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Immigration
Passport : citizen of all countries require a valid
national passport or valid travel documents and valid visa granted by
Indian Mission abroad for entering India Except Nepalese or Bhutanese
citizens who when proceedings from their respective countries need no
passport or visa should possess suitable documents for their
identification.
Arrival Formalities
If the visa for stay in India is more than 180 days, registration
Certificate and Residential Permit should be obtained from the nearest
Foreigners' Registration Office within 7 days of arrival. Personal
appearance is absolutely necessary at the time of registration,
extension or exit as required by the Law of the Land. Four
photographs/pictures are also required for registration. The
foreigners are registered at Foreigners' Registration. The foreigners
registered at Foreigner's Registration Office are required to report
change of their addresses. Departure from India All persons except
nationals of Nepal and Bhutan leaving by roads or rail have to fill an
Embarkation Card at the time of departure. All tourist visitors
holding Registration Certificate are endorsed by the appropriate
registration authorities before departure. Registration Certificates
and Residential permits are to be surrendered at the Registration
Office.
Exit Formalities
For holders of Tourist and Transit Visas : None for holders of Entry
Visas (Except tourist/Transit Visa Holders). All visitors holding
Registration Certificate have to obtain, before departure, exit
endorsement from the Registration Officer of the district in which
they were registered.
Inland Air Travel Tax
An Inland Air Travel Tax is leviable at 10 percent of the basic fare
on all passengers paying their airfare in foreign exchange will be
exempted from payment of this tax. In addition infants, cancer
patients, blind persons and invalids (those on stretchers) are also
exempted from this tax after fulfilling certain conditions stipulated
in the relevant notifications.
Guides
Trained English speaking guides are available at fixed charges at all
important tourist centres. The Government of India Tourist Offices can
be contacted by tourists for these. French, Italian, Spanish, German,
Russian and Japanese speaking guides are available at some cities.
Please consult the nearest Government of India Tourist Office.
Unapproved guides are not permitted to enter protected monuments and
tourists are, therefore, advised to ask for the services of guides who
carry a certificate issued by the Department of Tourism/Archaeological
Survey of India.
Health Regulations
Foreign tourists should be in possession of Yellow Fever Vaccination
Certificate conforming to International Health Regulations, if they
are originating or transitting through Yellow Fever endemic countries
(Africa and South America).
International Airport Facilities
The international airports offer a range of services ensuring that
the traveller on business can continue working while waiting to catch
an international connection, or when transferring between
international flights. These include gourmet restaurants, business
centres and are equipped with state of the art equipment including
word processors and telefax.
Restricted And Protected Areas
Military installations and areas, defence organisations and research
organisations are considered protected areas, where permits are
generally not given to foreigners.
Photography Restrictions
Photography is prohibited in places of military importance, railway
stations, bridges, airports and other military installations.
Export Of Antiquities
Antiquities include sculpture, painting or other works of art and
craftsmanship, illustrative of science, art, crafts, religion of
bygone ages and of historical interest which have been in existence
for not less than one hundred years.
Also manuscripts, or other documents of scientific, historical,
literary or aesthetic value in existence for not less than seventy
five years — art - treasures — not necessarily antiquities
but having regard to the artistic and aesthetic value cannot be
exported out of India.
For farther clarification on the antiquity of an artefact, the
tourists can contact the authorities and get information on the Acts
and Rules governing Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
Restrictions Pertaining To Export Of Articles Made From Animals Etc.
Govt. of India is concerned about the conservation of its endangered
and rare fauna. With this view, export of all wild animals indigenous
to the country and articles made from such listed animals like skin,
pelts, furs, ivory, rhino horns, trophies etc have been totally
banned.
Tourists are also advised to acquaint themselves with the provisions
of Convention on International Trade of endangered species of wild
fauna and flora. All the member countries of the convention allow
import of the articles covered by convention on the strength of a
certificate of export from the country of origin.
Climate
India has three major seasons: winter, summer and
the monsoon.
The winter months (November-March) are pleasant throughout India with
bright sunny days. In the northern plains, the minimum temperature may
vary between 4 to 10 degree Celsius and there is snowfall in the
hills. In the west, south and the east, however, December and January
are pleasantly cool, never really cold.
The summer months (April-June) are hot in most parts of India, and it
is during this season that hill resorts such as Shimla, Mussoorie,
Nainital, Kullu and the Kashmir valley, Darjeeling, Shillong,
Ootacamund, Kodaikanal, Pachmarhi and Mount Abu provide cool retreats.
The south-west monsoon usually breaks about the beginning of June on
the west coast and reaches elsewhere later. With the exception of the
south-eastern areas, India receives the major share of its rainfall
from the north-east monsoon between mid-October and December-end.
Traditionally, India had been popular in the winter months. However,
with easy availability of air-conditioned hotels, transport and
leisure facilities (such as dining and shopping), the summer months
too have become popular, and India has become a year-round tourist
destination.
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