Traveling to India on your own. How to travel to India on your own and cheaply How to fly to India on your own

Organizing a cheap holiday for a wild person in India is quite simple. You can fly to India from almost any major city in Russia; there are direct flights not only from airports in Moscow, but from other cities. While in Moscow, you can fly to Delhi in about 6 hours. To fly to India cheaper, it is worth getting information about charter flights from travel agencies. If private operators do not have flights, you should try to fly by charter, purchasing a ticket from a large agency, for example, in Moscow.

How to get an Indian visa

When thinking about how to go to India on your own and organize a vacation as a savage, first of all you need to get an Indian visa. Russian citizens can obtain a visa in two ways: the first is in Moscow or St. Petersburg at a visa center, the second is to independently apply for an electronic visa on the Internet.

It is convenient to get an electronic visa if you are going on a short trip as a wild person, designed for no more than 30 days, and also do not live in Moscow or St. Petersburg. To apply for an e-visa online, simply fill out an application form, upload a scanned copy of your passport and photo, and make a payment. The cost of the visa is 60 dollars. You must receive your e-visa by email and then print it out.

Housing and movement around the country

The question that worries tourists going on a wild holiday for the first time is how cheap it is to live in India. You should look for accommodation in the area of the main attractions directly on the spot or make a reservation online. In most places you can live from 3-5 dollars a day. If you decide to make a reservation in advance, pay attention to the reviews of other tourists; the description of the hotel may not correspond to reality.

To travel by car in India, you must obtain an international driving license or hire a car with a driver. A local driver knows the tourist routes and will help make travel on the roads safer. A car with a driver will cost from $50 per day, the price depends on the class of the car and the number of days of rental. Many routes will be convenient for a savage to travel on a motorcycle; the average rental price per day is $15.

Distances in India are quite large; tourist routes often range from 1.5 to 2 thousand kilometers. Indian airlines allow you to fly cheaply to almost any part of the country, so even in a short period of time you can see a lot.

New Delhi

It is from the capital of India that many tourists begin their journey around the country. You can live cheaply in Delhi in the vicinity of the New Delhi railway station. The time when there are the most tourists in Delhi is from November to December. During these months, it is better to make hotel reservations in advance.

A visit to the main attractions will cost 3 - 4 dollars. Worth seeing in Delhi:

The Red Fort is the symbol of Delhi.
Humayun's Tomb is a mausoleum reminiscent of the famous Taj Mahal in its architecture.
Qutub Minar is an ancient minaret.
India Gate is a monument dedicated to those killed in the First World War.
Raj Ghat is the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Lotus Temple is the main Bahai temple.
Akshardham is the largest Hindu temple in the world.
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the President's Palace.

You can also make your holiday in Delhi more interesting by visiting museums. The average entrance ticket price for foreigners is 2 - 4 dollars.

"Golden Triangle" of India

Routes in India are very diverse. The best place to go for those who want to see the real India is to the cities included in the “Golden Triangle”: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The best time to travel here is from October to March. The easiest way to get from the capital to Agra is by train, the journey will take about 3 - 4 hours, travel in SL-class (Sleeper Class) costs 1.5 - 2 dollars. In Agra you can see:

The Taj Mahal is the most famous building in India, a landmark that has received such high reviews from tourists that it was included in the list of New Wonders of the World.
Agra Fort is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the Taj Mahal.
Tomb of Akbar the Great.
Pearl Mosque.

When planning a budget trip to Agra, you can live inexpensively in the area located right next to the Taj Mahal. When visiting other attractions in Agra, the bearer of a ticket to the Taj Mahal should receive a small discount, but it is valid only on the day the ticket was purchased.

Jaipur is another peak crowning the “Golden Triangle” of India. You can get here from both Delhi and Agra by train in 5-6 hours. When traveling as a savage, it is worth seeing in Jaipur:

Hawa Mahal - Palace of the Winds.
Jal Mahal is a palace “floating” on the surface of the water.
The City Palace is the palace of the Maharaja. The entrance ticket costs 4.5 dollars.
Sarga Suli is the tallest tower in the city.
Jantar Mantar is a medieval observatory and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entrance is 1.5 dollars.
Jaigarah Fort is one of the few medieval military forts in India.

