India guides

Documents and laws

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Laws Tourists Don't See ComingIndia's laws are in places stricter than you'd expect from a country with such free-flowing street life. This list isn't a legal reference;…

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Alcohol in India and dry statesAlcohol is legal in most of India, but every state writes its own rules. Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland and Mizoram keep total prohibition, and the Lakshadweep islands restrict it tightly; of these, only Gujarat issues permits to visitors. On top of that come national and election dry days, drinking ages from 18 to 25, and strict limits on carrying bottles across state lines. The rules change often, so treat this page as a map and check the current position locally.

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India e-Arrival Card: how to fill it inSince 1 October 2025, foreign nationals arriving in India, OCI cardholders included, submit a digital arrival card online in the 72 hours before landing. It replaces the paper disembarkation card, takes a few minutes on the official portal or the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app, and it is not a visa.

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India visa extension and overstayAn Indian e-Visa, tourist visa or visa on arrival cannot be extended for more travel. If illness or a cancelled flight keeps you in India, apply on the e-FRRO portal before the visa expires; if permission is not granted in time, you must leave. Overstaying needs an exit permit and carries fines of up to ₹3 lakh under the 2025 Act.

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India visa on arrivalIndia's visa on arrival is open to nationals of three countries only: Japan, South Korea and the UAE (Emiratis only if they have held an Indian visa before). It costs ₹2,000, allows up to 60 days with two entries, and is issued at six or nine big airports. Everyone else needs an e-Visa approved before the flight.

India visaFor most trips the answer is an e-Visa: an online form on the official portal, a fee by card and an approval (ETA) by email. Apply 4 to 120 days before arrival, submit the e-Arrival Card in the 72 hours before landing, and your visa is stamped at the airport.

Money and connectivity

Money in IndiaIndia is a paradox when it comes to money. On one hand, it's the world leader in digital transactions: even a beach vendor accepts QR…

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Getting Connected: SIM Cards & eSIM in IndiaThe honest, no-stress version. Read this before you board.

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Currency exchange in IndiaChange money only at a bank or an RBI-licensed money changer, ask for an encashment certificate, and keep it with your passport: it is what lets you change leftover rupees back at the airport. Airport counters are fine for the first day's cash; for larger sums a licensed changer in town usually gives a better rate.

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How to pay in IndiaCarry three things: rupee cash, an international card and, if you can set it up, a UPI wallet for visitors. Cards work in hotels, malls and restaurants, QR payments work almost everywhere else, and cash covers what is left: rickshaws, temple donations, tips and small stalls.

Tipping in IndiaTipping in India is appreciated but never compulsory. A restaurant service charge is optional by law, so if it is on the bill there's no need to tip on top; if it isn't, 5–10% in cash is a kind gesture. Porters, drivers, guides and housekeeping get small amounts in cash.

Getting around

Getting Around IndiaIndia is a country of trains and apps. Between cities the winner is almost always a train or a flight; inside a city it's the metro and an…

Essential Apps for IndiaIn India, your phone is your best friend in daily life. You book taxis through apps, food arrives within minutes, and even at markets you…

Domestic flights in IndiaFlying inside India is cheap, frequent and the obvious choice for long distances: Delhi to Kochi is 40+ hours by train and about 3.5 hours by air. Foreign nationals show their original passport at the terminal door; DigiYatra face boarding is not open to foreign passports yet. Plan on one 7 kg cabin bag, checked baggage that depends on the fare, and two hours at the airport.

Taxi apps and auto-rickshaws in IndiaIn Indian cities, book rides through an app: Uber and Ola almost everywhere, Rapido for bikes and autos, Namma Yatri in Bengaluru, local apps in Goa and Kolkata. Without an app, use the meter where it is official (Delhi, Mumbai) or fix the price before you get in, and keep small notes: autos are paid in cash.

Health and safety

Health & InsuranceThis isn't medical advice, just a traveller's practical pointers. Talk through vaccines, medicines and any health decisions with a doctor…

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If Something Goes WrongStay calm: one short number for everything, and a plan for each situation.

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Tricks Worth Knowing About in AdvanceA city quest where you already know all the answers.

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India emergency numbersIn India one number covers police, fire and ambulance: 112, now set up in every state and union territory. For travel guidance there is a 24/7 tourist helpline, 1363, which also speaks Russian. Below are the other official numbers, what to say to the operator, and what an embassy can and can't do.

