All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for 6months beyond the intended length of stay. It is the traveler’s sole responsibility to have the correct personal documents and to obtain his/ her own visa, if one is necessary, in accordance with the regulations of the country you are to visit. The information offered below is to help you with that process. We are not responsible for the actions of local immigration and customs officials, whether at points of entry or otherwise and any subsequent effects.
Passport requirement for US Nationals
Your passport must be valid for at least six months following your scheduled return to the United States. You will also require blank pages available in your passport. The number of pages you will need varies according to the options you have selected, as we have listed below. These pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top (blank “Amendments and Endorsements” pages are not acceptable).
If both of these requirements are not met, you may be refused admittance to a country and, consequently, required by that country’s government to return to the U.S. immediately.
Main trip only: If you are taking only the main trip, you will require 2 blank passport pages.
Pre-trip & post trip extension to neighboring countries: You will need 2 blank passport pages each.
Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778 or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport, renewing your existing passport, and for general tips on traveling abroad.
Foreign Nationals desirous of coming into India are required to possess a valid passport of their country and a valid Indian Visa.
Foreign passengers should ensure that they are in possession of valid Indian Visa before they start their journey to India except nationals of Nepal and Bhutan who do not require visa to enter India and nationals of Maldives who do not require visa for entry in India for a period up to 90 days (a separate Visa regime exists for diplomatic/official passport holders).
The Consular Passport and Visa (CPV) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for issuance of Indian visas to the foreign nationals for their visit for various purposes. This facility is granted through various Indian missions abroad.
Visa fees are non-refundable and subject to change without notice. The Embassy/High Commission/Consulate reserves the right on granting and deciding type/duration of visa irrespective of the fees tendered at the time of making application. Granting of Visa does not confer the right of entry to India and is subject to the discretion of the Immigration Authorities.
Visa regulations can and do change without notice please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.
Specific Visas are granted for a variety of purposes. Listed below are the types of visa; categorised on the basis of purpose of staying in India.
Types of visa
Type
Period
Documents required
Tourist Visa
6 months
Documents supporting the applicants financial standing
Business Visa
One or more years
Letter from the sponsoring organisation
Student Visa
For the duration of the academic course of study or for a period of five years whichever is less
Proof of admission to recognized Universities/Institutions in India
Transit Visa
Maximum For 15 Days
Evidence of onward travel to a destination outside India
Conference Visa
For the duration of the conference or seminar
Letter of invitation from the organiser of the conference
Medical Visa
Upto one year or the period of medical treatment whichever is less. Visa can be granted to Attendant who is a blood relation to the patient and is co-terminus with the Medical Visa
Documents from registered medical institutions/ doctors supporting the need for medical treatment along with letters from Indian medical institution.
Visa on Arrival
Only for citizens of Finland, Luxembourg, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar.
The Government of India has announced a scheme of granting Tourist Visa on Arrival for the citizens of eleven countries. The scheme is valid for citizens of the countries mentioned below planning to visit India on single entry strictly for the purpose of tourism and for a short period of upto a maximum of 30 days. The salient features of the scheme are given below:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE: -Citizens with valid passports of the following countries: Cambodia, Finland, Indonesia, Japan , Laos, Luxembourg, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam. -Visiting India for the purpose of tourism (recreation, sight -seeing, visiting friends and relatives) - Fulfills all other criteria for grant of normal tourist visa to India like assured financial standing (production of return ticket and proof of availability of sufficient funds to spend in India), passport of at least six month validity and reentry permit if required.
WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE: - Citizens of the above countries who was or whose parents or grand parents (paternal or maternal) was born in, and was permanently resident in Pakistan. - Persons holding Diplomatic/ Official passports - A person who is a resident of India and /or works in India -A person who is declared persona non grata by Government of India and is not the subject of a black list or any warning circular or other restrictive list
VALIDITY The Visa on Arrival is valid for a single entry into India for a period of upto 30 (thirty) days.This Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible and will be issued at arrival only at the designated international airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.Only two visits on a Tourist Visa-on-Arrival shall be permissible in a calendar year and there shall be a gap of at least two months between each visit.
FEE The fee for the visa on arrival is USD 60 (Sixty United States Dollars) or equivalent amount in Indian Rupees per passenger (including children).
Visa application form is available at the office of Indian Embassy/ High Commission/Consulate in the country where the applicant resides. Visa form for nationals of Pakistan and Bangladesh are generally different. All applicants, including children need to apply for Visa in separate visa forms.
Visas can be applied for in person or by post at Indian Embassy/ High Commission/ Consulate based in the country from where the candidate intends to depart for India. You are requested to contact the nearest Indian mission for details.Specific visas are granted for a variety of purposes that are aforementioned.
Requirements for Visa
Generally the following documents are required for obtaining Indian Visa. However, the requirement may vary from country to country.
Persons of Indian Origins and Non-Resident Indians who possess either OCI (Overseas Indian Citizenship) or PIO card don't need to apply separately for an Indian Visa. OCI and PIO cards give them the freedom to visit India without visa within rules. However, those NRIs and PIOs who don’t have OCI or PIO card can apply for and get Indian visa through the procedure mentioned above. Source: National Portal of India Disclaimer: The above is only for information. You are requested to contact the nearest Indian Mission (Embassy/ High Commission/ Consulate) or visit their websites for up-to-date information regarding visas, fees, procedures, etc.
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for the tours to India. However, recommended vaccinations for this trip are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.
The risk of malaria on this trip is slight, but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in parts of this country. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
The above information can change at short notice; as we are not qualified to answer all your questions about travel health we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information.
Ans: Adequate insurance cover is strongly suggested before joining any of our holidays. Please ensure that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs and air ambulance or helicopter rescue services where appropriate). Please do also ensure your policy includes and covers for any activities that are part of the tour or optional activities that you intend to take part in.