On May 18, International Museum Day, many museums can be visited for free. The cheapest place to live in Jaipur is around the Old City.

Route along the west coast of India

The best time to travel to the west coast of India is between November and April. Places that will be interesting to visit:

Jaipur - "Pink City".
Jodhpur - "Blue City".
Mumbai is where Indian Bollywood is located.
Goa is a place where people go for beaches, surfing and colonial architecture. Many tourists from Russia and the CIS stay in this paradise of India for the whole winter.
Bangalore is recognized as the best city to live in India, famous for a number of palaces and temples.
Kerala is a state that offers perhaps the best beach holidays in India.

East Coast route

When travel along the east coast will be most enjoyable, it is in November and December. Places to go:

Kolkata is a must-visit city for its English colonial architecture. Living in Kolkata is somewhat more expensive than in other cities.
The Sundarbans are the largest mangrove forest in the world and the place to go to see the wild Bengal tiger.
Bhubaneswar is a religious center of Buddhists and Hindus, famous for its temples of the 8th - 12th centuries.
Puri is a city that offers relaxation on golden beaches and visits to ancient temples.
Mamallapuram is a place famous for rock bas-reliefs and temples carved into the rocks.

Travel to the northern regions of India

The best time to go to northern India is from May to September. In the southern part of the country there is intense heat at this time of year, so a trip to the mountains promises pleasant coolness. Places to visit in northern India:

Dharamsala - the residence of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile are located here.
Shimla is the former summer capital of the British Empire.
Varanasi is the holiest city of Hindus, a place of pilgrimage to the Ganges River.
Darjeeling is a city in the foothills of the Himalayas, where the British elite came to live from Calcutta in the summer.
Gangtok is a highland city and the capital of Sikkim.

To visit the states of Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, you need a special entry permit. Access to certain regions may be restricted from time to time.

Safety

Your holiday in India will be pleasant and safe if you follow simple rules:

Before leaving, do not forget to make copies of all documents, this will help restore them in case of loss.
When going on holiday to India for the first time, study the latest reviews from tourists about the places you plan to visit. This will help avoid many troubles and surprises.
Negotiate prices in advance, don't rush to get change and leave straight away. Be sure to count your money; cases of miscalculation are quite common.
When deciding to get somewhere by tuk-tuk or taxi, always negotiate the price before the trip or make sure the driver turns on the meter.
Do not react to beggars, especially children. It's not enough for them to just get money or food from you. If you make exceptions for one, you won't be able to get rid of all the others.
Do not photograph military or government installations.
When visiting religious sites, take off your shoes upon entering and make sure your clothing covers your knees and shoulders.
Many women traveling alone in India leave negative reviews about the male half of the country's population. To avoid problems, women are advised to wear closed clothing and take special care at night.

! For 365 days, multi!
For citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the full cost with all fees = 8200 rub..
For citizens of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia = 6900 rub.

Here I will briefly describe those routes in India which I have personally passed through. You can take these routes as a basis, remove some of them, add something based on your preferences.

The first is choosing the season for your trip. India is very stretched from north to south and from west to east. And when it’s hot in the south, there may still be snow in the north. You also need to take into account the rainy season.
(Read about this:)
The second is personal preference. India is very diverse, each state is different from the other. One region is famous for its abundance of ancient temples, another for good beaches, a third for palaces, a fourth for monasteries, etc. So the route can be tailored to suit every taste.
You shouldn’t try to cram several regions into one short vacation, because half of your vacation will be spent on travel, which is not rational. It is better to choose one region, or two located nearby.
It is better to make moves at night (on and) so as not to waste precious daytime moving.
The route can be looped, i.e. fly home from the same city to which you arrived. But you can do it another way - fly to one city (for example, Delhi), and fly home from another (for example, from Mumbai), and plan your route between these cities.

Conditionally (very conditionally) we will divide all routes in India into North, Center and South.

Routes in northern India

1. Chardham in the Indian Himalayas
This is a pilgrimage route in the state of Uttarakhand.

The four main sacred points of the route: – – Kedarnath – Badrinath.

