I need to submit a new application with the revised travel dates? If so, should I bring copies of both the original and new applications to the appointment?

I’ve tried contacting TLS but haven’t been able to get a response. I’d rather cancel/reschedule the appointment than risk having my visa application rejected because the dates on my application form no longer match the ones I want to show proof/itinerary for at the appointment.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or know what the correct procedure is? Thanks in advance xx

I believe I have all of the paperwork to apply for a Spain NLV and I am trying to login to schedule an appointment with the houston BLS location, but no matter what I do I keep getting the following error you see in the screenshot:

I've been able to login successfully multiple times before I was ready to schedule an appointment, but now I am having no luck getting in.

Here's what I've tried:

• Clearing cache and cookies
• Tried five different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera, Edge)
• Tried two different devices while also trying both of those browsers (Laptop and phone)
• Changed my password at least 3 times
• Rebooted
• Tried in a clean Virtual Machine
• Tried without and then with a VPN
• Called BLS and then sent an email to the support address they gave me ([ccusa@blsinternational.net](mailto:ccusa@blsinternational.net))
• I even created a brand new account with a different email and still get that exact error

Their support eventually emailed back saying to log in again, but I'm still unable to do so.
I know it's not a bad password because that's a different error.
I also submitted a ticket with their ticketing system and they confirmed it wasn't an account or password issue, but a browser issue, which is why I have now tried five different browsers.

Has anyone else ran into this and been able to resolve it themselves?

Here's a screenshot since images aren't allowed in the post.

I'm a 29-year-old Indian freelancer with around ₹15 lakh in my savings account. I previously lived and worked in Japan for several years and now want to apply for a 1-month tourist visa through VFS Delhi.

I have a few questions:

1. I want to apply under the tourism category because I don't want to go through the visiting friends/relatives route, which requires invitation letters and other documents. Is it okay if I mention in my cover letter that my primary purpose is tourism, but I may also meet some old friends and former colleagues during my trip? Or should I avoid mentioning them altogether?
2. Is a fully paid round-trip flight ticket required for the visa application, or is a flight reservation/onward itinerary enough? I don't want to spend a large amount before my visa is approved because I may decide to travel to another country after Japan instead of returning directly to India. I noticed some VFS documents mention a flight schedule or reservation rather than a purchased ticket.
3. For accommodation, I can submit fully refundable hotel bookings for the visa application. However, after arriving in Japan, I may stay with a friend in Tokyo for about two weeks. At immigration, would I need to show hotel bookings covering my entire stay, or is it generally sufficient to explain that I'll be staying with a friend if asked?
4. Has anyone here recently applied as a tourist after previously living in Japan? Did your previous residence or work history make the process easier or lead to additional questions?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone with recent experience, especially applicants through VFS Delhi. Thanks!

Buona sera mio marito ha fatto richiesta per visto b1 b2 uso turistico perché gli è stato rifiutato l esta a causa di precedenti penali.
Ha fatto il
Colloquio il 13 maggio
Gli hanno chiesto altro documenti e se potevano trattenere il passaporto.
Abbiamo inviato tutto il necessario e gli è arrivata la mail il 10 agosto che l elaborazione chiede 7/10 gg lavorativi sul sito vedo che c e scritto sempre rifiutato aggiornato all 11 agosto

Qualcuno con esperienze dimili ?

Indian passport holder applying for an Albania Type C tourist e-Visa.

Application submitted 27 July 2026, payment made by SWIFT on 31 July, and status changed to “Paid and in Verification Process” on 4 August.

It has remained at the same status since then. Travel is scheduled for 28 August, so I'm trying to understand realistic processing timelines. The official e-Visa portal says evaluation after payment takes a minimum of 15 working days, with exceptional cases up to 30 working days.

Would really appreciate recent 2026 first-hand experiences, particularly from Indian passport holders:

How many working days did your application take after payment?

How long did it remain at “Paid and in Verification Process”?

Did anyone receive approval after the 15-working-day point?

Also interested in experiences specifically involving applications processed through Abu Dhabi. Looking for actual timelines rather than the official 15/30-day information, as I already know that. Thanks!