POST ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY

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Foreigner's Regional Registration Offices (FRROs) in New Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta and the Chief Immigration Officer in Madras, handle visa renewals as well as permits for Restricted Areas, via Andaman Islands, Sikkim, Assam, Ladakh, Lahaul Spiti, etc.

New Delhi: 1st Floor, Hans Bhavan, Tilak Bridge, New Delhi - 110002. Telephone: (91 11) 3319489

Kolkata: 9/1, Gariahat Road, Calcutta - 700020. Telephone: (91 33) 443301, 2470549

Chennai: 9, Village Road, Nungabakkam, Madras - 600034. Telephone: (91 44) 8270549

Mumbai: 2nd Floor, 414 V.S. Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 400001. Telephone: (91 22) 430133

Exemption from Registration

Foreigners coming to India on tourist visas for 180 days or a shorter period are not required to register themselves with any authority in India. They can move about freely in the country, except to restricted/protected areas and prohibited places.

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Passengers embarking on journeys to any place outside India from a Customs airport / seaport will have to pay a Foreign Travel Tax (FTT) of Rs.500/- to most countries and Rs.150/- on journeys to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

In case of transit passengers, provided they do not leave the Customs barrier, Transit passengers traveling by air who have to leave the airport on account of mechanical trouble but continue their journey by the same aircraft and the same flight number by which they arrive are also exempt from FTE. Transit sea passengers leaving the ship for sightseeing, shopping, etc., during the ship's call at any of the Indian ports will not be required to pay FTT.

INLAND AIR TRAVEL TAX

An Inland Air Travel Tax is leviable at 10 per cent of the basic fare, on all passengers embarking on an inland air journey. However, those passengers paying their Airfare in foreign exchange will be exempted from payment of this tax. In addition, infants, cancer patients, blind persons and invalids (those on stretchers) are also exempted from payment of this tax after fulfilling certain conditions, stipulated in the relevant notifications.

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There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or travelers' checks a tourist may bring into India provided he makes a declaration in the Currency Declaration Form given to him/her on arrival. This will enable him not only to exchange the currency brought in, but also to take the unspent currency out of India on departure. Cash, bank notes and travelers' checks up to US$ 10,000 or equivalent, need not be declared at the time of entry. Any money on the form of travelers' checks, drafts, bills, checks, etc. in convertible currencies, which tourists wish to convert into Indian currency, should be exchanged only through authorized money changers and banks who will issue an encashment certificate that is required at the time of reconversion of any unspent money into foreign currency. Exchanging of foreign exchange other than through banks or authorized money changers is an offense under the Foreign Exchange Regulations Act 1973.

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Visitors are generally required to make an oral baggage declaration in respect of baggage and foreign currency in their possession. They are also required to obtain the Currency Declaration Form from the Customs. They should fill in the Disembarkation Card handed to them by the airline during the course of the flight. There are two channels for Customs clearance:

Green Channel: for passengers not in possession of any dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage.

Red Channel: For passengers with dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage or high value articles to be entered on the Tourist Baggage Re-Export Form.

HEALTH REGULATIONS

Foreign tourists should be in possession of their Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate conforming to International Health Regulations, if they are originating or transiting through Yellow Fever endemic countries.