While
traveling to India, as is for any country, you need to have some basic
travel documents for identification and permission to enter the country.
These Indian travel documents ensure that you have a comfortable stay
and not be hassled unnecessarily by officials. Do not forget to do last
check and see if you have taken travel documents for India. It is best
to keep emergency copies of these documents with yourself and your friends
back home. If you happen to lose any document, a copy can be of help
to issue a duplicate one.
Passport
One of the two most important documents to carry with you while traveling
to India is your Passport. Make sure to have this basic document with
you all the time. Before the trip starts, check that your passport is
in order and will be valid for the period of your stay. Otherwise, get
it renewed. If, by any chance, your passport gets lost or stolen, immediately
contact your country's embassy or consulate in Delhi. And don’t forget
to inform the nearest police station at the same time.
Visa
The second essential document for an Indian visit is a visa. Only in
case of Nepal, you don’t need any prior visa. The only requirement
is of identification papers, and visa is issued at the airport itself.
There are different types of visas for different travel purpose. Make
sure to apply for the correct visa type, as per the purpose of your
travel.
Photocopies
Don’t forget to keep photocopies of your important documents for travel
to India. Keep them separate from the originals, in case the originals
get lost or stolen.
Others:
Although all foreign visitors
are required to carry a passport valid at least for the next 6 months,
there are Visa exemptions for certain nations, which include:
- Bhutanese and Nepalese visitors
who are staying for less than 3 months.
- Nationals from the Maldives,
if they are staying for a maximum of 90 days (this includes any periods
they may have spent in India up to 6 months prior to the visit in question).
- Transit passengers who have
a follow-on ticket within 72 hours of arrival as long as they are not
going to leave the airport
- Special restrictions apply
to Pakistani and Afghan nationals. It is always wise to check updated
visa requirements prior to travel.
