Mumbai:
Student Aamir Sheikh's thrill at winning a ticket to the ICC World T20 finals on Sunday was short-lived when he couldn't procure his passport from the UK visa offices on Saturday.
Sheikh, an MBA student, had won a free trip to Barbados through a scratch card he received when he had purchased cans of Pepsi last month on April 23. "I was ready to go. I had even got my visa for the West Indies. On May 3, Pepsi agents said that I needed to apply for a transit visa from the British High Commission as I had to change airports in London," said Sheikh.
Sheikh was unable to get his UK visa processed in time, and will hence miss the final. "If they knew it would take so long to get a transit visa, why put out such an offer in the first place?" he asks.
British High Commission officials said there would have been no problems if he had submitted his papers in time. "We make it clear how long it will take, both at the time of application and on our website. It normally takes a week if the applicant has travelled to the UK recently, and up to three weeks if not."
A PepsiCo spokesperson said, "It is unfortunate that the consumer's visa was not approved till the time of planned travel. As clarified in the terms and conditions of the promotion, PepsiCo India would only be assisting in visa and cannot take the guarantee for approval. The primary responsibility of the visa rests only with the winner, under all circumstances."
Sheikh, an MBA student, had won a free trip to Barbados through a scratch card he received when he had purchased cans of Pepsi last month on April 23. "I was ready to go. I had even got my visa for the West Indies. On May 3, Pepsi agents said that I needed to apply for a transit visa from the British High Commission as I had to change airports in London," said Sheikh.
Sheikh was unable to get his UK visa processed in time, and will hence miss the final. "If they knew it would take so long to get a transit visa, why put out such an offer in the first place?" he asks.
British High Commission officials said there would have been no problems if he had submitted his papers in time. "We make it clear how long it will take, both at the time of application and on our website. It normally takes a week if the applicant has travelled to the UK recently, and up to three weeks if not."
A PepsiCo spokesperson said, "It is unfortunate that the consumer's visa was not approved till the time of planned travel. As clarified in the terms and conditions of the promotion, PepsiCo India would only be assisting in visa and cannot take the guarantee for approval. The primary responsibility of the visa rests only with the winner, under all circumstances."