India is now a modern country with 230/240 volts AC, 50 Hz support for electrical appliances. There are recharging facilities at all the hotels and jungle cottages used by us with most of them having power supply back up. The electricity supply is not 100% reliable but it is usually only off for short periods of time.
There is no local payment component in our tours to cover part of the cost of the holiday. If you are comparing prices with other operators, please check the total price paid, as we believe that Indian Tour Package continues to offer the best balance between value for money and operational quality.
Currency Information:
The national currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR), with an exchange rate of 46 to the US$.Please check with your bank for the latest exchange rates as it is partially market driven and changes on daily basis.
It is illegal to import or export rupees. Do not accept torn or (very) dirty Indian banknotes from banks or in change as they will almost certainly not be accepted as legal tender in India. Please ask for low denomination notes of 100 Rupees, as 500 Rupee notes will be more difficult to use. You can change money back from Rupees into Dollars at Delhi airport; this has to be done before you go through security and please note that only 1 or 2 small outlets accept Rupees in the departure lounge (the Duty Free shop does not accept Rupees), you must produce an exchange receipt showing that you changed money in India.
Money change facilities are available on arrival at Delhi's international airport. You can change US$ and other currencies in cash outside of Delhi (and in the other main cities on this itinerary) but the exchange rate may be lower than in Delhi airport.
ATM machines are now widely available in the course of the trip and are generally reliable (Visa and MasterCard are best); you should not rely on these 100% of the time though so please take some cash with you as well. Please inform your bank before departure that you are traveling to India and carry the relevant telephone number with you in case they put a block on your card.
You can pay with credit cards in bigger shops all over India Well known brands of travelers cheque can be exchanged but this can take time and banks are not always open when you need them. You can bring US Dollars.
Extra Expenses and Spending Money:
Many sights now charge a small fee for cameras and you should allow another $ 10 for these. It is recommended that you allow at least $ 10 per day for personal expenditure such as stamps, postcards and soft drinks. Shopping opportunities throughout this tour are endless and we suggest that you take money for souvenirs - even if you are generally not a keen shopper we have found that most people succumb to some of the wide variety of handicrafts on offer.
India has very good opportunities for shopping, especially for locally made goods, and during your trip it is highly likely that your local guides will take you to emporiums as well as workshops where these goods are made. Many people find this a great opportunity to buy local handicrafts, silk, jewelery and carpets. Guides will often assume that visitors will want to go shopping, it is very much part of the culture, but if you do not wish to go please make this clear to your local guide at the time.
Tipping (guide / leader /local staff)
Tipping is of course entirely at your discretion, but is customary in India. The local staff will probably expect some gratuity at the end of the trip and we suggest you allow about $ 5 per day for the local staff. At the restaurants a general rule is 10% of the billing.
Additional warm base layer (for Winter departures)
Scarf (for Winter departures)
Gloves (for Winter departures)
Important note: Men and women clothing should cover shoulders and be on or below the knee. Women especially should always dress conservatively to avoid unwanted attention and not to cause offence; Vests, tight fitting trousers, short skirts and shorts are not recommended.
It doesn't matter what type of bag or case you use on this trip. You should also bring a small day bag for your valuable items.
Optional items:
Light Waterproof
Emergency Photocopies
The smartest and easiest security precaution you can take is to carry photocopies of the personal information pages of your passport, your air ticket, your traveler’s check serial numbers (if you're carrying these checks), and your credit cards. Add phone and fax numbers for reporting lost credit cards, for your travel protection plan if you have purchased one, and for your medical emergency network. Store the copies separate from the originals. This can save you immeasurable time, money, and bother if your documents are lost or stolen during your trip.
Baggage and Baggage Allowance
At time of writing the standard weight limit for hold baggage on the recommended international carrier for this trip is 20kg. We recommend packing only one piece of checked baggage. As advice about luggage allowances for both hand and hold luggage is subject to change, we suggest you check the airline's website for the latest information prior to your departure.
In the unlikely event of any of your luggage being misplaced or damaged, a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) must be filed with the appropriate airline if you subsequently wish to make a claim against the airline or on your travel insurance. This must be done at the airport where your baggage arrived, or should have arrived.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers, and details of how to reach the start point, will be sent to you approximately 2 to 3 weeks prior to departure. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact us.
At times it would not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. There may be for a variety of reasons - climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances we will make the best alternative arrangements possible that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.
The information provided here is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Abnormal conditions or other events beyond our control can prevail at any time, particularly in remote or off the beaten track destinations; therefore all holidays can be subject to unexpected changes; in order to enjoy them you should be prepared to be flexible where necessary.
As fuel prices, airport taxes and exchange rates fluctuate and airlines closely manage their rates and availability to match demand, it is difficult to guarantee our PUBLISHED prices. Although we endeavor to keep our website as accurate as possible, daily fluctuations mean that our Flight Inclusive prices can often become out of date. For accurate prices we recommend that you contact one of our Travel Experts, who will be able to consider all options to meet your travel requirements. We remain committed to providing the best holiday experience in India at a fair price.
Ans: 1. Check availability Go online to check availability, or contact us by phone or email. 2. Secure your placeYou can provisionally hold a place on this trip, usually for between three and seven days. 3. Complete your booking and payment When you’re ready to book, go to www.indiantourpackage.com for online booking, book over the phone or you can complete a booking form (available on request by calling us or mailing us). We accept all major credit and debit cards, or you can pay by telegraphic transfer into our account.
Ans: The Exclusive Tours are the unique and special interest premium tours as LuxuryRiver Cruise on Ganges and The Finest Spa Experience in the Himalayas . All the tours however have been designed to give the spirit and taste of the region they are intended for.
