WAN 2009 - Welcome

You are advised to contact the Indian Embassy / High Commission / Consulate in your country in order to obtain a visa of entry. Please apply for your visa in good time. Your travel agent may also be able to help you.

There is no provision of 'Visa on Arrival' in India and no fee is charged for immigration facilities at the airports. Foreign passengers should ensure that they are in possession of valid Indian Visa before they start their journey to India except nationals of Nepal and Bhutan who do not require visa to enter India and nationals of Maldives who do not require visa for entry in India for a period up to 90 days (a separate Visa regime exists for diplomatic/official passport holders).

The Consular Passport and Visa (CPV) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for issuance of Indian visas to the foreign nationals for their visit for various purposes. This facility is granted through various Indian missions abroad.

Visa fees are non-refundable and subject to change without notice. The High Commission reserves the right on granting and deciding type/duration of visa irrespective of the fees tendered at the time of making application. Granting of Visa does not confer the right of entry to India and is subject to the discretion of the Immigration Authorities.

The instruction and information given here is general in nature, however for specific information, you may contact the respective Indian Mission.

Visa Application Form

Visa application form is available at the Indian Mission in the country where the applicant resides. Visa form for nationals of Pakistan and Bangladesh are generally different. All NRIs/PIOs, including children (who don´t possess OCI or PIO card) need to apply for Visa in separate visa forms.

Procedure for obtaining Visa

Visas can be applied for in person or by post at the High Commission of India based in the country from where the candidate intends to depart for India. Specific visas are granted for a variety of purposes that are aforementioned.

1. Travel Visa application requirements

(a) Valid passport

(b) Completed application form.
     (Nationals of Pakistan and Bangladesh must complete special application forms)

(c) Two passport-size photographs.
     (Nationals of Pakistan will require five)

(d) Visa fee

(e) Stamped self-addressed delivery envelope for      postal applications.

2. Types of applicable Visa

(a) Tourist Visa

Validity: 6 months. The applicant is required to submit documents in proof of his financial standing. Tourists traveling in groups of not less than four members under the auspices of a recognized travel agency may be considered for grant of collective tourist visa.

(b) Business Visa

Validity: One or more years with multiple-entry. A letter from the sponsoring organization indicating nature of business, probable duration of stay, places and organizations to be visited incorporating there in a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses, etc. should accompany the application.

(c) Conference Visa

Conference Visas are issued for attending conferences / seminars / meetings in India. The letter of invitation is to be submitted along with the visa application. Delegates coming to attend conferences may combine tourism with attending conferences.

3. Visa Fees (subject to change, kindly check with Indian mission in your country)

Visa with validity six months                    US$ 30
Visas with validity one year                     US$ 50
Visas with validity one to five years         US$100

4. Processing time

Personal applications are processed the same day. Postal applications will take approximately two weeks.

5. Restricted and protected areas

Certain parts of the country have been designated protected or restricted areas that require special permits and in some cases prior government authorization which is easily obtained. Intent to visit a specific restricted region should be indicated when applying for a visa and a permit will be granted to visit that region only. Passengers are advised to check with Indian Tourism for updated information before departure. The following states are subject to some restrictions: Arunachul Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim.

Arrival & Departure

Direct International Flights to Hyderabad

The newly constructed Rajiv Gandhi International airport at Shamshabad, Hyderabad is served by following international airlines -

Air India

For those who are planning to take pre or post congress tours to other parts of India, it may make more sense to use Delhi or Mumbai as gateway cities. Please contact your travel agent or the official Destination Management Company - ICE to help you with planning your travel.

At both terminals (domestic & international) of the Hyderabad airport you will be received by welcome staff, and escorted to the transfer vehicles to go to the Conference hotels, provided we receive advance information of your arrival details. Special facilitation counters at airports at Delhi & Mumbai will also be put up to help delegates entering India via these two major gateway cities.

The international airports in the metro cities extend services ensuring that the traveller on business can continue working even during his wait for boarding an international connection, or when transferring between international flights. These facilities include restaurants, business centres, rest rooms and telephone booths. Business centres are furnished with state-of-the-art equipment including word-processors and telefax. Airports also offer tourist duty-free & handicrafts shopping, snack bars, nursery and baby care rooms, and an art gallery too for art lovers. Duty-free prices in the airport shops are very competitive, giving one good bargain on international merchandise.

If the visa, for stay in India, is for more than 180 days, a Registration Certificate and Residential Permit should be obtained from the nearest Foreigners' Registration Office within 15 days of arrival. Four photographs are also required for registration. The foreigners registered at Foreigners' Registration Office are required to report change of their addresses. All persons including Indian nationals are required to fill in a Disembarkation Card, at the time of arrival.

All persons, except nationals of Bhutan & Nepal, leaving by air, road or rail have to fill in an Embarkation Card at the time of departure.

Every foreigner who is about to depart finally from India must surrender his Certificate of Registration either to the Registration Officer of the place where he is registered or of the place from where he plans to depart or to the Immigration Officer at the Port / Checkpost of exit from India.

