Disclaimer: Please note that we at Sunburst International Risk Management provide the following information as a value-added service to our international clients and visitors of this website. We make every effort to verify the reports that are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the information, and of any statements or opinions based thereon, are not guaranteed. The readers assume all risks in using information on this page.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens require a passport and visa to enter and exit India for any purpose.  Visitors, including those on official U.S. government business, 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.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are unable to assist when U.S. citizens arrive without visas.  Each visitor should carry photocopies of the bio-data page of the traveler’s U.S. passport 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.

Americans wishing to visit India are responsible for requesting the correct type of visa from the Indian Embassy or Consulate, as there generally 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 American citizens who entered India with a tourist visa and conducted religious activities.
 
Foreign citizens who visit India to study, do research, work or act as missionaries, as well as all travelers planning to stay more than 180 days are required to register, generally within 14 days of arrival, with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) closest to 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 (referred to as the Foreigner’s Registration Office or FRO).  General information regarding Indian visa and immigration rules, including the addresses and telephone numbers for the FRRO offices, can be found at the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs website for its Bureau of Immigration at http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in.

If a foreign citizen (e.g., an American) overstays his or her Indian visa, or otherwise violates Indian visa regulations, the traveler may require a clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to leave the country.  Such travelers generally must pay a fine, and in some cases, may be jailed until their deportation can be arranged.  Visa violators seeking an exit clearance can visit the following office any weekday from 10 am - 12 noon:  Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigner’s Division, Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Road, New Delhi (tel. +91-11-2338-5748).

For the most current information on entry and exit requirements, please contact the Embassy of India at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 939-9806 (http://www.indianembassy.org ) or the Indian Consulates in Chicago (http://chicago.indianconsulate.com), New York (http://www.indiacgny.org), San Francisco (http://www.cgisf.org) or Houston (http://www.cgihouston.org).  Outside the United States, inquiries should be made at the nearest Indian embassy or consulate.  A list of selected Indian consulates and embassies can be found at http://passport.nic.in/missions.htm.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Adequate to excellent medical care is available in the major population centers, but is usually very limited or unavailable in rural areas.  Indian health regulations require all travelers arriving from Sub-Saharan Africa or other yellow-fever areas to have evidence of vaccination against yellow fever.  Travelers who do not have such proof are subject to immediate deportation or a six-day detention in the yellow-fever quarantine center.  U.S. citizens who transit through any part of sub-Saharan Africa, even for one day, are advised to carry proof of yellow fever immunization.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299)

MEDICAL INSURANCE:  The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling outside of the U.S. are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov.  Americans without Internet access may register directly with the U.S. Embassy.  By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency. 

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is located at Shanti Path, Chanakya Puri 110021; telephone +91-11-2419-8000; fax  +91-11-2419-8407.  The Embassy's Internet home page address is http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov.  (Note that the “+” sign indicates your international access code, which in the United States is 011-, but which is 00- in most other countries.)

The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai (Bombay) is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350.  The Internet home page address is http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.

The U.S. Consulate General in Calcutta (now often called Kolkata) is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071; telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335.  The Internet home page address is http://calcutta.usconsulate.gov.

The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (Madras) is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006; telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2857-4443.  The Internet home page address is http://chennai.usconsulate.gov.