Italian Embassy, New Delhi not responding fairly to Visa problems ?.?

Question

Hi everyone,
I've planned a trip to Europe with a couple of friends from Australia this summer. Starting 5 weeks in advance I thought I had enough time to see myself through any Visa hassle whatsoever. We planned to start from Italy than moving to France from where my friends fly back to Australia & I go on to visit my family in London. Making all my hotel bookings (Italy & in France) & after buying a confirmed airticket (which has a departure from London), I applied for my Italian Visa on the 6th May. In India they've outsourced the Visa process to 'VFS' who handle your Visa with the Embassy. In the 'Covering Letter' I had clearly mentioned my travelling plans & of the departure from London. The people at VFS told me that the total time for getting the Visa will be between 8-10 working days. I assumed that I would be still left with enough time to apply for the UK Visa, who take 5 working days.
Now, my vows began when I got a call from VFS that I have been invited for an interview by the Italian Embassy on the 8th of June. My tarvel itinerary clearly mentions my date of departure as 11th June (the night of 10th June) with the confirmed airticket tagged along. This interview date will not make it possible for the Passport to reach me in time to make this flight & add to it the still to be acquired UK Visa. On being contacted the VFS showed me their vague sense of helplessness on offering me a conclusive way out. They asked me to send them a mail & gave me a few Embassy numbers where I could talk to them. I sent a mail each to the VFS & the Embassy (e-mail id procured from the internet) plus faxed one copy to the Embassy & handed over one hard copy to the VFS Supervisor in New Delhi itself. I still haven't recieved any assurance from either of the two (least to say from the Embassy). What is more bothering is the fact that the people at the Embassy offer such a callous front by cutting down every query with an excuse that they don't deal with Visas directly & so VFS should be contacted.
Now is there anyway by which I can contact somebody reasonable inside the Embassy (A Visa Officer) & plead my genuine problem & a solution to it ???? Thanks Guys !!

Answer 1

You better cancel your travel plans because you will not get a visa the way you have applied for it. The Italian Consular Officer wants to see prove that you are leaving the Schengen zone but you can't provide proof of that. You provide an air-ticket for a return flight from London but you do not hold the required documentation to get from France to London (U.K. visa), hence your visa application is subject to denial.

You should have had applied for the British visa first and after that would have been affixed to your passport you could have addressed your visa application to the Italian Embassy through VFSGlobal if you plan to spend most of your time in Italy and a shorter stay in France.

To think to get two visa issued within 5 weeks, especially where the holiday period is coming up, is a little naive. Between May and August the waiting times for visa interviews in India are in general up to four weeks due to the high number of tourist visa applications. All Embassies are advising to apply early enough, since you can do it up to three months in advance.

Call VFS and cancel your Schengen visa application and try to get your U.K. visa secured at least, so you can visit your family..

Answer 2

Italian Embassy New Delhi

Answer 3

you are able to desire to the two do anybody as long because of the fact the 1st get admission to element is the main visa application "Schengen States". in the experience that your first holiday spot is Paris then of-course you are able to desire to word on the French embassy yet whilst that is in Milan then Italian Embassy. you are able to desire to word for a dissimilar get admission to on Schengen States in case you're making plans to return and forth to Paris then Milan & then departing from Milan to Beirut or returned to Paris for a extra fee-effective airline fare.