Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Accessible Journeys
(
www.disabilitytravel.com
)
Access-Able Travel Source
(
www.access-able.com
)
Global Access News
(
www.globalaccessnews.com
)
Mobility International USA
(MIUSA;
www.miusa.org
)
Royal Association for Disability & Rehabilitation
(RADAR;
www.radar.org.uk
)
Visas
Citizens of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar
(Burma) and Indonesia are currently granted a 30-day single-entry visa on arrival at Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai
(Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta) and New Delhi airports. All other nationals - except Nepali and Bhutanese - must get a
visa
before
arriving in India. These are available at Indian missions worldwide. Note that your passport needs to be valid
for at least six months beyond your intended stay in India, with at least two blank pages.
Entry Requirements
»
In 2009 a large number of foreigners were found to be working in India on tourist visas, so regulations surrounding
who can get a visa and for how long have been tightened.
»
Most people travel on the standard six-month tourist visa.
»
Student and business visas have strict conditions (consult the Indian embassy for details).
»
Tourist visas are valid from the date of issue, not the date you arrive in India. You can spend a total of 180 days in the
country.
»
Five- and 10-year tourist visas are available to US citizens
only
under a bilateral arrangement; however, you can still
only stay in the country for up to 180 days continuously.
»
Currently you are required to submit two passport photographs with your visa application; these must be in colour and
must be 2in x 2in.
»
An onward travel ticket is a requirement for most visas, but this isn't always enforced (check in advance).
»
Additional restrictions apply to travellers from Bangladesh and Pakistan, as well as certain Eastern European, African
and Central Asian countries. Check any special conditions for your nationality with the Indian embassy in your country.
»
Visas are priced in the local currency and may have an added service fee (contact your country's Indian embassy for
current prices).
»
Extended visas are possible for people of Indian origin (excluding those in Pakistan and Bangladesh) who hold a non-
Indian passport and live abroad.
»
For visas lasting more than six months, you're supposed to register at the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office
(FRRO) within 14 days of arriving in India; enquire about these special conditions when you apply for your visa.
Re-Entry Requirements
A law barring re-entry of foreigners into India within two months of the date of their previous exit was scrapped in late
2012, allowing tourists on subcontinental or South Asian itineraries to transit freely between India and its neighbouring
