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You
must have a passport with you all the time. It's the most basic
travel document. Also ensure that your passport will be valid for
the entire period you intend to remain overseas, if your passport is
lost or stolen, immediately contact your country's embassy or
consulate in Delhi and also to nearest police station.
Apply for Passport
The best time to apply for a passport or to renew is during the fall
and winter. Before any trip, be sure to check your passport's
expiration date and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.
You can apply for passport:
» Passports Australia Citizens -
» Passport Canadian Passport
» Passport New Zealand Passport
» Passport United Kingdom Passport
» U.S. State Department Passport
Services
Visa
You need a visa to visit India. But if you are coming from Nepal you
only need Identification, and visa is issued at the airport only.
Note that with a three month visa, your entry to India must be
within 30 day's from the date of issue of the visa. Also, the six
month visa is valid from the date of issue of the visa, not the date
you enter India five month after the visa was issued, it will be
valid only for one month not the full six month. If you enter India
the day after it was issued, you can stay for the full six month.
General Regulations for applying for Visa
Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of
intended departure from India should accompany visa applications.
Paste one photo and staple the other one on the form at specified
place.
Foreigners holding other nationalities (other than the country where
applying for visa), should submit proof of long-term (at least three
years)/ permanent residence in the country (where applying). For
citizen of other countries, reference has to be made to their
country of residence for which an additional fee is applicable and
will involve extra processing time. Please refrain from making
inquiries about the status of application during this time.
Type of Visas
Tourist Visa
Is given for 6 months normally, rest specifically depends on the
country of residence. The applicant is required to produce/submit
documents in proof of his financial standing. Tourist traveling in
groups of not less than four members under the auspices of a
recognized travel agency may be considered for grant of collective
tourist visa.
Business Visa
Valid for one or more year with multiple entries. A letter from
sponsoring organization indicating nature of business, probable
duration of stay, places and organizations to be visited
incorporating there in a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses,
etc. should accompany the application.
Student Visa
Are issued for the duration of the academic course of study or for a
period of five years whichever is less, on the basis of firm letters
of admission from Universities/recognized colleges or educational
institutions in India. Change of purpose and institutions are not
permissible.
Transit Visa
Are issued for a maximum period of 15-days with single/double entry
facilities to Bonaire transit passengers only.
Visa to Missionaries
Are 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
Are issued to professional journalists and photographers for
visiting India. The applicants are required to contact on arrival in
New Delhi, the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of
External Affairs and in other places, the Office of the Government
of India's Press Information Bureaus.
Conference Visa
Are issued for attending conferences/seminars/meetings in India. A
letter of invitation from the organizer of the conference is to be
submitted along with the visa application. Delegates coming to
attend conferences may combine tourism with attending conferences
Employment Visa
Are issued to skilled and qualified professionals or persons who are
engaged or appointed by companies, organizations, economic
undertakings as technicians, technical experts, senior executives
etc. Applicants are required to submit proof of
contract/employment/engagement of foreign nationals by the company
or organization.
General Visa Information
Duration
Depends on the type of visa applied.
Fees
The fee structure depends on the nationality of the passport holder
and type/duration of visa applied.
The existing fee structure is:
Transit Visa 5 $
Visas with validity up to six months 30 $
Visas with validity up to one year 50 $
Student Visa 50 $
Visas with validity between one to five years 100 $
Visa fees indicated in US$ are payable in local currencies as well.
Visa fees are not refundable except in cases where a visa already
issued is cancelled thereafter.
These are indicative price, please confirm with the Local Indian
Embassy
Visa Extension
Delhi- MHA- Director (F), Lok Nayak Bhawan, Ist floor, Khan market,
New Delhi-110003.
Tax Clearance Certificates
If you stay in India for more than 120 days you need a 'tax
clearance certificate' to leave the country. This supposedly proves
that your time in India was financed with your own money , not by
working in India or by selling thing or playing black market.
Basically all you have to do is find the Foreign Section of the
Income Tax Department Jaipur and turn up with your passport, visa
extension form, any other similar paperwork and a handful of bank
exchange receipts (to show you really have been changing foreign
currency into rupees officially). You fill in a form and wait for
anything from 10 minutes to a couple of hours, you are then given
your tax clearance certificate. We have not heard from anyone who
has actually been asked for this document on departure, but I
recommend you to obtain one to be on safer side.
Photocopies
Keep photocopies of your important travel documents, which obviously
should be kept separate from the originals in the event that these
are lost or stolen.
Take a photocopy of the first page of your passport (with personal
detail and photograph), as well as a copy of the page with your
Indian Visa, a photocopy of your travel insurance policy, and keep a
record of the traveller's cheques you have exchanged, where they
were encashed, the amount and serial number. Encashment receipts
should also be kept separate from your airlines tickets and your
credit card, It's not a bad idea to leave photocopies of your
important travel documents with a friend or relative at home. |