From each point you can make radial treks into the mountains. For example, from Gangotri go for 2-3 days to;
from Yamunotri - to Lake Saptarishi Kund (the source of the Yamuna);
from Kedarnath - to Lake Gandhi Sarovar or to the source of Mandakini;
from Badrinath - to the foot of Mount Neelkanth.
If you have time, you can include the Valley of Flowers and;
and Tungnat;
walk to Lake Deorital;
the city (where Bagirati and Alaknanda merge to form the Ganges);
and also, of course, Rishikesh and Haridwar.
Duration: 18-20 days (if you take only the base points of Yamunotri - Gangotri - Kedarnath - Badrinath). If you expand this route with the branches described above, then you need to plan a month or more.
spring – May-June;
in autumn – September-October.

2. Himachal route
This route lies in the foothills of the Himalayas in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Route branch:
Delhi – Shimla – Kullu Valley – Parvati Valley – Banjar Valley – Menri Monastery – Shimla – Delhi

From Delhi to Shimla we get through Kalka:
Delhi – Kalka (train),
.
Kullu Valley (Valley of the Gods): Manali, Naggar (the estate of the Roerichs and Krishna Temple), Bijli Mahadev Temple;
Parvati Valley: Manikaran, Kasol, Jhari, Mateura, ;
Banjar valley: Jibi, Chaini, Jalori pass, Balu temple, Saleur lake.

Duration: three weeks.
Best time for this route: May-June and August-September. Although I went to Himachal in March-April, and it was also very good (though in the Banjar Valley we had to walk in the rain, in Naggar our teeth chattered at night from the cold, and in Khirganga we were covered in snow, but it was still very cool: -))

3. Ladakh route
A very interesting route in northern India (Jammu and Kashmir state).
On the map, Ladakh is highlighted in red.

Ladakh is located at an altitude of more than three thousand meters behind the Great Himalayan Range and is not similar to the rest of India in terms of landscapes or culture. It is called “Little Tibet”.

You can get to this region either by plane or by high mountain roads from Manali or Srinagar. – this is a separate, very beautiful adventure. It is better to leave this adventure for the return trip, and initially it is still better to fly to Les by plane (this is my belief, which I substantiate in).

Route duration: 4 weeks.
Best time: from June to October.

Attention! Before planning a trip to this region, you need to find out what the current situation is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (whether there is a war there).

Central India route

This route takes approximately 5 weeks. Starts in Delhi and ends in Mumbai.
Covers the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa.

Duration: three weeks.
Best time for this route: November - February.

————————————————
And a couple more routes around India, which I compiled for my friends and relatives, and which they really liked. So I can confidently recommend these routes too. Here I included both places I have visited and new ones.

1) Delhi – Shimla – Manali – Kullu valley – Parvati valley – Banjar valley – Kinnaur valley – Menri monastery (near Shimla) – Rishikesh – Delhi

2) Jaipur – Ahmedabad – Ajanta – Ellora – Hyderabad – Hampi – Mysore – Ooty – Gokarna

India is an amazing and mysterious country that you need to visit at least once in your life. The trip will certainly be interesting and filled with positive impressions, but you need to prepare for it in advance.

India has its own traditions, laws and culture; it is advisable to familiarize yourself with them before arriving in the country so that the trip is not overshadowed by force majeure situations.

What sights are worth seeing?

There are more than enough interesting places in India, so many come here more than once to see as many sights as possible.

But there are several tourist sites that are considered a “must-see” for visitors to the country.

The height of this mausoleum, built of white marble in Agra, is 74 meters. The construction of the structure lasted 20 years, more than 20 thousand workers were involved in the work.

The Taj Mahal delights with its impeccability, harmony and grandeur. The mausoleum is decorated on all sides with smooth marble - it is snow-white and creates a glowing effect in the rays of the sun. On the walls you can see not only Arabic script that quotes suras from the Koran, but also precious stones and elegant carvings. The openwork grilles on the windows of the mausoleum deserve special attention - they seem to be woven from the finest threads and make the entire structure “weightless.”

Rules for visiting the mausoleum:

You cannot bring anything into its territory except a camera;
Before entering the building, shoes must be removed;
The interior of the Taj Mahal cannot be photographed.

A majestic structure consisting of several altars, dedicated to Krishna and his wife, is located in Delhi. The Lakshmi Narayana Temple is a unique architectural ensemble - in the center is the main altar, where they prayed to Krishna, and along the walls there are prayer halls where they address other gods (and there are an incredible number of them in Hinduism).

