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 PASSPORT
& VISA |
 Citizens
of all the country need to have a valid passport
and an entry , transit or tourist visa obtained
from the Indian Mission in their country.
Tourist Visa is normally valid for 120 days.
Visa extensions can be got by applying to
the Ministry of Home Affairs, Lok Nayak Bhavan,
Khan Market, (Ph: 4693334 ,4612543 and 4617649)
The letter should be handed over at the Foreigners
Regional Registration Office at Hans Bhavan,
Tilak Bridge, near ITO. (Ph: 3319489/8179).
It is open from 0930 hrs to 1330 hrs and 1400
hrs to 1600 hrs. (It is closed on weekends
and national Holidays) It is recommended to
obtain a multiple Entry Tourist Visa since
this simplifies the procedure for visiting
neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri
Lanka. Indians holding foreign passports would
also have to obtain an Indian Visa before
entering India.
Exchanges Rates:
The rates for purchase and sale of UK Pound
and US$ currency notes and foreign currency
travellers cheques, where applicable, are
quoted by authorised dealers/money-changers
within the floor and ceiling rates worked
out daily in accordance with guidelines prescribed
by Reserve Bank of India. For other currencies,
banks quote rates based on market conditions.
Bank drafts and travellers cheques fetch better
rates than currency notes. Currencies like
UK Pound, US$ and Deutsche Mark are widely
accepted. |
| REGISTRATION |
| All foreigners are required
to get themselves registered with the Foreigners
Regional Registration Office(FRRO) which is
situated in Hans Bhavan, Tilak Road, near
the Income Tax Office(ITO). The building is
very close to India Gate |
| CUSTOM
CLEARANCE |
| Those without any dutiable
goods or high value articles or foreign exchange
more than US $2,500 or unaccompained baggage
which need to be declared, can walk through
Green Channel. All others need to pass through
the Red Channe. Goods upto Rs 750 (Rs. 12,000
for persons of Indian origin) for personal
use or as gifts are exempt from duty. Beyond
the free baggage limit, the duty rate is 52%
plus 2% special duty |
| Those
not entitled |
| Persons
from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and China do
not get any free allowances, while in case
of nationals of Sri Lanka and the Maldives,
it is Rs. 6000 if they stay for more than
three days and Rs. 3000 if the stay is less |
| Tousist
Baggage Form |
| On arrival, a TBRE (tourist
baggage re_export form) is to be shown with
the entered articles to Customs for verification
at the time of departure |
| Landing
certificate |
| It is required if you
are expecting unacompained baggabge as also
for mishandled baggage |
| Bringing
in currency |
| Any amount in the form
of currency, travellers cheques and the like
can be brought in and the same amount can
be taken back. In case the amount exceeds
US $10,000 in the form of currency notes,
travellers cheques or bank notes / or currency
notes alone of more than US $2,500, they have
to be declared on arrival on the Currency
Declaration Form (CDF), duly attested by the
Custom Officer |
| Indian
currency |
No Indian currency can
be brought in or taken out, and while remitting
money to India the full address of the bank
should be given.
Travel with in
INDIA
For travel within India, foreign tourists
have to pay their fares in foreign exchange.
All booking offices of Indian Airlines, all
other private airlines and booking offices
of Indian Railways at many important centres
accept payment in foreign exchange from foreign
tourists. Rail fares can be paid in Indian
rupees on the production of the Encashment
Certificates obtained earlier. |
| Money
changing |
| The unit of currency
is the rupee and all money should be changed
with authorised money changers available at
various places. You should insist on a receipt
which will help in reconverting the money
whenever you desire so. It is better to avoid
touts who may offer higher sums than the prevailing
value |
| Export
curbs |
| All articles brought
in can be taken back. from India one can take
back souveniors worth Rs 1,00,000 in value
and more than that after getting permission
from the Reserve Bank of India. Jewellery
or precious stones of high value need an advance
RBI permit as also appraisal by the Customs
Appraiser at the airport in advance |
| Foreign
Travel Tax |
| Restrictions exist on
art objects more than 100 years old. Any doubts
should be got cleared from Director Antiquities,
Archaeological survey of India, Janpath, Ph:
3017220. Export of wildlife items is prohibited
and in some cases regulated |
| Antiquities,
art objects |
| Restrictions exist on
art objects more than 100 years old. Any doubts
should be got cleared from Director Antiquities,
Archaeological survey of India, Janpath, Ph:
3017220. Export of wildlife items is prohibited
and in some cases regulated |
| Foreign
Travel Tax |
Rs 500 and only Rs 150
for citizens of Afganistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Myanmar, Pakistan, the Maldives, Nepal and
sri Lanka.
Currency & Jewellery
INDIAN CURRENCY: Bringing Indian currency
of any denomination into India is prohibited.
Foreign tourists' returning to India from
Nepal are, however, permitted to bring with
them unspent Indian currency which needs to
be declared. There is no restriction on bringing
into India of cheques/drafts issued by overseas
bank and denominated in Indian rupees drawn
on banks situated in India.
Personal
Jewellery
Foreign tourists are permitted to
bring with them their personal jewellery either
worn on their person or as part of their personal
effects in accordance with Customs Baggage
Rules. The Rules, inter alia, require an endorsement
by the Indian Customs on the tourists' passports
about the jewellery brought by the latter.
In order to facilitate Customs clearance of
the same personal jewellery at the time of
the tourist's departure from India, details
thereof are endorsed on the tourist's passports
at the time of entry. |
| ARRIVAL,
LEAVING THE AIRPORT |
| Transport of various
sorts is available at the Indira Gandhi International
Airport. These include autorickshaws, taxis,
and even buses most of which are operated
by private operators. There is also a prepaid
taxi service and it is advisable that this
facility is made use of as it proves to be
the most economical |
| TIME
DIFFERENCE |
| The standard time for
India is calculated from Allahabad and is
common to all cities. Indian Standard Time
(IST) is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of London,
4 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Paris, about
10 hours 30 minutes behind New York, 3 hours
and 30 minutes behind Tokyo and 4 hours and
30 minutes behind Sydney |
| CREDIT
CARDS |
| American Express, Master
Charge, Visa and Diners Club credit cards
are generally accepted by large establishments
including hotels, shops, and airlines |
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