General Information

Capital : New Delhi

Population : 1, 027, 015, 247 according to 2001 Census

Area : 3.3 million sq kms.

Languages spoken : India has 2 Central administrative languages. These are English and Hindi. English is an associate official language while Hindi is in Devanagiri script. Indian Constitution officially recognizes and authorizes 22 regional languages.

Prominent Religions : Hinduism , Christianity, Jainism , Sikhism, Islam and Buddhism Currency Note: Rupee (One Rupee=100 paise)

Visa and Custom Formalities

Visa grants permission to the person who wants to stay in a country for a certain period of time to fulfill his or her motive. Visa is usually either attached or stamped in the passport of the individual. Except citizens of India, all travelers to India must possess visas.

Tourist Visas are mostly available for duration of 3 to 6 months for Nepal and for other countries. Other options by which you can avail Visas to foreign countries are- journalist visa, student visa or business visa, or 5-year visas meant for non-resident Indian. Before, applying visas one should be aware that the passport should be valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of journey.

In case, if Visa is applied through Indian embassy in one's resident country then the entire process becomes much easier and quicker. For this, an application form displaying one's current passport with two passport size photographs is at least required. No cash or cheques are accepted.

Special Permits : There are some regions in India that requires something additional to an Indian visa.

Indian High Commissions and Embassy of India abroad issues permit in Indian cities. Permission can be granted by Indian High Commissions and Embassy of India abroad, by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi, or by Foreigner's Registration Offices (FRRO's)

The areas that requires special permit include Lakshadweep, Northeast India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Customs : Visitors have to make an oral baggage declaration of their baggage and also about the foreign currency they are carrying. Besides these, they must get a form of "Currency Declaration Form" from the Customs department and must fulfill the Disembarkation Card by the airlines during the flight.

Custom Rules : For the smooth and hassle-free passage of the tourists, two channels are provided at the airport check-in counters. One channel is the green channel meant for passengers not containing any high-value articles, unaccompanied baggage or dutiable articles. And, the other one is meant for the passengers carrying high-value articles, the red channel is open.

Tourist Baggage Re-Export Form (TBRE) : Unaccompanied baggage, high-value articles or the dutiable articles must be entered on a Tourist Baggage Re-Export Form (TBRE). These ratcicles are then re-exported at the time of departure. Any failure to re-export anything mentioned on the TBRE becomes a billed duty levied on each item that is missing.

Currencies : At the time of entry, there is no need to reveal cash, and travelers' cheques and bank notes up to US $1,000 or equivalent. If the amount exceeds the given limit then the passengers need to mention how much amount of foreign currency or travelers' cheques he has brought at the time of arrival. If formality is complied with then there are no restrictions. This will not only help the travelers to exchange his foreign currency but also to take back his currency to home on departure. Also, any money exchanged in the form of travelers in form of cheques, bills, drafts, should be converted into Indian currency only through the authorized moneychangers and banks.

Custom Duties : Some of the duty-free possessions- Cameras, clothes and jewelry, a portable tape or musical instrument, a recorder, a radio, 95 liters of liquor, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, and gifts not exceeding Rs. 600 are permissible.

Things to Remember :

Make sure that you carry the correct declaration of your baggage. Walk through the green channel, if you find that your baggage is within the limit, walk through the green channel.

You are not supposed to carry dutiable and prohibited goods in the Green Channel. You may have to pay penalty or may have to face the prosecution door or confiscation of goods.