India Visa Information

Passport/Visa

	Passport Required?	Visa Required?	Return Ticket Required?
British	Yes	Yes	No
Australian	Yes	Yes	No
Canadian	Yes	Yes	No
USA	Yes	Yes	No
Other EU	Yes	Yes	No

Passports
Passport valid for at least six months required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas
Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see General Info).

Visa Note
Certain parts of the country have been designated protected or restricted areas that require special permits and in some cases prior government authorization. Intent to visit a specific restricted region should be indicated when applying for a visa and a permit will be granted to visit that region only. Passengers are advised to check with India Tourism for up-to-date information before departure. The following states are subject to some restrictions: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, Port Blair, Mizoram, Nagaland and Mundgod.

Types of Visa and Cost
The following prices are for UK nationals only; prices for other nationals vary. Tourist: £30 (six months). Business: £30 (six months); £50 (one year); £90 (two years). Transit: £8 (single/double-entry). Student: £55 (irrespective of duration).

Note: (a) Non-UK nationals applying in the UK need to pay an additional £10 (amounts charged may also vary according to nationality and type of passport held) unless holding proof of at least one-year residence in the UK. (b) A £1 fee may be required for postal applications, depending on consulate.

Validity
Tourist: six months for multiple entry. Transit: for stays of up to 72 hours within 15 days of date of issue. Business: three or six months, or up to two years for multiple entry.

Applications to:
Embassy or high commission (or consular section at embassy or high commission); see General Info.

Working Days Required
Personal applications can normally be processed the same day. Postal applications may take up to 15 working days or longer (early September to February). Those requiring an additional fee may need a minimum of seven working days and possibly much longer for their visa application to be processed.

Warning
Visitors are advised against all travel to the Kashmir Valley, and all areas of Jammu other than Jammu City. There is a high level of conflict and terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir (excluding Ladakh). Jammu City is somewhat safer but attacks still occur.

Visitors are advised against all but essential travel to Imphal (by air) and against all travel in the rest of Manipur and Tripura. Kidnapping, banditry and insurgency are rife throughout the north eastern region, particularly in Assam.

There is a high threat of terrorism throughout India, including Jammu and Kashmir and areas frequented by tourists. There have been terrorist attacks in major cities including Mumbai and New Delhi. Travelers should be vigilant in all parts of India.

A number of general strikes have been called by various political parties in protest against the acquisition of agricultural land within West Bengal and these are expected to continue with little advance warning. In the past, the strikes have caused severe transport disruption within the state. On days of strikes it is strongly recommended that visitors avoid political rallies as violence could occur.

On 14 March 2007 local residents of Nandigram (West Bengal) and surrounding villages clashed with police over a land acquisition dispute and over 10 people were killed and 100 were injured. It is strongly recommended that travelers do not visit Nandigram or the surrounding villages, as the situation is very volatile.

On 15 March Maoist rebels attacked a police building in the Bijapur range of Bastar district (525km (326 miles) from state capital Raipur) in Chhattisgarh. At least 55 policemen were killed and 15 injured. Travelers are advised to avoid this area.

Penalties for trafficking, dealing and using illegal drugs are severe. 

Most visits are trouble-free. The majority of problems encountered by foreign tourists in India relate to lost/stolen passports, medical cases and drugs offences. 

Visitors must have a valid Indian visa before traveling.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Health

	Special Precautions	Certificate Required?
Yellow Fever	Yes	1
Cholera	Yes	2
Typhoid and Polio	3	N/A
Malaria	4	N/A

Health Care
Health care facilities are limited and travelers are strongly advised to take out full comprehensive medical insurance before departing for India. It is advisable to bring specific medicines from the UK. There are state-operated facilities in all towns and cities and private consultants and specialists in urban areas.

On leaving India: Visitors leaving for countries which impose health restrictions on arrivals from India are required to be in possession of a valid certificate of inoculation and vaccination.

Note
1
Any person (including infants over six months old) arriving by air or sea from an infected country must obtain a yellow fever certificate (includes passengers who have been transit in a country in the endemic zone). Otherwise, isolated detainment may occur for up to six days. Those countries that are considered infected are all African countries (except Algeria, Botswana, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tunisia and Zimbabwe) and all South American countries (except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay). When a case of yellow fever is reported from any country, that country is regarded by the government of India as being infected.

2
Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to India. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness.

3
Poliomyelitis is widespread. Immunization is generally recommended. Typhoid can be contracted and there have been recent reports of typhoid drug resistance.

4
Malaria risk exists, mainly in the benign vivax form, throughout the year in the whole country below 2000m excluding parts of the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim. High resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is reported in the malignant falciparum form. The recommended prophylaxis is chloroquine plus proguanil in risk areas and mefloquine in Assam.

All visitors aged between 18 and 70 years of age who are wishing to extend their visa for one year or more are required to take an AIDS test.


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