Passengers embarking on trips to any place outside India from a Customs airport/seaport will have to pay a Foreign Travel Tax (FTT) of Rs. 500 and Rs. 150 on trips to Afganistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Srilanka and Maldives. No tax is payable on trips performed by ship from Rameshwaram to Talaimanar and in case of transit passengers, provided they do not leave the customs barrier. Transit passengers travelling by air who have to leave the airport on accout of mechanical trouble but continue their journey by the same aircraft and the same flight number by which they arrive are also exempt from FTT. Transit sea passengers leaving the ship for sightseeing, shopping etc. during the ships' call at any of the Indian ports will not be required to pay FTT.

Visitors are generally required to make a 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 over to them by the airline during the course of the flight.

For passengers not in possesion of any dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage.

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

Dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage or high-value articles must be entered on a Tourist Baggage Re-Export Form (TBRE). These articles must be reexported at the time of departure. A failure to re-export anything listed on the TBRE becomes a payable duty levied for each missing item. The following duty-free possessions are permissible- clothes and jewellery, cameras and up to five rolls of film; binoculars, a portable musical instrument, a radio or portable tape recorder, a tent and camping equipment, fishing rod, a pair of skis, two tennis rackets, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 95 litres of liquor, and gifts not exceeding a value of Rs. 600 (about US$15). Depending on the attitude of the customs' official, one may or may not have to enter a portable computer on a TBRE form.

For more and updated information kindly visit the Central Board of Customs & Excise website - http://www.cbec.gov.in/travellers.htm.

There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or travellers' cheques a tourist may bring into India provided he makes a declaration in the Currency Declaration Form given to him on arrival. This will enable him not only to exchange the currency bought in, but also to take the unspent currency out of India on departure. Cash, bank notes and travellers' cheques up to US$ 1,000 or equivalent, need not be declared at the time of entry. Any money in the form of travellers' cheques, drafts, bills, cheques, etc. in convertible currencies, which tourists wish to convert into Indian currency, should be exchanged only through authorised 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 currency other than banks or authorised money changers is an offense under Foreign Exchange Regulations Act 1973.

Rupees are not allowed out of India. Exchanging them before you depart is the best option. Banking facilities, for the conversion of rupees into foreign currency are usually located in the same airport hall as the check-in counters. Its best to access these facilities before immigration as they are not available thereafter. All animal products, souvenirs, and trophies are subject to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The export of skins made from protected wildlife species is not allowed. Such items cannot be imported into many countries, including the United States. As a general rule, avoiding such souvenirs that could be made of animal skins (except crocodile-leather goods) is best. Generally, items more than 100 years old cannot be exported without a permit from the Archaeological Survey, which has an office in Delhi. Reputable shops will provide you with the required permit or help you procure it. Items without permits will be detained by Indian Customs if they are believed to be over 100 years old.

Electricity: 230-240V, 50 HZ. Sockets accept round pins. Should you wish to use appliances of 110 volts, some hotels may provide adaptors on request. It is advisable to carry universal adaptors.

The currency in India is the Rupee, which comes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000. Please use authorised money changers and banks to change currency. They will issue a certificate of exchange which is required at the time of re-conversion of any unused currency. Under the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999, it is an offence to exchange foreign currency other than through authorised money changers or banks. The currency may be exchanged at the airport on arrival. The currency exchange facility will also be made available at the congress venue.

Most bank ATMs honour Visa, Visa Electron, Master & Maestro cards & you may use these ATMs also to withdraw money. One such ATM is available at the venue.

Most hotels, shops & other establishments accept credit cards. Master & VISA cards are accepted at almost all such establishments whereas some of them accept Diners & American Express cards as well.

The Organizers do not take responsibility for any individual, medical, travel or personal insurance. Participants are advised to secure their own insurance policies as necessary.

A host of languages are spoken in India. English is widely spoken or understood except in rural areas.

Please consult with your physician regarding health precautions prior to visiting India.

If you are coming from or have visited Africa, South America or an area infected with Yellow Fever within five days prior to your arrival in India, proof of inoculation against Yellow Fever is required.

The Country Code for India is `91´. The City Code for Hyderabad is `40´. Landline numbers in major cities like Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore & Chennai have eight digits whereas the numbers in smaller cities could have only 4-7 digits. All mobile numbers are 10 digit & begin with `9´.

Area Codes in India are referred to as STD codes. STD codes for some cities are:

International access code (`00´ or `+") followed by 91, then STD CODE followed by LANDLINE NO., eg. +91 40 XXXXXXXX (`40´ is the STD CODE for Hyderabad).

International access code (`00´ or `+") followed by 91 and the 10-digit MOBILE NO., eg. +91 XXXXXXXXXX.

The international access code when dialing out of India is "00" (or `+" when dialing from a mobile phone).

In India both GSM & CDMA (WLL) mobile systems are present. Please contact your mobile service providers to check their roaming partners & tariffs in India. Indian SIM cards may be made available on request.

Please take good care of your personal property. The Conference Organizers and staff at the venues are not responsible for any loss or damage to personal property.