VACATIONS INDIA TRAVEL FACTS

Vacations India - Visa

Citizens of all countries require a valid national passport or valid travel documents and a valid India visa granted by Indian Missions abroad for entering India. All Indian consular offices around the world issue India visas. Business travellers may apply for a multiple-entry business India visa, which is valid for two years. Special India visas are also issued for trekking, botanical expeditions, and sports and journalism related activities. Allow plenty of time to obtain your India Visa before you travel. Visitors may move freely throughout the country, except to restricted or prohibited areas. On departure you will be required to submit a completed Embarcation Card which you receive prior to your arrival in India.

Vacations India Guide - Port of Entry

AIR: All the four major cities- New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai have direct international air connections. Domestic airlines operate between cities. Domestic carrier, Indian Airlines, flies into the neighbouring countries.
SEA: Mumbai, which used to be the main point of entry into India, still receives sea travellers via passenger ships and freighters.
ROAD: Overland, there are several points of entry into India. For up-to-date information on border crossing-points, contact Indian overseas missions or government tourist information offices. Visitors are not advised to drive themselves on Indian roads.

Vacations India - Customs Formalities

Visitors entering India with more than US$ 10,000 (or the equivalent in travellers' cheques or bank notes) must fill in a currency declaration form. Visitors may bring in up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, and one litre of alcohol, duty-free. Non-sporting firearms and narcotics are prohibited, as are gold bullion or coins. Penalties for violations are heavy. If you plan to bring in your own VCR or portable computer to use in India, ask for a re-export permit from customs officials when you arrive. The permit will be written into the back of your passport. Unless you can show this to Customs when leaving you may be obliged to pay duty. India restricts the export of antiques, foreign-made artefacts and items more than 100 years old.

Vacations India Guide - Currency

The units of Indian currency are the Rupee and Paisa (100 Paisa equal 1 Rupee). Paper money is in denominations of Rupees 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of Rupees 1, 2 and 5.
Visitors may not bring in or take out any Indian currency, except in the form of travellers' cheques. Major credit cards are widely accepted in major hotels, restaurants and shops.

Vacations India Guide - Health Regulations

No vaccinations are necessary to travel to India, however, foreign tourists should be in possession of a Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate conforming to International health Regulations, if they are originating or traveling through Yellow Fever endemic countries. It is a wise precaution to check on health requirements before you leave, either through a good Internet health information sites, through your physician or the relevant government health office.

Vacations India Guide - Photography

There are no restrictions on taking photographs of national monuments, forts or temples although a modest camera fee is levied at most of them. It is prohibited to photograph places of military importance, i.e. airports, bridges, sensitive border regions. Certain temples may prohibit interior or exterior photography. Flash photography is banned inside museums, or when photographing art works. Photography inside the Taj Mahal is prohibited but prior permission can be requested from the Archaeological Survey of India, Janpath, New Delhi, 110 001.

Vacations India Guide - Tipping

Many of the top hotels request that you do not tip individual members of staff. You are invited to make a single contribution to the Staff Gratuities box at the end of your stay. These payments are distributed by the management to all the staff. Some hotels include service charges on their bills. In such cases tipping is not necessary. The porter who takes your baggage to your room is usually tipped Rs.10 per bag or Rs.30 to Rs.50 per trolley.