It has been noticed that most of the telephone calls received on the emergency contact numbers given below are made for non-emergency purposes, e.g., mostly for making a general enquiry or to know the status of one’s application for passport, visa, etc. These non-emergency calls are also received at exceedingly odd hours, such as midnight, 2 am etc. It is reiterated that the contact numbers given below are meant to be called only in case of real emergency when an applicant needs to travel urgently in connection with death or serious sickness of a family member in India. For all other enquiries, consular services desired, etc., applicants may contact the High Commission/Consulates or VFS helpline on its land line numbers mentioned for the purpose and during the timings indicated thereof.

In order to ensure that these numbers are only used for emergency calls, the person making the request for an emergency service should first send a brief SMS outlining the emergency situation he/she is in and the service required. The person would be contacted shortly thereafter by the emergency officer to address the issue.

Phone calls to the emergency numbers will not be responded to unless preceded by a SMS or a voice mail.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - EMERGENCY VISA

The automated Online Visa System introduced w.e.f. 1st August 2011, does not allow applicants to apply for emergency visas on the same day of travel.

The matter is being taken up with the concerned authorities in India. Till such time as the system is altered to make provision for such a contingency, all emergency visa seekers may please note that a minimum notice of one day is needed to process emergency visas.