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Visa
Six month multiple-entry visas are now issued to most nationals regardless of whether you intend staying that long or re-entering the country. Only six-month tourist visas are extendable. Most Indian embassies and consulates won't issue a visa to enter India unless you hold an onward ticket. Be careful to check whether your visa is valid from the date of entry or the date of issue. more....
Passport, Money and Credit Cards
Never let go of these most valuable possessions. Make sure that you have photocopies of the front and last pages of your passport, visas and air ticket. Imagine being lost in a strange land, clueless about your passport number, TC number and with no friends to take you home. Whatever Travellers Cheques you may opt for, make sure you take down the emergency call numbers to report a loss. This will help you process your claim much faster, you will also have to give details such as the place from where you purchased your Card and the date on which it was done. So make sure you record all these details in a book. In that same place you should keep a record of the cheque serial numbers, proof of purchase slips and your passport number (and don't keep it in the same bag with your TCs). Foreign nationals are required to carry their passports with them at all times while in India.^Top
Tax Clearance Certificates
If your stay in India extends to more than 120 days, i.e. 3 months, then you need a tax clearance certificate to leave the country. This supposedly proves that your time in India was financed with your own money and not by working in India or by selling things or playing the black market. Basically all you have to do is approach the foreign section of the Income Tax Department in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai or Mumbai and turn up with your passport, visa extended form, any other similar paperwork and a handful of bank exchange receipts (to show you really have been changing foreign currency into rupees officially).^Top
Banking
It is a good idea to check the local bank and shop opening times for your destination, and ensure that you do have enough local currency to tide you through when you arrive. Your local bank will be able to order currency for you and larger airports have a cash desk. You must retain the encashment certificate given to you when changing foreign exchange at your hotel or a bank. You will need to present this while making any payments in Indian Rupees, or while re-converting unused Rupees into foreign exchange at the airport before your international departure. Only 1/3 of the value of the encashment certificate will be re-converted into foreign exchange.^Top
Customs
Your entitlement is one bottle of whisky and 200 cigarettes. Laptops, SLR Cameras with lenses and video cameras are likely to be entered on a Tourist Baggage Re-Export' form to ensure you take them out with you when you go back and not sell them in the local market. If you are entering India from Nepal, you are not entitled to import anything free of duty.^Top
Travelling Within India
Due to security reasons, you are not allowed to carry batteries in your hand luggage on all flights. The security will ask you to trip your camera shutter once and demonstrate that it is not being used for tripping an explosive device! Your camera batteries or any other spare batteries that you need should be in your booked luggage. Otherwise, the security will take the batteries from your hand bag and pass them over to the flight-crew who are supposed to give them back to you at the destination airport after landing, but our experience shows that invariably it never happens. And God save you if you are on a photography trip and the batteries are not available locally (you are unlikely to find batteries like the 4LR44 or special Lithium Batteries in smaller towns). No hand luggage, including a camera bag, is allowed on the flight from Leh to Delhi. Please ensure you pack everything, except for your passport, air ticket and wallet in your check-in luggage.
Special Permits
Even with a visa you are not allowed everywhere in India. Certain places require special additional permits. For instance in the Andaman Islands you need a permit in advance if you're arriving by ship. For those flying in, permits for a stay of upto 30 days are issued on arrival at the airport in Port Blair. Bhutan also requires a special permit, but it is almost impossible to get a permit for entry into Bhutan unless you have connections or a personal friend in the Bhutanese aristocracy, or if you're coming in through an organised tour. A permit for the Lakshadweep islands is also problematic. Only one island is currently open to foreigners. The north-eastern states too require foreigners to have a permit though even with one you are restricted. You cannot visit all the places. For Sikkim, permits are much easier and are issued either while you wait or within two or three hours.^Top
Working Hours
All government offices work a five-day-week. They are officially open from 9 am-5.30 pm, Monday through Friday. However, the safe times are 10.30 am to 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm. Banks are open from 10am-2pm, Monday through Friday and 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays.
Cashing of traveller's cheques usually ceases 30 minutes before the official bank closing time. The Reserve Bank of India closes for yearly closing on June 30 and December 31, while others opt for March 31 and September 30.
Shops also remain closed on particular days of the week according to their location in a city, but usually Tuesdays. Offices are usually closed on Sundays and public holidays.^Top
Photography
India is a kaleidoscope of colour just waiting to be photographed, so wherever you travel be sure to carry your camera and an ample supply of color film.
With the exception of inside the Taj Mahal, the airports, and other restricted areas, you may photograph to your heart's content.^Top
Changing Money
It is advisable to change your money through authorized banks and hotels.
Always keep your receipts as you will need them at the end of your trip if you wish to convert your rupees back to your own currency. The units of Indian currency are the rupee and the paise.
All major credit cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants and government and hotel shops, as are travellers cheques.^Top
Departure Tax
When you leave India, there is currently a statutory departure tax of 500 rupees. This has to be paid in Indian currency at the airport.
In view of this, it is wise to keep this amount handy when you leave for the airport. In some cases this may be included in the cost of your booking so please check your invoice for confirmation of this.^Top
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