How to avoid food poisoning in IndiaMost stomach trouble in India comes from water and from food that has stood around, not from spice. Sealed or boiled water, food cooked hot in front of you and fruit you peel yourself cover most of the risk. If it catches up with you anyway, fluids come first, and a few clear signs mean seeing a doctor the same day.

Is India safe for tourists? An honest answer, with advice for women travelling aloneFor most visitors, yes, with ordinary precautions: the everyday risks are pickpockets, scams, traffic and water rather than violent crime. Official advice is calm about the country as a whole and strict about a few specific areas, mainly Jammu and Kashmir, the India–Pakistan border and Manipur. Women travelling alone face a real risk of harassment and should plan around it, without giving up the trip.

Lost passport in India: what to doReport the loss to the police and the local FRRO, get a new passport or emergency travel document from your embassy, then apply for an exit permit on indianfrro.gov.in. Each step needs a paper from the one before, so the order matters, and the flight is best booked once the permit is in hand.

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Dengue and malaria in India: where the risk is and how to avoid bitesDengue is the mosquito-borne disease most travellers to India actually meet: it lives in cities, bites in daytime and peaks in and after the monsoon. Malaria risk is real but uneven, concentrated in forested, tribal and hilly districts and in a few eastern and north-eastern states. For both, not getting bitten is the core of prevention, and a fever during or after the trip means seeing a doctor the same day.

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Vaccinations for India: what is required and what is recommendedFor most travellers no vaccine is legally required to enter India. The one real requirement is a yellow fever certificate, and only if you arrive within six days of being in a country with yellow fever risk. Recommended vaccines are another matter: hepatitis A, typhoid and up-to-date routine shots come up for almost everyone, and a travel clinic adds rabies, hepatitis B or Japanese encephalitis depending on your route and length of stay.

Culture and traditions

Traditions and RestrictionsIndians are patient with guests. Forget every word of Hindi, mix up two gods, and you will be forgiven. Disrespect is another matter. This…

HinduismWithin two minutes of leaving your hotel: a temple bell nearby, a mantra from a taxi radio, a marigold garland at the foot of a tree, a cow…

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Traveller's Glossary- Darshan: the act of beholding a deity in the temple; a pilgrim's main goal.

Interesting Facts About IndiaHere are facts about India that genuinely surprise. Not the clichés like "India has many people" or "they eat with their hands," but the…

What to wear in IndiaCover shoulders and knees and avoid tight or see-through clothes, and you'll fit in almost anywhere in India. Big cities and Goa's beaches are relaxed; small towns, holy towns and every temple, mosque and gurdwara expect modest dress, and shoes come off at the door.

Before you go

What to Discover Before Your TripThe greatest epic in human literature. A war between cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. A story that contains everything: politics,…

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Your Questions AnsweredThis FAQ collects the questions first-time travelers to India ask most often: practical, cultural, and logistical. Answers are grounded in…

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Best time to visit IndiaFor most of India, October to March is the best time: the monsoon has gone, the heat has not arrived, and Rajasthan, the plains, Goa and Kerala are at their easiest. The Himalaya runs on the opposite calendar, with Ladakh at its best from late spring to early autumn.

Monsoon in India: when it arrives, where it rains less, and how to travelThe southwest monsoon reaches Kerala around 1 June, covers the whole country by about 8 July and pulls back from the northwest from mid-September, leaving most of India by 15 October. The west coast and the Western Ghats take the heaviest rain, while Ladakh, a high cold desert, barely notices it. Monsoon travel works well with the right region and some flexibility: green landscapes, fewer crowds, but closed beaches, landslides on mountain roads and peak dengue season.

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India plugs and voltageIndia runs on 230 V at 50 Hz and uses plug types C, D and M. Phone and laptop chargers marked 100–240 V work without a converter; all you need is a plug adapter, ideally one with Type D pins, because a European two-pin plug often sits loosely in Indian sockets. Short power cuts still happen, so pack a power bank.

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Travel insurance for IndiaIndia does not require travel insurance for entry or for an e-Visa. It is still worth having: private hospitals expect payment, mountain rescue is limited, and road accidents are common. Look for medical evacuation, cover for altitude and two-wheelers, and a 24-hour assistance line.