Visa news
US proposes $103,265 fee on H-1B petitions — what it means for Indians
DHS filed a proposed $103,265 fee on cap-subject H-1B petitions on 25 August 2026. It is not in effect; public comments are open through 24 September.
Popular
VisaGyan — the visa journal for Indian travellers: latest guides
Travel tips
US Visa Photo Requirements for Indians: Glasses Are No Longer Allowed
Appointments & status
UK Visa Appointment Booking from India: How the VFS Slot Actually Gets Assigned
E-visas & visa-free
Is Indonesia Visa-Free for Indians? What e-VOA Eligibility Actually Means
Travel tips
France Schengen Visa Cover Letter from India: The 5-Day Filing Floor
Visa news
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Visa news
US Visa Bulletin September 2026: EB-2 and EB-5 India go unavailable
State Department's September 2026 bulletin: EB-2 India and EB-5 unreserved India are both marked Unavailable before FY2026 closes on 30 September.
Visa news
Singapore's arrival card gets passport-scan autofill from 26 August
ICA refreshes the SG Arrival Card on 26 August 2026 with passport-scan autofill and seven more languages. Submission stays free; Hindi was already there.
Visa news
Visa-free Malaysia still checks four things, and Indians get turned back on them
Malaysia's exemption for Indians removes the visa, not the checks: MDAC, passport validity, an onward ticket and funds are still verified at the counter.
Visa news
Lost passport with a US visa in it? Report it before anyone else uses it
The US Mission India urges reporting a lost or stolen visa as soon as possible: the risk is identity theft and someone else travelling on your visa.
Visas & documents
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Visas & documents
Greece Schengen Visa Processing Time from India: The Courier Days the 15-Day Rule Skips
Greece adds 5-8 India-specific courier days before its 15-day clock even starts, and its Indian visa centres run through GVCW, not VFS. What that changes.
Visas & documents
Austria Schengen Visa Processing Time from India: The 15-Day Rule Plus a 7-Day Catch
Austria confirms the standard 15/45-day window in its own words, then adds a mandatory prior-consultation step that can add 7 more days for some nationalities.
Fees & costs
Paying the US MRV Fee from India: The Consular Rate, the Receipt, and Its Limits
The $185 MRV fee is paid in rupees at the consular exchange rate — ₹98 to the dollar since 25 May 2026. Non-refundable, non-transferable, and time-limited.
Visas & documents
Belgium Schengen Visa Processing Time from India: What the Mission Actually Publishes
Belgium adds no India-specific day-count to the standard 15/45-day rule. What it does publish: a long-stay fee rising to €250 from 1 July 2026, and a 5-year
Where to go
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Where to go
What a Schengen Visa Unlocks for an Indian Passport Beyond Europe
A used Schengen visa opens simplified entry to several non-Schengen countries for Indians. How the concession works, and why lists go stale.
Where to go
Where an Indian Passport Goes Easier With a US Visa: How the Rule Actually Works
A valid US visa unlocks easier entry to several countries for Indian passport holders. The mechanism is real, the lists online are stale.
Where to go
Bali in 7 days from India: three bases, real costs
A seven-day Bali route built around three bases instead of one, with 2026 entry fees, the three mandatory payments and what a week actually costs.
Where to go
Vietnam in 7 days from India: route, costs, direct flights
Real ₹ costs at the 2 August 2026 dong rate, the e-visa port-of-entry rule on a Hanoi-in, Saigon-out route, and the flood dates to avoid in central Vietnam.
Stories
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Stories
Deported from Bali: what actually gets Indians sent home
Indonesia deports foreigners from Bali most weeks and Indians appear steadily in the notices. What the published cases show, and what it costs.
research
Stories
Indian Passport Entry Friction Index 2026
A source-linked index scoring entry friction for 24 destinations, plus fee, refusal-rate, funds and wait-time data where it can be sourced consistently.
Stories
Forty Seconds at the Window: a US B1/B2 Interview in Mumbai
One applicant's dated, minute-by-minute Mumbai B1/B2 diary: DS-160, the OFC visit, the consulate queue and the forty-second interview.
Travel tips
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Travel tips
Germany Schengen Visa Cover Letter from India: Every File Ends Up in Mumbai
Whichever VFS centre takes the file, the decision is made by the German Consulate General in Mumbai — and business trips need two invitation letters, not one.
Travel tips
Spain Schengen Visa Cover Letter from India: The Police-Issued Invitation Letter
Spain routes Indian applicants through BLS International, not VFS — and a stay with private hosts needs a Carta de Invitación issued by Spanish police, not a
Travel tips
Italy Schengen Visa Cover Letter from India: Delhi or Mumbai Decides
Italy splits Indian applicants between two missions with different state lists. Get the jurisdiction wrong and the cover letter never reaches the right desk.
Travel tips
Singapore Arrival Card for Indians: Required Before Arrival, Free, With One Exemption
ICA requires every traveller to submit the SG Arrival Card before arriving, except those transiting without immigration clearance. It costs nothing.
