Since
the dawn of time travellers have come to India. They have
come in groups like the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians,
the Portugese, the French, the Dutch and the British. For
most of the travellers of olden times, India changed their
lives forever. Today you can marvel at the same sights they
saw and be dazzled by the same warm welcome that's been 5000
years in the making. One of the destinations, travellers do
not want to miss is Bangalore.
Important
Information for foreigners visiting India
Visa Requirements
Foreign
nationals desirous of visiting India can do so after obtaining
a Visa from the Indian Mission or Consulate in the country
of their residence. They should also possess a valid National
Passport.
Usually
a multi entry visa is granted for the purpose of tourism,
which would be valid for a period of 180 days. The visa is
valid from the date of issue. Transit visas can also be obtianed
for a maximum period of 15 days. Travellers on tourist visa
for 180 days or less are not required to register themselves
with any authority in India, but can move about freely in
the country except for restricted areas and prohibited places.
The
other visas that are availabe are Business Visa, Student Visa,
Conference Visa, Missionaries Visa, Journalist Visa and Employment
Visa.
Currency
Regulations
There
are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or traveller's
cheques a tourist may bring into the country provided they
make a declaration in the Currency Declaration Form given
to them on arrival. This would enable them not only to exchange
the currency brought in, but also take back the unspent currency
out of India. Cash, brank drafts and travellers cheques up
to US $10,000 or equivalent need not be declared at the time
of entry. Money in other forms which the tourist wishes to
exchange for Indian Rupees should be exchanged only at authorized
Money changers like Thomas Cook Ltd., and banks who will issue
an encashment certificate that is required at the time of
reconversion of any unspent currency to foreign currency.
Exchange of foreign currency othen than through banks or authorized
money changers is an offense under the Foreign Exchange Regulations
Act (FERA) 1973.
Custom
Regulations & Formalities
Visitors
are generally required to make an oral declarations in respect
of baggage and foreign currency in their possession. They
are also required to obtain the Currency Declaration Form
from the Customs, in additions to disembarkation card handed
over to them by the airlines they travelled. There are two
channels for Customs Clearance. Green
Channel for passengers not in possession of any
dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage.
Red Channel for passangers with dutiable articles or
accompanied baggage or high value articles to be entered on
the Tourist Baggage Re export form.
Gifts
: Duty free concession for used personal effects excluding
jewellery, required for satisfying daily necessities of life.
There is no value limit, however the items should be in reasonable
quantities. One watch is included in the personal effects
and allowed free.
Duty free concession for import of new articles upto a value
of Rs. 12000/- (US$ 260.00) if these are carried on the person
or in the accompanied baggage of the passenger. Goods in access
of Rs. 12000/- will attract duty at the rate of 50% ad-valorem
plus 10% surcharge on basic duty and 4% Special Additional
duty. The total duty works out to 61.2%
No
concession is allowed for new articles if these are not accompanying
the passenger (i.e.unaccompanied baggage).
International
Airport (click here for International
Flight Schedule)
The
Bangalore Airport started on 1.1.95 for International passengers.
At present, there are 54 incoming/outgoing to and fro flights
per week from Singapore, Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, Kualalumpur,
Bangkok, Colombo, Kathmandu and Frankfurt. On an average 25
to 30 flights are operated during the pilgrimage season and
Haj.
According
to the Airports Authority of India statistics, 4,231 domestic
aircraft use the existing airport each month, carrying around
2.45 lakh passengers.
Another
46,000 passengers fly on 472 international flights both ways.
The
international flights, whose frequency has increased, operate
Airbus 320 and 340 and Boeing 747 aircraft, each carrying
up to 300 passengers at a time.
Apart
from the passenger flights there are 23 International Cargo
flights per week, being flown by Lufthansa Airlines, Singapore
Airlines, Blue Dart, Sri Lankan Airlines and Air India.