The temple is surrounded by a beautiful park, which has fountains, caves for meditation (created artificially), and a hotel for pilgrims. There is also a large library with a reading room.

A visit to this attraction is free, but at the entrance tourists are greeted by local residents who offer to take a tour for a small fee and show them all the most interesting things. According to experienced tourists, this is a useless activity and a waste of money, since you can see much more by walking around the temple and park on your own.

Red Fort

The fort is located in Agra and is a fortress, which during the time of the Great Mongols was the residence of the ruling family.

The building is made of red brick – hence the name of the attraction. The Red Fort is a cultural heritage of India and is a UNESCO listed site.

This building has several state rooms decorated with marble and carvings. Ancient emperors received their subjects there, and “social parties” were held here.

The entrance ticket costs 150 rupees (100 - 125 rubles). The tourist site receives visitors all days of the week except Monday, opening hours are 9-30 - 16-30.

Lodi Gardens It has many alleys, lawns and flower beds. The Lodi Gardens also have their own attractions:

Bonsai Park - miniature plants are collected here;
a butterfly reserve - it is completely covered with a thin net, more than 50 thousand flowering plants are planted on the territory;
ancient tombs - they were built of stones, with turquoise slabs fixed on top, the surface of which was covered with calligraphic inscriptions.

You can walk around the Lodi Gardens park all day - and this time will not be enough to explore all its corners. Entrance to the facility is free, and you can often see locals meditating or doing yoga here.

Temple of the Sun

Considered the highest achievement of Indian architecture, the temple was built in the 13th century, when its steps were washed by the sea waves.

Now the sea has retreated 3 km from the Sun Temple, the structure is partially destroyed, but remains majestic and interesting for tourists to visit.

The attraction is located in Konark; a dance festival is held here in early December. This city in India is also home to the Archaeological Museum, which contains sculptures from ancient times. Of particular interest is the 6-meter slab of stone, which depicts the gods of 9 planets.

Entrance to the Sun Temple is free, all premises are open to tourists. Nearby is the Chandrabhaga pond, which is considered sacred. According to legend, it was its waters that cured people from leprosy.

Virupaksha Temple In the southern part of Goa there are not only the famous beaches of free and cheerful people, but also historical attractions. One of the most notable is the Virupaksha Temple - an architectural structure that consists of 9 levels.

They contain sanctuaries, small temples for prayers to the gods. On the walls of the temple you can see images of mythical animals and artistic images of Shiva.

An elephant lives here, which blesses every visitor - you need to approach him and wait until his trunk touches his head. For this, it is customary to give the elephant small coins. Monkeys live freely on the territory of the Virupaksha temple, accustomed to people and not interfering with them visiting the attraction.

You can enter the temple only by presenting a passport - there is a policeman at the entrance who registers every foreigner as a guest. Entrance costs 2 rupees, you can bring fruits with you - they are treated to monkeys scurrying around everywhere.

How to buy cheap tours for traveling around India

You can go to India at any time of the year, because in many regions of this country it is permanent summer. But experienced travelers recommend buying tours from October to March - there is no stifling heat, no heavy rains. However, for trips to the mountainous part of India, you can also go during the generally accepted summer months.

To purchase a tour, you can contact travel agents who will provide complete information about prices and the features of such trips.

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Danilov

Travel expert on budget travel

Typically, such tours combine several interesting cities of the country at once - in 7 - 10 days you will be able to see the possible maximum of unique places.

The cost of deluxe excursion tours to India starts from 20,000 rubles per person. The more cities you plan to visit, the more expensive the trip will be.

