Passport

Foreign travellers to India must always have a passport with them. You should ensure its validity for the entire period of your stay. If your passport is lost or stolen, you should immediately contact the closest embassy or consulate of your country.

Visa

Tourist visas are issued usually either for one month or for six months. For the one-month visa, entry into India has to be within one month from the date of issue and the six-month visa is valid for six months from the date of issue. Fees for both the categories are same.

Customs Formalities on Arrival

Visitors are usually asked if they have anything to declare on arrival. You should not bring in more than US $10,000 in cash without declaring it. Likewise, video and camera equipment and other expensive, easily sold items should be declared on arrival.

If the customs officer issues you a Tourist Baggage Re-export Form (TBRE) detailing the items declared and their value, these items must be shown when leaving the country.

If currency was declared and noted when entering the country, exchange receipts must be shown on departure if you take less than declared amount out. India allows one bottle of spirits, 200 cigarettes and a reasonable amount of gifts to be imported free of duty.

No duty is applicable on personal effects and travel souvenirs, e.g., clothes, toiletry articles, medicines, watches, etc. These articles must be for the personal use of the tourist and they must be re-exported when tourist leaves India for foreign destinations unless they have been consumed in India.