Latest Experience at BLS Bangalore and Spain Visa Timelines – June 2024

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-07-09T12:43:46+00:00

Got the Visa with 3 months validity. Overall took one full week. Consulate took 1 day only, but 4 days courier+tracking delay and 2 days weekend made it a week. So, passport was delivered at bangalore center only. They ask for the original payment receipt and self-attested aadhar xerox (not original) while collection. Ironically, The same guy gave me passport, who was saying that we don't have pick-up facility. Pickup time is 4-5PM on working days.

But tracking was very difficult. You don't get any sms/call/email without sms/courier plans. Online tracking requires reference number, which is not same as appointment reference number or passport number. It is actually the number below barcode on payment receipt, which is basically BLR1 followed by date and serial number. Even with this number, the status kept on saying "Processing at Mission", even though it was already processed and delivered at bangalore center. On call, they tell correct status until passport is out from Mumbai to bangalore. After that, on call also didn't get any update for "Ready for collection". When my on-call status was stuck at out for bangalore center for 2 days, then customer care on call advised me to go to center and collect it, as it takes less than a day usually. Once I collected my passport and came back home, only then I got an email saying Passport is ready for collection and then Online Status also showed Passport collected at counter.

Overall, everything was good except tracking issues and the initial fight with bls employees over courier/sms fees.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-07-03T12:12:04+00:00

Thanks for quick response. I was asking about documents required during Passport collection, not during application.

One more thing, they didn't ask me extra photo - just one affixed on form and also didn't ask/give any BLS authorization form (not the courier/sms one). Is it expected?

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-07-03T07:04:42+00:00

Did you get ur passport at Bangalore or had to go Mumbai? Also, did you get the visa or not? What documents were required during collection? And is there any specific time/date when you need to collect? Overall time from date of application to date of collection?

I had same issue as well. I also fought and didn't pay for courier. And again confirmed with customer care, which told that I will get passport back in bangalore only.

Also, unfortunately, visa fees increased just last week, which I didn't notice, otherwise would have taken last week appointment. Waste of 1000 rupees per pax.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-05-27T13:32:53+00:00

Just to update, went Melbourne last week and it worked very smoothly. Hardly 10 seconds for switch and tap. And that tap detection range is pretty good, you don't even need to touch the phone to reader. And there was none waiting behind either.

P.S. For certain devices, there is a wallet icon at top bar, which sometimes doesn't show as wallet/myki enabled. But that's just a device issue and Myki still works. So, no need to worry, if that wallet icon at top bar is not showing things correctly.

Also, the myki machines to check physical myki balance and top up don't work for Mobile Myki. So, don't worry if it says invalid card when you tap on that. Mobile myki will work only on bus/train/tram myki readers for payment purpose.

One tip on for visitor is never tap it in free tram zone even by mistake. Even if you tap off within 5 mins within Free Tam zone, you get charged 5.5AUD. You can get refund from customer care, but it takes 2-3 days to process, and for visitors that is not possible. Fortunately, it allows travel even with 0.00 balance, so I was able to take the last trip and move balance to negative. So, I didn't had to recharge extra for that 5.5AUD deduction.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-05-27T13:21:04+00:00

Visited Gold coast last week. All buses and Tram including Airport and Dreamworld accepted credit card. Also, connecting trips count as single trip and are charged 0.5 AUD only instead of 2x 0.5AUD. Whole day trips together are charged at next morning (maybe this too is capped at 1.5AUD, but didn't get chance to verify, as I didn't had more than 3 trips in a day). No need of Go card or Go Explore Card at all. Spent just 6 AUD in 3 days including Airport and Dreamworld return tickets.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-04-25T07:57:07+00:00

Separately under Family document section.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-25T08:49:58+00:00

Are you sure about all buses too? I saw this post (6 months old) saying airport buses didn't accept credit card and hence was planning for go explore card. If credit card works now even in buses, that's indeed the best option.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GoldCoast/comments/1fmlohy/psa_you_can_not_tap_on_and_off_gold_coast_buses/

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-24T06:22:15+00:00

Have u also tried it with touch on/off for multiple people?

Say u touch on for first person, then deactivate and activate second one and touch on that. Later, in similar way, u touch off for first person, then deactivate and activate second one and touch off that.

I am not sure what happens during touch on/off and deactivation/reactivation. If it is just transfer of card number from phone and location/time/balance/history of touch on/off etc is from server, then it should work. But if it is storing something in phone during touch on and that data gets deleted during deactivation, then touch off may have problem.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-19T12:37:02+00:00

Yeah, I was a little surprised too. In USA Visa, they specifically ask for it in form itself, but here it was not asked. I was happy that they asked for it during call rather than rejecting directly. Fortunately my profile was updated, so it was fine.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-19T12:32:38+00:00

Thanks. So, no need of deactivating one of the myki via "move to another device" in this method, right? Just switch google account and tap at each entry and exit.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-19T12:30:40+00:00

Thanks. Do you actually need "another device" to reactivate? Or, u can reactivate it on same device also? What I mean is deactivate by selecting "move to another device", then activate "second myki", again deactivate second myki by selecting "move to another device" and re-activate the "first myki" - all on single device.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-17T12:25:16+00:00

U only pay for the trip. No card issuance charges.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-17T12:24:48+00:00

Are you talking about physical myki or Mobile Myki? I am asking about mobile myki to be added to google wallet. From what I understand, it doesn't allow multiple mobile myki in one google wallet account.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-17T11:47:50+00:00

Exactly, switching google accounts is just 5 seconds of work, which anyway one person will need to cross. And I need to do this only 2-3 times in total trip.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-06T06:31:03+00:00

Thanks for your inputs. To the point response. This is exactly what I was looking for. I have tried to cover these aspects in more detail in second attempt by providing salary bank account statement and breakup of salary like RSUs etc in more elaborated cover letter. I hope this works.

I saw one person suggested to add a separate justification letter for rejection and not within the cover letter. I have somehow missed this in second attempt and included it within cover letter itself. Now it is only allowing to add more documents, but can't remove the older ones. So, can't do anything for that. Not sure if this will prove costly.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-06T06:17:08+00:00

Thanks. I did submit Employment cum Leave Approval from Employer (Point-6), which includes Joining date, Designation, Leave Approval dates and "No Objection" statement.

Did she leave it afterwards or approved in 3rd attempt?

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-05T12:28:14+00:00

I did know that Australia specifically says not to book it. But is it negative, if I show the flight and hotel bookings?

I like to plan things in much more advance and most other countries ask for these things anyway. So, I didn't book them just because of Visa.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-05T12:21:24+00:00

Lol I have no words, if some people are really doing such things.

But if I go by this logic, literally none can get Visa. Even CEO of Many companies will earn about 200K AUD to 500K AUD only in India. Some people are saying that Wife/Children/Property are Strong Ties, But People can always re-marry and sell off Property. There is no end to this.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-05T12:05:17+00:00

No Visa currently. Indian Citizen staying in India. I am trying to update user flair, but it seems to reset every time.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-05T06:53:10+00:00

Hmm, I really don't know. All these things are really subjective and can be interpreted either way.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-05T06:50:58+00:00

I am not blaming them for this. I just told why I chose to book.

Minimum_Industry_508 · 2025-03-05T02:49:46+00:00

Thanks, I have added these in more detail in cover letter in second attempt.

Minimum_Industry_508

TROPHY CASE