Visitors require a passport and visa to enter and exit India for any purpose. Visitors must obtain visas at an Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad prior to entering the country, as there are no provisions for visas upon arrival. Those arriving without a visa are subject to immediate deportation. Each visitor should carry photocopies of the bio-data page of the traveller’s and the page containing the Indian visa in order to facilitate obtaining an exit visa from the Indian government in the event of theft or loss of the passport.

Visitors who wish to visit India are responsible for requesting the correct type of visa from the Indian Embassy or Consulate, as there are no provisions for changing one’s immigration category (e.g., from tourist to work visa) once admitted. Foreign citizens whose primary purpose of travel is to participate in religious activities should obtain a missionary visa rather than a tourist visa. Indian immigration authorities have deported citizens who were conducting religious activities while holding a tourist visa.

Foreign citizens who visit India to study, do research, work or act as missionaries, as well as all travellers planning to stay more than 180 days are required to register, generally within 14 days of arrival, with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) where they will be staying. The FRRO maintains offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai (known as the “Chennai Immigration Office), Calcutta, and Amritsar. In smaller cities and towns, the local police headquarters will normally perform this function.

Visit the web site of Bureau of Immigration India for the most current visa information and the CIA Fact Book