Visa specific information you can use and other necessary documentation for a trip to India

Foreign Nationals desirous of coming into India are required to possess a valid passport of their country and a valid Indian Visa.

There is no provision of 'Visa on Arrival' in India and no fee is charged for immigration facilities at the airports. Foreign passengers should ensure that they are in possession of valid Indian Visa before they start their journey to India, except nationals of Nepal and Bhutan, who do not require visa to enter India and nationals of Maldives who do not require visa for entry in India, for a period up to 90 days. (A separate Visa regime exists for diplomatic/official passport holders).

The Consular Passport and Visa (CPV) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for issuance of Indian visas to the foreign nationals for their visit for various purposes. This facility is granted through various Indian missions abroad.

Visa fees are non-refundable and subject to change without notice. The High Commission reserves the right on granting and deciding type/duration of visa, irrespective of the fees tendered at the time of making application. Granting of Visa does not confer the right of entry to India and is subject to the discretion of the Immigration Authorities.

Specific Visas are granted for a variety of purposes. The principal types of Visa issued are mentioned below:

Tourist Visa :
This Visa is normally granted for a period of six months. The applicant is required to produce/submit documents in proof of his financial standing. Tourist Visas are non-extendible and non-convertible.

Business Visa :
This Visa is normally granted for one or more years with multiple entries. A letter from the sponsoring organization, indicating nature of business, probable duration of stay, places and organizations to be visited incorporating therein a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses, etc should accompany the application.

Student Visa :
This Visa is issued for the duration of the academic course of study, or for a period of five years, whichever is less. It is important to furnish proof of admission to recognized Universities/Institutions in India. Change of purpose and institutions are not permissible.

Transit Visa :
This Visa is issued for a maximum period of 15-days with single/double entry facilities. Transit Visa cannot be obtained from immigration counters at ports of entry in India. Transit Visa is non-extendable in India.

Visa to Missionaries :
This Visa is valid for single entry and duration as permitted by Government of India. A letter in triplicate from sponsoring organization, indicating intended destination in India, probable length of stay, and nature of duties to be discharged, should be submitted along with guarantee for applicant's maintenance while in India.

Journalist Visa :
This Visa is issued to top professional journalists and photographers for visiting India. The applicants are required to contact the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs on arrival in New Delhi, and the Office of the Government of India's Press Information Bureaus in other places.

Conference Visa :
This Visa is issued for attending conferences/seminars/meetings in India. Along with the application, you are required to submit a letter of invitation from the organizer of the mission.

Employment Visa :
This Visa can be obtained on furnishing proof of employment/engagement of foreign nationals by the company or organization in India.

Miscellaneous Information

The duration of stay in India, for each visit on a tourist visa or business visa is only for a period of 6 months even though a valid visa may be for more than 6 months.

A Visa may be granted for a period for which the passport is valid. For example, if a passport is valid until April 30, 2003 and an applicant is applying for 5 years visa on December 31,1999, the applicant will not be issued a 5 years visa as the passport expires before the 5 year visa.

Validity of all visas is counted from the date of their issue.

Tourist visa up to 5 years may be granted if the foreigner is connected with the tourism trade.

If visa is for more than 180 days, registration is compulsory within 14 days of first arrival in India.

For Extension of visa contact MHA- Director (F), Lok Nayak Bhawan, Ist floor, Khan market, New Delhi-110003.

Immigration Procedures

The Bureau of Immigration handles the immigration procedures at the major international airports and the foreigner's registration work at five major cities in India. The field officers in charge of immigration and registration activities at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Amritsar are called Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs). The designation for the equivalent in Chennai (Madras) is Chief Immigration Officer (CHIO).

There are certain guidelines that all foreign visitors are advised to follow, which are as given below:

Foreign tourists are required to obtain a visa from the Indian Mission in the country of their residence or in a nearby country. They need a valid permit to visit certain restricted/protected areas.

All foreign tourists to India must fill up their Disembarkation/ Embarkation cards on arrival/departure.

Foreigners coming from or through Yellow Fever countries must be able to produce a valid vaccination certificate.

Vaccinations like Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies and Typhoid are recommended. Please be informed that there are some health risks in India like Cholera, Dengue Fever, Dysentery, Malaria and Meningitis. Travelers are advised to take precautionary measures against the same.

Foreigners visiting India, who hold long-term visas (more than 180 days), are required to obtain a Registration Certificate and Residential Permit from the nearest Foreigners' Registration Office (FRRO) within 15 days of arrival. The foreigners registered at FRRO are required to report change of their addresses.

Certificates of registration issued by the Registration Officers should be surrendered to the immigration officer at the port/check post of exit from India.

Passengers embarking on journeys to any place outside India from a Customs airport / seaport are required to pay a Foreign Travel Tax (FTT) of Rs 500 to most countries and Rs 150 on journeys to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

India-friendly tourism guidelines from Travelmartindia, your partner in planning memorable vacations to India!

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act bans all forms of wildlife trade. Violations of the provisions of the Act are punishable with heavy fines and imprisonment. Foreigners are therefore, advised not to buy any wild animals or their products and derivatives like articles of ivory, fur and skin. Let no man put asunder what God hath joined together may well be the Indian Wildlife protection motto- make it yours too and join the nation's fight against poaching, trading in wildlife and allied products and let the fur fly no further from the animals than their skins!

Wondering about the weather ?
You're not alone, because India is a land of many distinct weather conditions and various regions of the country have their unique charm when visited during certain times of the year. Climate in India generally is cooler in the North, especially between September and March. The Southern part of India is coolest between November to January.

In June, winds and warm surface currents begin to move northwards and westwards, heading out of the Indian Ocean and into the Arabian Gulf. This creates a phenomenon known as the south-west monsoon, and it brings heavy rains to the west coast. Between October and December, a similar climatic pattern called the north-east monsoon appears in the Bay of Bengal, bringing rains to the east coast.

Whether to bring this, that or the other - in most part determined by the Indian weather
Foreign tourists are advised to learn as much as possible about the current weather conditions in the Indian region they plan to visit prior to their trip and also enquire about the traveling and accommodation arrangements made on their behalf by the tour operator in the places they intend to visit. This will help in determining the appropriate travel packing to be done, be it clothes, footwear, collapsible walking stick (if visiting heritage sites or temple areas that have uneven terrain or dark, stony walkways or contained within or around caves and similar areas) or protective covering such as raingear, thermals or wide-brim hats (sun-protective accessory).

Sacred truths: visiting Indian places of worship
Some religious places in India have dress codes, like covering your head, staying barefoot while entering a shrine or temple area, etc. Tourists are advised to comply with these guidelines so as not to offend religious sentiments of the concerned community.

We cover more such interesting Indian facts, region-specific customs and traditions related to tourist sites and places of general interest in India, in our further 'Guide to India' sections, to clue you in to making the best and most informed decision about where to go in India, what to do while there, how best to prepare for it and do it all-Maharajah style!!

India rocks- and so do you, especially when you remember to keep in mind all that makes for an essentially thoughtful foreign visitor to Indian shores-and have fun in between it all too!!