Citizens
of all countries, except Nepal & Bhutan, require a valid
national passport or valid travel documents and a valid
visa granted by Missions abroad for entering India. Nepalese
or Bhutanese citizens need no passport or visa but should
possess suitable documents for their identification when
proceeding from their respective countries.
VISAS
Requirement
for Visa:
Foreigners desirous of visiting India can do so after obtaining
visa from the Indian Mission in their country of their residence.
They should possess a valid National Passport - except in
the case of nationals of Bhutan & Nepal, who may carry
only suitable means of identification.
Tourist
Visas:
Usually, a multi-entry visa, valid for a period of 180 days,
is granted for the purpose of tourism. The visa is valid
from the date of issue.
Collective
Visas:
The facility also exists for the issue of collective visas
to group tours consisting of not less than four members
and sponsored by a travel agency recognized by the Government
of India. Such groups may split into smaller groups for
visiting different places in India after obtaining a collective
"license to travel" from the immigration authorities
in India. However, they must reassemble and depart as the
original group.
Transit
Visas:
Transit visas are granted by Indian Missions abroad for
a maximum period of 15 days.
Exemption
from Registration: Foreigners
coming to India on tourist visas for 180 days or shorter
period are not required to register themselves with any
authority in India. They can move about freely in the country,
except to restricted/protected areas and prohibited places.Nationals
of Bangladesh are exempted from registration up to six months.
If their stay exceeds six months, they have to register
themselves. Individuals without nationality (stateless persons;
IRO refugees, persons receiving legal or political protection.)
should have valid passports, identity documents or sworn
affidavits along with the visa for which they should apply
two months in advance.
Family passports issued by other governments are recognized
without discrimination.
Landing
Permit Facility:
Tourists may note the no Landing Permit Facility is available
to any foreign tourist landing without a visa. A limited
facility exists only for group tours consisting of four
or more members and sponsored by a travel agency recognized
by the Government of India. Children of foreigners of Indian
origin below the age of 12 may be granted a landing permit
by the immigration authorities up to a period of 90 days
to see their relatives, in case they happen to come without
a visa.
Tourist
Groups:
A tourist group arriving by air, ship or by a chartered
or scheduled flight may be granted a collective landing
permit for a period of up to 30 days by the immigration
authorities on landing, provided the group is sponsored
by a recognized travel agency and a pre-drawn itinerary
is presented along with details of passport etc. of the
members, and the travel agency gives an undertaking to conduct
the group together.
Extension
of Visa: As a rule no extension of stay is granted on a
Tourist Visa.
Other
Types of Visas:
If a foreigner wishes to come to India for a purpose other
than tourism, he should come after obtaining one of the
following visas.
Business
Visa:
A foreigner can obtain one from an Indian Embassy abroad.
A multiple entry visa is valid for 5 years, provided he
wishes to come for some business. Foreigners of Indian origin
can obtain a 5 year multiple entry visas for business, to
meet their relatives etc.
Student
Visa:
A student visa can be obtained from the Indian Embassy on
the production of proof of admission and means of sustenance
while in India, etc. The visa is valid for one year but
can be extended in India for the duration of the course.
Conference
Visa:
Delegates coming to attend international conferences in
India can be granted Conference Visa to cover the conference
as well as for tourism in India. Delegates are advised to
apply to Indian Embassies well in advance. ** Employment
Visa: Foreigners desirous of coming to India for taking
up employment should apply for an Employment Visa, which
are issued by Indian Missions abroad. Initially granted
for a period of one year, it can be extended in India up
to the period of contract. ** Recreation : Foreigners wishing
to undertake any international sporting event, trekking,
botanical expeditions, yoga, journalists, media men, documentary
and feature film makers may obtain visas after due formalities
from the Indian Embassy.
CUSTOMS
FORMALITIES & REGULATIONS
Visitors
are generally required to make an oral baggage declaration
in respect of baggage and foreign currency in their possession.
They are also required to obtain the Currency Declaration
Form from the Customs. They should fill in the Disembarkation
Card handed over to them by the airline during the course
of the flight. There are two channels for clearance:
Green Channel: For passengers not in possession of any dutiable
articles or unaccompanied baggage.
Red Channel: For passengers with dutiable articles or unaccompanied
baggage or high value articles to be entered on the tourist
Baggage Re-Export Form.
CURRENCY
REGULATIONS
There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency
or travelers' cheques a tourist may bring into India provided
he makes a declaration in the Currency Declaration Form
given to him on arrival. This will enable him not only to
exchange the currency bought in, but also to take the unspent
currency out of India on departure. Cash, bank notes and
travelers' cheques up to US$ 1,000 or equivalent, need not
be declared at the time of entry. Any money in the form
of travelers' cheques, drafts, bills, cheques, etc. in convertible
currencies, which tourists wish to convert into Indian currency,
should be exchanged only through authorized money changers
and banks who will issue an encashment certificate that
is required at the time of re-conversion of any unspent
money into foreign currency. Exchanging of foreign currency
other than banks or authorized money changers is an offense
under Foreign Exchange Regulations Act 1973.
ARRIVAL
& DEPARTURE FORMALITIES
Arrival Formalities: If the visa, for stay in India, is
for more than 180 days, a Registration Certificate and Residential
Permit should be obtained from the nearest Foreigners' Registration
Office within 15 days of arrival. All persons including
Indian nationals are required to fill in a Disembarkation
Card, at the time of arrival. Four photographs are also
required for registration. The foreigners registered at
Foreigners' Registration Office are required to report change
of their addresses.
Departure
from India:
All persons, except nationals of Bhutan & Nepal, leaving
by air, road or rail have to fill in an Embarkation Card
at the time of departure.
Exit
Formalities :
Every foreigner who is about to depart finally from India
shall surrender his Certificate of Registration either to
the Registration Officer of the place where he is registered
or of the place from where he intends to depart or to the
Immigration Officer at the Port/Check post of exit from
India.
HEALTH
REGULATIONS
Foreign tourists should be in possession of their Yellow
Fever Vaccination Certificate conforming to International
Health Regulation, if they are originating or transiting
through Yellow Fever endemic countries.
AIRPORTS
The international airports in the metro cities offer a range
of services ensuring that the traveler on business can continue
working while waiting to board an international connection,
or when transferring between international flights. These
include restaurants, business centers, rest rooms and handy
telephones booths. Business centers are equipped with state-of-the-art
equipment including word processors and tele-fax.
Airports also offer tourist duty-free & handicrafts
shopping, informal snack bars, nursery and baby care rooms,
and even an art gallery. Duty-free prices in the airport
shops are very competitive, offering you bargains on international
merchandise.
FOREIGN
TRAVEL TAX
Passengers embarking on journeys to any place outside India
from a Customs airport/seaport will have to pay a Foreign
Travel Tax (FTT) of Rs. 500 and Rs. 150 on journeys to Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Srilanka and
Maldives. No tax is payable on journeys performed by ship
from Rameshwaram to Talaimanar and in case of transit passengers,
provided they do not leave the customs barrier. Transit
passengers traveling by air who have to leave the airport
on account of mechanical trouble but continue their journey
by the same aircraft and the same flight number by which
they arrive are also exempt from FTT. Transit sea passengers
leaving the ship for sightseeing, shopping etc. during the
ships' call at any of the Indian ports will not be required
to pay FTT. |