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Back to India Hotels Guide VACATIONS INDIA TRAVEL FACTSVacations India - Visas - Port of Entry - Customs Formalities - Currency - Health Regulations - Photography - Tipping - Electric CurrentVacations India - VisaCitizens 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 EntryAIR: 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. Vacations India - Customs FormalitiesVisitors 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 - CurrencyThe 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. Vacations India Guide - Health RegulationsNo 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 - PhotographyThere 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 - TippingMany 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. Vacations India Guide - Electric Current220/ 250 volts and 50 cycles. |