Visa
INDIA

All foreign nationals intending to visit India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport (valid for at least six months) with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad.

All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Indian Visa through Online application link.The duly signed physical copy of the application form is to be submitted at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly to Indian Mission/ Post, on the scheduled date of interview along with the requisite supporting documents,two passport type photographs, and non refundable visa fee, which is subject to the duration and the type of visa. Some parts of India are "restricted areas" and require special permits.

The minimum required time for processing the visa application is three working days, however the status of Visa Application can be seen on the link for Visa Enquiry.

NEPAL

Travelers visiting Nepal can take Visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Along with a valid passport, two passport size photographs are required. The fee for a two week tourist Visa is USD 25 ( subject to change)

Bhutan

All travelers visiting Bhutan are required to have a passport ( valid for at least six months from the day of return) and Visa prior to their arrival . A two week visa is stamped the airport after paying USD 40 ( subject to change) and completing all the formalities.

India is a big tropical country and is famous for its diverse climatic features.

The seasons in India can be broadly categorized into the following:

Winter : The months of January and February
Summer : The months of March to May
Monsoon (rainy) season : The months of June to September
A post-monsoon period : The months of October to December

The best time to travel in most parts of India is between September and April. With the exception of the Himalayan areas which are to be visited from April to September. Nepal weather is pleasant in different ways all through the year.

Monsoon months are usually from june to august in south and from July to September in north.

Time Zone:

Indian Standard Time (IST) is GMT + 5.5
Nepal is GMT +5.45
whereas Bhutan is 6 hours ahead of GMT

Visitors may bring up to $10,000 US dollars into India. Visitors may not bring or take out any Indian currency, except as travelers' cheques.

At all international airports, a bureau de change is available as you leave customs. You can change money there. Most hotels offer foreign exchange facilities, at a rate on a par quoted by the banks. ATM machines are widely available in cities.

Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express are widely accepted. It is sometimes necessary to y cash (rupees) for small hotels, lodges and camps. When making a credit card transaction ensure the payment slips are completed and validated in your presence

Most International airports in India have money exchange counters where you can easily change money. It is recommended that you do have enough Indian money on you, which you may require for any purchases. Most big cities have ATMs, which accept Visa and MasterCard as well as American Express. The ATM network is ever expanding you may even find them in some smaller towns.

Yellow Fever

Vaccination Certificate is required if arriving from an infected area.

Cholera/Typhoid

Inoculation recommended.

Malaria

No certificate required.

India is essentially a tropical country and like all such countries, precautions need to be taken while traveling. Most hotels have doctors on call.

Medical precautions

Please consult your physician or health department for the latest health precautions. Some countries require advance inoculations (and certificates thereof). Contact us if you have any questions about this.

Emergency medical cover and travel insurance

Before you travel to India, you must subscribe to comprehensive travel insurance covering personal effects, personal accident, medical exigencies, emergency travel expenses, cancellation and curtailment.

Smoking

Smoking is not allowed at public places. All properties of Indian Railways, including trains and railway stations, are strictly non smoking zones with stiff penalties

Communication

India has one of the lowest call tariffs in the world. . India has both GSM and CDMA cellular communication systems. If you decide to use international roaming, your phone service provider will normally have a tie up with an Indian telephone service provider that will give you favorable roaming rates , check before leaving your country . On arrival you may consider buying an Indian phone card to use for your trip but from time to time restrictions have been imposed to limit short time periods connections so check with local offices for rules at the time of your visit. Landline telephone calls to all the countries are direct. Internet facilities are available in most cities at hotels, cyber cafes and business centers. Not in all the hotels wireless connectivity is free.

Official Language

India officially recognizes 22 languages. Hindi is the national language, while English is the ‘subsidiary official language’

Electricity – What plugs are used in India?

The voltage supply at most of the hotels across India is 230-240 volts. Most of the plug-in pins in India are different from western made plug-in pins. It makes sense to carry an adaptor and dry cells.

The standard is 220/240 volts. 50 Hz. Adaptors / special plugs for electrical gadgets and laptops must be carried to protect equipment from voltage fluctuations . Power cuts in India are still frequent and though most hotels have power back - up, budget hotels, guest houses and home stays may not.

Sightseeing

If you do not use a digital camera, it may be difficult to get photography film in smaller towns or in national parks / reserves, so please ensure you either bring them along or buy them on arrival at the port of entry. The usage of the tripod stand, in most places is either prohibited or remain subjected to a special permission on paying the required deposit fee. Photography may also not be permissible at some railway stations, bridges, airports and all military installations. If in doubt, please ask.

Indian Sightseeing Tips – What should I know?

Dress codes for religious sights do apply. In other words, you may need to cover your head, shoulders and always wear shoes. Please remember to rather ask, so that you don't unknowingly offend. Some temples do not permit any leather articles at all on their premises. Certain temples are not open to Non-Hindus. Most museums in India are closed on Mondays, and Site Museums, those near archaeological monuments, on Fridays.