Citizens of all countries (including Commonwealth) require a valid passport and an appropriate (entry, transit or tourist) visa. The visa must be obtained abroad from an Indian Mission. Tourist visas are generally valid for 120 days stay in India.
If you are planning to visit a neighbouring country such as Nepal and then re-entering India, a double/multiple entry visa should be obtained for extending the visa apply for a letter of permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market. Thereafter the letter is to be presented to the Foreigner's Regional Registration Office (FRRO) located at Hans Bhavan, Tilak Bridge, New Delhi.
Customs Clearance
Visitors who do not have any dutiable goods or 'high-valued' articles or foreign exchange in excess of US$ 2500 or unaccompanied baggage, all of which need to be declared, can simply walk through the Green Channel. Others must go to the Red Channel for clearance. If you are on a tourist visa with less baggage, it is very unlikely that customs will hassle you, in any case, customs officials are keener to keep a check on citizens than foreigners.
Currency Regulations
You can bring in any amount of foreign currency, travellers cheques, etc., and take out as much as you brought in. However, if you are carrying more than US$ 2,500 (or equivalent) you should declare it on arrival, to be attested by the Customs Officer. No Indian currency may be brought into or taken out of the country.
Export Regulations
The visitor can take back all articles brought in by him. In addition, he can take out the following purchased in India: (a) Souvenirs (including Indian silk, wool, handicrafts, etc.) without any limit; (b) gold jewellery and silverware up to Rs.100,000 in value. Export of most wildlife products is prohibited or strictly regulated. Therefore avoid buying anything made of ivory, reptile skin, tortoise shells and any part of wild animals.
Foreign tourists and NRIs Call the International Tourist Bureau (First Floor, New Delhi Railway Station, Paharganj side. Fax: 334 3050) for advice and bookings. You can also enjoy unlimited travel on Indian Railways from 7 to 90 days with an Indrail Pass. Banks Banks are open from 10 am to 2 pm from Monday to Friday and 10 am to noon on Saturdays. Central Bank in Ashok Hotel and State Bank of India at the Airport are open round the clock.
Banks in residential areas generally observe the weekly holiday of the area.
Credit Cards Large establishments generally accept American Express, Visa and Diners Club credit cards.
Etiquette
By nature, Delhiites are affectionate. They will go all out to make you feel at home. While visiting temples / places of worship one should always leave one's footwear outside.
Suitcases with code numbers
Try to carry suitcases made of light material with wheels, or suitcases with number lock system. Keep your suitcases locked, and always carry an extra lock and suitcase chains, so that if you have to leave your luggage for some unavoidable reason, you can lock them in waiting rooms, hotel rooms etc.
Carry only essentials
Taking cognisance of time, place and season of visit, carry only the most important things with you. Avoid unnecessary items like too much of eatables, bulky clothing, heavy items, etc.
Important documents
Avoid carrying valuable things. Wear a money necklace or stitch a pocket inside your outfit to keep important documents like passport, credit cards, travellers' cheques, etc. It's always better to take photocopies of important documents and leave them with someone trustworthy. Make sure you keep a card mentioning important contact numbers, your age, blood group, etc, so that people may help you in the event of an emergency.
Taxis / Autorickshaws Always book your taxi inside the airport. If you take a pre-paid taxi, pay a stipulated fare while at the airport counter. After which you need not pay anything to the taxi driver.
Hordes of touts and taxi men will crowd around you and offer to take you to wherever you need to go. You are very likely to get overcharged upon reaching your destination. You are not expected to tip taxis. If you are unsure about the cost conversions - which are usually one and a half times to twice what the meter reads, you can always ask for a meter card from the driver.
Taxis charge a minimum fare of about Rs 8 and auto-rickshaws about Rs 5 for the first kilometre. There are no extras, except for luggage for which Rs. 5 is charged per piece and a late night charge for travel between 11 pm and 5 am.
Hotel bookings
For hotel bookings and other information, check out our Travel & Accommodation section. There is no dearth of hotels in Delhi. There are numerous touts offering hotel services at the airport. If you must consider employing their services, make sure they have some kind of a visiting card. Take the card to a nearby policeman or airport authority and ask him if it is a reasonable hotel.
Emergency lines
Police : 100,
Fire: 101,
Ambulance: 102,
Cardiac arrest: 105
