Untitled - Cox & Kings

Important Note on VisaImportant Note For Travellerswhen going for biometric scanning. AllUK, USA and FRANCE visa applicantsare required to provide biometric dataas part of the application process.Children under the age of 5 (UK), 6(FRANCE) and 14 (USA)* do not haveto visit a Visa Application Centre tohave their photographs and fingerscans taken, but their photographswill need to be provided with theapplication form. Each time you applyfor a UK and FRANCE visa you willneed to have your fingers scanned andphotograph taken. If you are a regulartraveler to the UK, we recommend thatyou consider applying for a longerterm visa. The procedure is simpleand quick and should take less than5 minutes. Visa procedures changefrom time to time and from country tocountry.* Children under the age of 14 applyingfor a visa to USA have to carry theirOriginal Birth Certificate along withthem, while applying for a visa at theUS Consulate.2. Does Cox & Kings guaranteeVISA?There is no guarantee that Cox & Kingscan get the Visa for you. Our role isonly to assist you to submit a visaapplication which is correctly filledand signed by you. Embassies andConsulates have the sole jurisdictionand authority for granting Visas. Visascan take upto 2 to 3 months to begranted / returned.3. Why is it necessary toconfirm services before visasare obtained?One of the mandatory requirementsof the Consulates / High Commissionsapplying for tourist visas (inaccordance to the visa rules of eachcountry) is that the person / travelerapplying for a tourist / visitorvisa must have a valid confirmedreturn airline ticket reservation andconfirmed hotel accommodationreservations. This is one of the manysafeguards that the consulates takewhilst issuing tourist / visitor visasso as to ensure that this is a genuinebonafide travel.4. On what basis is the visagranted or rejected ordeclined?It is the responsibility of the touristto ensure that all information filled inthe visa forms is correct and genuine.The visa is issued by the consulateafter it does all its backgroundchecks, the financial stability of thetourist, and after assessing the riskas to whether the tourist is likely toreturn to his home country or wouldillegally overstay / seek employmentin a foreign country. Cox & Kingshave no role whatsoever to play ingranting or denial of visas becauseeach traveler / tourist has his or herown circumstances and situationwhereby they have to convince thevisa interview officer of their genuineintentions.5. What are the normalreasons of Visa rejections:Fraud documents – No chance toreapply.Insufficient fund’s in account –Passenger gets a chance to reapplywhile submitting good bank statement,can break investment done in FDR andtransfer the fund to Saving accountand enclose a letter from the bank forthe same.Sudden deposits – Can reapply bygiving explanation on letterhead andproof for fund transfer.Not provided evidence of business –Can reapply with business registration.Not provided original documentssuch as Income Tax Returns andbank statement – Can reapply withoriginal documents.Damaged passportIn case visas are rejected by theconsulates / embassies, you mayconsider re-application, provided wehave sufficient time / working daysprior to the departure of your selectedtour date.6. Why are cancellationscharged if VISAS are rejected?1. If the tourist cancels his / her travelthere are certain cancellation fees thatapply such as the airlines, hotels andcruises cancellation fees which thenhave to be passed on to the traveler.As explained earlier Consulatesrequire confirmed tickets, hotels andinsurance prior to accepting the visaapplication. Granting / rejection ofvisas is the sole discretion of embassy/ consulate. We only act as a facilitatorfor providing visa guidance services.2. Cox & Kings has to bear certainadministrative, processing and otherexpenses that are required to be madefor making these reservations for thetraveler. These cancellation chargesshall apply irrespective of the reasonfor cancellation. These charges are thegenuine pre - estimate of the damagesthat we will suffer on account ofcancellation and are payable withoutproof of actual damages.Hence, it is important before bookingyour holiday tour package to study thecancellation policy and the cancellationcharges that would apply once youbook tour package. Also please notethat Consulates / Embassies havetheir own visa application processingfees and visa fees which too haveto be paid in advance at the time ofsubmitting your visa application.In most cases there is no refund ofany part of the visa fees or the visaapplication processing fees returned,if the tourist’s visa application isrejected by the consulate. In fact,many a time due to cancellation, Cox &Kings suffer losses because sometimesthe cancellation is done at a time ofholiday rush and the supplier such asthe hoteliers, airlines and cruises havea 100% cancellation charge.You expressly agree to abide by theforegoing Terms & Conditions andCancellation Policy.3. In group tours the advantage of agroup tour is the reduced tour pricedue to the numbers of a group whichfacilitates collective buying. Whenthere are cancellations, the numbersof the group reduce and it is too lateto fill the vacant seats and the costper tourist member on the groupincreases as the number of travellingpassengers are reduced. It is notpossible to penalize the remainingtravelling members of the group foryour visa rejection.In view of the above explained reasons,cancellation fees are charged in casevisas are rejected by the consulates /embassies.The Company cannot be heldresponsible / liable for suchrejection of visas, unless there isa manifest error committed bythe Company.Cox & Kings | Duniya Dekho | Winter 2012 | 13