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27 Apr 2011
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Pakistan visa application quandry...???
Off to sort (x3) double entry visa's next week for PK and they have asked for three months worth of bank statement's as proof of I.D. and a guarantee that one can finance said trip. Is this the norm/ has anyone else very recently had the same..??? Also they were doing the hard sell bit regarding using a tour guide to act and take on the responsibility of our presence in the country...??
Any imput much appreciated.
Mez 
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28 Apr 2011
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Hi Mez,
I'm in the same boat at the moment applying for a Pakistan Visa. I took pretty much all the information to the Bradford office except the sponsor details part. I didn't get approval but they're having a look and coming back next week. The 3 banks statements is absolutely the norm and to be honest compared to some of the information they ask for, one of the easier parts of applying.
Its fairly obvious to say, but its well worth having a covering letter explaining what you're doing so when some desk clerk wonders why you're not fitting in the "booked a flight and hotel for 2 weeks" box its laid out clearly. Do your best with an itinerary. The folks up here suggested they might ask for evidence of a hotel booking, even if you have no intention of staying there, it just gives them a name to put in an important box.
Let us know how you get on
Cheers
Stuart
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28 Apr 2011
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Perhaps apply away from home ie Nepal or Iran...
The other option might be depending on your travel plans to get the visa in another country (I assume you are applying to the Pakistan Embassy in the UK?). The Pakistani Consulate in Kathmandu was by far and large less strict then what you have cited, for instance.
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29 Apr 2011
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Sorry, for Pak you can now get a visa only in your home country. An acquaintance is stuck in India with his truck because of this.
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29 Apr 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beddhist
Sorry, for Pak you can now get a visa only in your home country. An acquaintance is stuck in India with his truck because of this.
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Maybe he should try in Nepal. Which country is your 'acquaintance' from? Do you have evidence of the visa process change?
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN IN NEPAL
Visa application form for Embassy in Kathmandu.
http://www.mofa.gov.pk/nepal/documen..._Visa_Form.pdf
This may be the case for some nationals (UK, USA) especially when advised by home consulate but is certainly not the case for the majority. Take the instance when someone (ie. overlander) is travelling for several months or years, he/she doesn't have the opportunity to return home to apply for this visa, the visa application won't be dismissed. The visa will be considered under given circumstances.
I note that the Pakistani embassy in India is often closed or applies a daily quota and refuses service to non Pakistani citizens. This is common and due to political reasons and instabilities between the two countries.
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29 Apr 2011
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He is Australian and I have passed the link to this topic to him.
I was told the same when I applied in Dubai. They made an exemption for me, but I don't think this will be done any more.
They don't want overlanders any more, because of the perceived risks involved.
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29 Apr 2011
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Since March 2010, it is no longer possible to get a pakistan visa abroad of your home country. it has happened last year to me, and my travel mate, when we where in tashkent, attempting to apply for it. we've just sort it out getting it at the Sost border post, coming from China. Sost it is the only place, except your home country, where you can get a pak visa; but you have to get into China before...
www.lungastrada.it
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30 Apr 2011
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Pakistan visa
Hi
We are the people "stuck in India" with our truck!
Both Aussie nationals we went first to Ktm but whilst they didn't say no, they said it would take "at least 8 weeks" and we didn't have time. They send us on to Delhi where we were told no way-go home. We got letters from our embassy pleaded etc etc Just "no way -that is now the policy...we can't discuss the policy..." etc
We could go back to Ktm but we wondered has anyone had any luck recently?? We think the "8 weeks" thing was just a nicer way of saying no and don't want the hassle of getting in and out of India for 2 months if they're just messing around. A search of forums hasn't turned up anyone with success getting a Nepal visa in Ktm any time recently. We were told in India and Canberra that Sost was the only border you can get one at (after it opens in May)but that involves the whole "getting into China" nightmare!
Andrew & Ann
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30 Apr 2011
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I got a visa for a year in 2006. I knew about the "have to apply in your own country" rule and wrote the embassy in Ottawa, explained the situation and the fact I was going to be out of Canada for 6 months before I got to Pak. I got a year's visa within a week. It all depends on who you get at the embassy. Call the Pak embassy in Aus, explain the situation and FedEx your passports with a letter to the Pak embassy in Aus with a return FedEx envelop. Might be worth your while.
http://www.nohorizons.net/Countries/...Visa_small.JPG
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2 May 2011
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Hi
Thanks for your input - we s/w the Pak embassy in Canberra and they said no as u have to be on Australian soil , but I agree it's "who u get" and also we recently met a French family who pulled this off -applying from Bangkok to Paris. We'll keep everything crossed and let u all know how we go.
Cheers
Ann and Andreew
Drivingoz2uk2.com - Driving around the world
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2 May 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozoverlander
Hi
Thanks for your input - we s/w the Pak embassy in Canberra and they said no as u have to be on Australian soil , but I agree it's "who u get" and also we recently met a French family who pulled this off -applying from Bangkok to Paris. We'll keep everything crossed and let u all know how we go.
Cheers
Ann and Andreew
Drivingoz2uk2.com - Driving around the world |
Might be worth to try again and have someone FedEx the passports from within Aus to the Pak embassy and back. Not the cheapest option, but you never know... That way you are "on Aus soil...."
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2 May 2011
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I would NOT send my passport directly to the embassy, but to friends or family at home and use them as a relay. If the passport arrives from abroad then you have given the game away.
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2 May 2011
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Hi
We were going to send via Andrew's sister -but plan to send a cover etter pleading our case -as we thought our passports (no exit stamp from India no entry to Oz) would give the game away to any but the most dozy clerk...
The French people we met applied through her family and they asked straight away "why can't they come home and apply?" but thankfully they accepted cost/massive inconvenience as a good enough reason. I guess it depnds who u get?
Also the recent demise of OBL and all the associated travel warnings no doubt won't help!!
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2 May 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozoverlander
Hi
We were going to send via Andrew's sister -but plan to send a cover etter pleading our case -as we thought our passports (no exit stamp from India no entry to Oz) would give the game away to any but the most dozy clerk...
The French people we met applied through her family and they asked straight away "why can't they come home and apply?" but thankfully they accepted cost/massive inconvenience as a good enough reason. I guess it depnds who u get?
Also the recent demise of OBL and all the associated travel warnings no doubt won't help!!
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Hi Ann & Andrew,
Bureaucrats are all the same, in every country they will only do the min amount of work necessary and refuse anything that seems too hard. If you get someone helpful stick with them but mostly let them know how helpful they have been. Also honesty seems always to work, has the advantage that you don't need to remember what you lied about ie with not being on Australian soil. Just tell them you can't leave India due to financial situation... there are always extenuating cirucmstances.
Personally if in your situation I would request Pakistan Embassy in KTM to do express service and see how much more that costs (if possible of course).
Failing that I would FedEx or DHL passports to Embassy in Canberra. Unless you get prior consent that they will send completed passports to you in your current location OS it may be better to use a family member as an intermediatry to foward on and receive the passports once the Visas have been issued.
Good Luck and please let us all know how you get along.
Cheers,
Pascal
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3 May 2011
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PK visa
Dear all, thanks for the initial response here, the simplest of outcomes has taken place. Two of the team members have dipped out at the very last minute leaving me on my own. Do not fancy negotiating PK on my own in light of a certain figure head that has just been dealt with...!! We have a revised plan now that seems to cater all needs. Bit gutted as Iran and PK were the highlights for me.
Stuart when are you intending on travelling that way presuming it's India as your final destination like me...?????
Andrew and Ann, best of luck working it out and stay safe with whats just happened.
Mez
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Pakistan visa application quandry...???
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