INDIA - the mystery land

Passport and Visa

Foreign Nationals desirous of coming into India are required to possess a valid passport of their country and a valid Indian Visa. Please ensure that that passport is valid for 6 months from teh date of arrival into India. Citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives do not require visa to enter India.

TOURIST VISA ON ARRIVAL (TVoA) SCHEME

Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Island,Chile, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand,Nicaragua, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Russia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands,Sri Lanka,Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Vietnam.

CUSTOMS

A tourist arriving in India shall be allowed clearance free of duty articles in his bonafide baggage to the extent as mentioned below:-

(a) Used personal effects and travel souvenirs, if
(b) These goods are for personal use of the tourist, and
(c) These goods, other than those consumed during the stay in India, are re-exported when the tourist leaves India for a foreign destination.
(d) Articles upto a value of Rs-8000/- for making gifts.

It is illegal to bring in drugs, gold and silver bullion, plants and coins that have gone out of use.

CLIMATE

The climate of India can broadly be classified as a tropical monsoon one. But, in spite of much of the northern part of India lying beyond the tropical zone, the entire country has a tropical climate marked by relatively high temperatures and dry winters. There are four seasons:

• Winter (October - February) - Average temperature between 10 C in North & 20 C in South
• Summer (March-June) - Average temperature 35 to 40 C
• Monsoon (July -September) - Hot & Humid with average temperatures at 35 C

BEST TIME TO VISIT INDIA

Although is a destinations of all time, but the best time to visit India is during the winter season when the weather is pleasant. However you can visit India during the summers as well if you are planning to visit the hill states of Northern India or places like Leh & Ladakh.

WEATHER

Average Monthly Weather

POPULATION

India is a South Asian country with a population of about 1.2 billion people.

CAPITAL

New Delhi, the capital of India. Delhi is the heart of India.

RELIGIONS

Hinduism is the main religion. Other religions practiced in India are Christianity, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains.

LANGUAGES

There are 22 different languages that have been recognised by the Constitution of India, of which Hindi is an Official Language. English is widely spoken across the country.

Hindi is the official Language. Other languages commonly spoken across the country are English and other regional languages.

ELECTRICITY

Voltage in most places is 220 AC 50 cycles, though a few areas have DC supply as well. Tourists are advised however to check the voltage before using an appliance. Plugs used are of the round 2- and 3-pin type. Carry a combination plug that will feed into a round-pin socket: across the subcontinent plug point sockets are round rather than flat.

Currency

Indian currency is called Rupee or Rupiya

India Rupee (1 Rupee = 100 paise)

Currency Restrictions

There is no import restriction on money or traveller's cheques brought into the country by travellers. Cash, banknotes, or traveller's cheques up to a value of US $10,000 or equivalent, need not be declared on entry. Tourists are advised to exchange cash or traveller's cheques only in banks or authorised exchange centres, and retain the receipts. This allows for re-exchange of currency on departure. Please note that no Indian currency is allowed to be imported or exported.

COMMUNICATION

Mobile telephones, Telephone, Fax, Telegram, Telex, International 24 hour service in the larger hotels, post offices in the bigger towns. Country code: 91. POST: The Postal service is quite good. Personal letters of tourists can be addressed and collected through the Tourist Mail Service counters at GPOs and India Tourist Offices in respective tourist centres. Postage stamps can also be bought in the hotels. Coruier & Parcel services are available in most of the cities.

CULTURE & CRAFTS

Crafts : Word craft, handicrafts, architecture and sculpture all contribute to this rich and varied domain. Indian literature, both in English and in the vernacular, is ever more popular around the world. Handicrafts are as varied as the country itself. The Mughal and colonial structures and the temple architecture across the length and breadth of the country are testaments to the lands exciting past. Sculptures adorn temple walls, stupas, street junctions and ancient caves. The oldest schools are the Gandhara and the Mathura.

TIPPING

It is customary to tip in India like in other parts of the world. Drivers, Bell boys, Restaurant waiters, guides, escorts, doorman, porters all expect tips.

1. Photography with still camera and video camera is permitted at all monuments.
2. A special licence is needed to photograph ancient monuments using a flash and tripod. This licence can be issued by the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi and the Concerned State Archaeology Departments.
3. Photographing in the wildlife reservations is allowed against payment of a fee, which varies from state to state.
4. Photographing in tribal areas is not permissible.

No vaccination certificate is required for entry into India except the persons travelling to India through yellow fever endemic countries (certain African and Latin American countries) are required to have yellow fever vaccination certificate confirming to International Health regulations.

TIME ZONE

The time difference in India is GMT plus 5.5 (+5-1/2 Hrs Ahead of GMT) hours. This is the time difference throughout the Year. (There are no variations in summer or winter).