Where to relax inexpensively if you fly on your own

Visiting India on your own can be comfortable and cheap. It is important to follow some recommendations from experienced travelers:

Air tickets in India can be purchased in two options - with and without a transfer. In the first case, the total cost of travel will be cheaper, but direct flights will allow you to get to the country much faster. The average price for a flight will be 25,000 rubles round trip.
You need to book a hotel room in advance, and it is better to do it online. It is worth paying attention to 5-star hotels, but sometimes lower level hotels are great for temporary accommodation.
If you decide to look for a hotel upon arrival at your holiday destination, then you need to do this near the arrival station, moving in a “spiral”. The farther the hotel is located from this place, the cheaper the room will cost. By the way, you can bargain with the administration and reduce the price of the room, and if, when inspecting it, you are loudly indignant and demand better conditions, then 2 or 3 more options will probably be offered.
To visit India you need a visa, it takes 4 days and costs about 3,000 rubles. You can get it at the country's embassy, at special agencies, and submit documents online.
Visiting the country's attractions is most often free, but even the indicated price for the entrance ticket will not hurt your wallet. The inconvenience is that you will have to move around the country, and this can be done by taking a bus or renting a car. The second option is preferable - you will be able to see interesting places during your trips, and independent time management is much more convenient.

In India you can relax for 50,000 rubles or half a million, it all depends on the purpose for which the trip was organized. The average cost of a holiday in this country for 2 people will be about 250,000 rubles, but you can organize a trip for less.

Watch the video about the trip to India:

Food in India

Many people are sure that all Indian dishes are very spicy. This is not the complete truth about the country's cuisine, so it is worth remembering the following:

The same dish is prepared differently in different states of India, so it’s worth trying different versions. The only thing that all tourists claim is that Indians cook really tasty food. Food poisoning is rare - food is processed at very high temperatures, so bacteria and viruses simply do not survive.

Watch the video about the features of Indian cuisine:

What you need to know about holidays in India

Those embarking on their first trip need to remember the following nuances:

India is such an interesting country that both married couples and tourists with children will feel comfortable here. If you follow certain rules and listen to the recommendations of experienced travelers, the trip will be cheap, comfortable and full of pleasant impressions.

In 2019, Russians can travel to India with an electronic visa, which is issued for 365 days. During one trip, you can continuously stay in the country for no more than 90 days. There is no need to stand in lines or visit the embassy or visa center yourself; everything can be done online via the Internet.

We can issue you an electronic visa to India in 1-3 days, so you will not need to fill out forms, collect documents and waste your time.

Phone (as well as Viber and WhatsApp) + 7 985 123 55 59 e-mail: [email protected]

(More than 5 years of experience working with India).
.

In connection with the change in the Consular fee and the constant jump in currencies, we have established a new price policy:

Registration cost:
2300 1500
+ consular fee

You need:

a scan or photo of the international passport (you can take them on a regular phone - just so that everything is visible and all the inscriptions are clear),
photograph on a white background,
scan or photo of a Russian passport.

Send your documents to us and in 1-3 days you will receive a completed visa. Constantly in touch, requests can be left around the clock.

If you intend to spend your next holiday in India, you will need a visa. Under various circumstances, it can be formatted as follows:

At the Indian consulate of other countries.
Online via the Internet.
At the visa application center.

The method of receipt depends on how long you decide to go to a country located on the Hindustan Peninsula. If you are only interested in tourism and you intend to travel around the Republic of India for no more than 90 days, the best option would be to go online and receive the document upon arrival at the airport.

This is what an electronic entry permit to India looks like; you will need to present it at the airport to get a stamp in your passport

Rules for obtaining an electronic visa

The online option for obtaining permits is available to citizens of 150 countries around the world. Russia is one of them. This type of permit is called Indian e-visa. The conditions under which you can apply to Indian Migration Services online are as follows:

Your goal is tourism, business trip or treatment. You will be issued a multiple entry visa for 1 year. If you provide a document from the clinic where you are going for treatment, the permit period will be the same.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival in the country.
A foreign passport must have at least two pages for visa stamps.
You must have sufficient funds for a holiday in India.
You must have a return ticket.

If you comply with all of the above, you can apply for an entry permit online.

How to apply for an e-visa to India online (video)

You can watch this video. The Indian website very often does not work well, especially if you are filling out a form from Russia.

If you need to urgently and quickly get a visa, contact us: Phone (as well as Viber and WhatsApp) + 7 985 123 55 59, e-mail: [email protected]

You must submit your application in advance, no later than four days before your departure. Otherwise, you may not be in time. This means that you will fly to India, and your visa will still be in the process of being processed.

It is even more likely that without permission to enter India, you simply will not be allowed on the plane.

It makes sense to apply in advance, since after registration you will have a corridor of 120 days during which you can fly to India.

Citizens with diplomatic passports and children who are included in their parents’ passports cannot obtain visas online.

