India’s Bakrid (Eid al-Adha) bank holiday, officially shifted to 28 May, shut branches in more than 25 cities—including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad—while digital channels remained live. The closure coincided with peak summer-travel visa filing, delaying applicants who still need stamped challans or cashier’s cheques for embassy fees. Reserve Bank of India calendars had long listed 28 May as the Bakrid holiday, but many travellers and relocation managers had earlier planned around 27 May before the government revised the festival date.
![Bakrid Bank Closures on 28 May Disrupt In-Person Visa Fee Payments]()
For applicants looking to bypass such disruptions, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can streamline the entire visa process with online fee payment, document preparation and courier coordination, reducing reliance on bank visits that are vulnerable to sudden holiday shifts.
Visa facilitators reported a spike in rescheduling requests from applicants unable to obtain demand drafts or physical bank receipts in time for embassy appointments. Corporates moving staff overseas should note that most FRRO offices, passport seva kendras and courier companies also operated on reduced hours, potentially pushing document dispatch into the following week. Mobility teams are advised to build extra lead time around India’s movable religious holidays and encourage use of electronic payment options wherever consulates permit them.
For applicants looking to bypass such disruptions, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can streamline the entire visa process with online fee payment, document preparation and courier coordination, reducing reliance on bank visits that are vulnerable to sudden holiday shifts.
Visa facilitators reported a spike in rescheduling requests from applicants unable to obtain demand drafts or physical bank receipts in time for embassy appointments. Corporates moving staff overseas should note that most FRRO offices, passport seva kendras and courier companies also operated on reduced hours, potentially pushing document dispatch into the following week. Mobility teams are advised to build extra lead time around India’s movable religious holidays and encourage use of electronic payment options wherever consulates permit them.