How to get an e-visa

To receive an electronic version of a visa, you need to enter all the required information about yourself on the website and send a copy of your foreign passport. If the purpose of travel is treatment, you also need a certificate from the clinic where you will undergo it.

If the copies you send turn out to be of poor quality and difficult to read, your visa will be denied.

To obtain a visa yourself you need to pay a consular fee. Its size is 100 US dollars (excluding bank commission, which is additionally about 3-4 dollars). If you fill out the form incorrectly and refuse, this amount will not be returned to you.

Since March 2019, electronic permission is issued for 365 days.

You should know that India, like India, takes biometric data from its guests. Holders of electronic visas will need to submit them upon arrival at the airport of the state (28 airports) or upon arrival at one of the 5 ports of the country (Goa, Cochin, Mangalore, Mumbai, Chennai).

Airports where the e-visa is valid:

Ahmedabad.
Amritsar.
Bagdogra.
Bengaluru.
Calicut.
Chennai.
Chandigarh.
Cochin.
Coimbatore.
Delhi.
Gaya.
Amausi.
Guwahati.
Hyderabad.
Jaipur.
Kolkata.
Lucknow.
Mangalore.
Madurai.
Mumbai.
Nagpur.
Pune.
Tiruchirapalli.
Trivandrum.
Varanasi.
Bhubaneshwar.
Port Blair.

You can apply for the online version of the permit twice a year. You should know that the document cannot be renewed. The date of entry into the country is considered the first day of stay on its territory.

There are also prohibitions: visiting some Indian states will additionally require special permission. For example, you need it for a trip to the Andaman Islands.

In order for visa applicants to track the status of their electronic application, they need to access the pages of the website indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/VisaEnquiry.jsp. When traveling to India, it is very important to have a printed version of the electronic permit in hand.

What documents are needed to obtain an electronic permit?

To obtain an e-visa you will need the following documents:

International passport plus a copy. The entry document must be valid for six months. The countdown begins from the moment you enter the country.
Photo size 5 x 5 cm. The photo must be in color, of good quality and on a light background.

You will need to indicate the hotel where you are going to stay.
You will need to fill in the date of arrival in India.

An electronic photograph in JPG format must not exceed one megabyte. A copy of the passport in PDF format should not exceed 300 kB.

If you are traveling with children to India, you need to send copies of their birth certificates. When accompanying only one parent, a notarized permission from the second or a copy of a certificate certifying the reason for the impossibility of obtaining permission from the second parent (for example, a death certificate) is also sent. If parents and children have different surnames, a certificate of relationship must be attached.

An example of consent of one of the parents for the child to travel abroad

All copies must be clear and of good quality. A copy of your passport will need to be provided in pdf format.

We can help and do all the work of filling out the application form, converting the passport photo into pdf format, and paying the consular fee on the Indian website for you.

Applying for a visa through Visasam

With us, the visa application process will be easy and fast.

Call our specialist + 7 985 123 55 59 (phone, Viber, Whats Up) and leave your visa application, you can also send your application by email [email protected].
Our specialists will contact you shortly and discuss all the terms of cooperation.
Within 24-72 hours of payment, you will receive your India e-Visa and begin your journey.
Applications can be submitted 24 hours a day. We are ALWAYS open and available on weekends and holidays.

All you will need is a photo of your international passport, which you can take on your phone, and a photo of your face against a light background.

Sequence of actions when obtaining an electronic visa

The first thing you must do is fill out a form on the site. Please fill out all fields clearly. The last thing in this process should be uploading a color photo.

Only after filling out the form make payment. Check your email, you should receive a code, which will confirm that you can start packing your bags. This is what you need to print and present at customs in India. In addition, you will need to present all originals and copies of the above documents.

The video shows how to get a stamp in your passport upon arrival and enter India with an e-visa.

Types of visas to visit India

The rules for entry into India allow the following types of visas:

Single entry: you enter and exit once.
Electronic multiple visa: you can enter and exit several times a year. It is important that the period of stay in the country for each trip does not exceed 90 days.
Multiple: you can travel back and forth an unlimited number of times, as long as they fit within the specified time frame. Multiple permits can be issued for several months. Its maximum term is 5 years. In practice, it is almost impossible for ordinary travelers to obtain such a visa in 2019. A visa obtained at the country's visa center is valid for 3 and 6 months.

In addition to the deadlines, permitting stamps differ in the purposes pursued by the guest of the state. Visas can be transit, student, business and tourist.

Long-term regular tourist visa for 3 and 6 months

If you are one of those tourists who travel for more than 90 days, you need to take care of receiving. This can be done at the consulate or visa center. Cases of refusal to issue a 6-month visa occur much more often than when issuing an electronic permit. More documents need to be submitted.

It is also necessary to take out medical travel insurance.

Before going to one of the departments, it is necessary. This:

International passport. As with the e-visa, it must remain valid for at least six months. You must also attach a copy of the document. It is important to leave two blank pages for stamps.

Other types of visas

Each type of visa has its own requirements for the required package of documents. In addition to being required for a tourist visa, prospective Indian students must provide proof of their visa, as well as evidence of financial ability to live in India for the duration of their course of study.

Business travelers need invitations from business partners or cover letters from companies sending their employees to seminars, business meetings, etc.

Visa-free transit is prohibited in India, so if you have a layover in this country, you need to worry about obtaining a transit visa in advance. In addition to documents relevant for tourists, you need to provide a visa to the country of destination and air tickets from India to a third country.

In practice, such visas are rarely issued in 2019, and even the official consulate or visa center cannot provide reliable information on the rules for issuing them. Therefore, tourists receive a regular electronic permit.

Another type of permit that is quite rarely issued is a work visa. To get it, you need to be a high-level specialist. As a rule, such a stamp is given to those who have entered into a contract with one of the Indian companies.

Chaotic, intoxicating, crazy, poor and stunning... All these epithets equally characterize it, but they do not exhaust the description of the most amazing India. How can you prepare yourself to get to know this country, which is unlike any other?

Start with our tips, written just for those traveling to India for the first time.

1. Choose your route wisely

Think about what interests you, what you like to do, and tailor your trip around those parameters. The India itineraries presented on lonelyplanet.com can greatly help you with this.

The most popular tour in India is the classic Golden Triangle. It's a cliché, but if you're short on time, this is a great opportunity to see three of India's best spots. Start from Delhi (Humayun's Tomb, Old Fort) before visiting Agra (Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri) and then Jaipur (Pink City, Amber Fort). Stop by the wonderful bazaars of Delhi for a final shopping spree before you fly home.

If you have more specific preferences, then here is a list of the main places where you can find what your heart desires:

Shopping – Delhi
Beaches – Goa
Excursions – Himachal Pradesh
Yoga - Rishikesh
Food – Everywhere
Tigers – Madhya Pradesh
For thrill seekers - Manali
Places for prayer - Varanasi

2. Take your time

Many people try to fit too much into their trip to India. Don't be one of them. Seeing one place slowly is more worthy of respect than seeing many places in a hurry. You will not get tired, you will be able to immerse yourself in the atmosphere where you are, you will have more time to communicate with the people you met.

3. Avoid the crowds

A country of one billion people is visited by millions of tourists every day, but India still has hidden spots. If you want to leave the bustling squares of the city behind, you can head south to the waters of Kerala, or head north to mountainous regions inspired by the majesty of the Tibetan peaks, such as Ladakh.

4. Take care of your health

Avoid tap water and any food that might be rinsed with it. Do not eat fruits, vegetables, salads - anything that you have not washed yourself.

Many travelers prefer vegetarianism as a form of nutrition. It's not a bad idea. A piece of dog meat will harm you more than a light vegetable dish. In addition, many Indians are vegetarians, so you have a huge choice of vegetarian food. If you still love meat and cannot do without it, make sure that it is well cooked. When in doubt, eat where the locals usually eat.

Toilets in India are known to be terrible, but they are not a source of danger. Use the jug method used by many locals (it's much more hygienic than using paper), but be sure to bring soap to wash your hands with afterward.

5. Be vigilant

India is famous for its scammers.

There are many ways you can reduce your risk of being scammed. But there is no way to avoid all scams at once. Therefore, the most important advice for traveling in India is to remain calm, no matter what happens.

Disappointments can await you at every turn and be prepared for them, take a deep breath and move forward. Here is your key to a pleasant trip!