India

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommends that Irish citizens obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling India which will cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation.  You should check your policy carefully and ensure that it covers all the activities that you wish to undertake.

If you require assistance you should contact the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi on 0091-11-49403200

Irish citizens require a visa to enter India. You must obtain a visa before travelling to India. If you arrive in India without a visa you will be refused entry. Irish citizens should take care to ensure that they apply for the correct category of visa.

For Indian visa information please contact the Indian Embassy in Dublin. Passports are required to be valid for a minimum of six months.

Travellers should be alert to the threat of terrorism in India. In the aftermath of the Mumbai explosions on 13th July 2011, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore are all on high alert and security has been stepped up. Tourist areas such as Old Delhi and other crowded areas frequented by foreigners could be regarded as targets.   Travellers are advised to avoid any demonstrations that may occur. 

Travellers should monitor their surroundings and local media carefully. Travellers should also be alert to the risk of stampede in crowded places.

Women travellers should exercise caution when travelling in India. Sexual assaults on women travellers in Delhi, Agra and Madyha Pradesh were reported since the beginning 2013. Women should consider not travelling alone where possible.

We advise against all travel to rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir other than Ladakh; all travel in the immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan, other than at Wagah; and all travel in Manipur. We advise against all but essential travel to Srinagar and Imphal.

Safety and Security

Beware of the risk of street crime and take precautions to improve your personal security .Take particular care to safeguard your passport and credit/ATM cards, particularly when travelling by bus and train. There has been an increase in handbag snatching in major urban centres.

Walking alone in remote areas or along beaches is dangerous.

A photocopy of your passport, Indian visa and flight ticket should be kept separately from the originals when travelling.

Women should use caution when travelling in India. Recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas and cities show that foreign women are at risk. Tourists have been the victims of sexual assault in Agra, Goa, Delhi, Bangalore, Madyha Pradesh and Rajasthan. Women travellers often receive unwanted attention in the form of verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of men.  A Swiss national suffered a serious sexual attack in Madyha Pradesh on 16 March 2013.  Women travellers should exercise caution when travelling in India. The cultural norms in India are very different to Ireland. In India, it is unusual for women to travel independently or on their own at night. Women should consider not travelling in India alone.

If you are a woman travelling in India you should respect local dress codes and customs and avoid isolated areas, including beaches, when alone at any time of day. Women travellers should be particularly careful when selecting their accommodation and consider sharing a room where possible. Women should be cautious about sharing information such as their room number or address with people who they do not know very well.

Avoid travelling alone on public transport, or in taxis or auto-rickshaws, especially at night. If you have to use a taxi get them from hotel taxi ranks and use pre-paid taxis at airports.  Avoid hailing taxis or auto-rickshaws on the street. Meru Cabs and Mega Cabs are widely available in cities in India. They can be booked online or over the phone.

 Driving on Indian roads can be hazardous, particularly at night in rural areas. Inadequately lit buses and lorries, poor driving and badly maintained vehicles are the main causes of accidents.

There is a continuing high threat of terrorism in all of India.

Since July 2006, there have been a number of terrorist attacks in major cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore and Hyderabad resulting in large numbers of fatalities and injuries. Many of these have been indiscriminate attacks targeting trains and train stations, crowded market areas, hotels and other public spaces.

In May 2008, there were a series of bomb blasts in Jaipur resulting in approximately 60 fatalities. A series of bomb blasts occurred in Bangalore in July 2008. More than 50 people were killed when around 20 bombs exploded in Ahmedabad in Gujarat on 25 July 2008. On 13 September 2008, five bombs exploded in New Delhi killing more than 20 people. Close to 200 people, including a number of Europeans, were killed in attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. Terrorists targeted a bakery/coffee shop in Pune in February 2010. Foreigners were among the casualties. You should take into account security arrangements when deciding where to visit or stay. If you see any unattended baggage, you should report it promptly to those in authority.

The Mumbai attack targeted five star hotels and other locations frequented by foreign visitors and tourists. India is in a state of heightened alert in the aftermath of this attack and there are concerns that there may be further terrorist incidents.

If you require assistance you should contact the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi on 0091-11-4940 3200.

Security forces in India are of the view that the threat of such incidents is heightened in the period around major national festivals such as Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15) and other major festival occasions.

Irish citizens in India are advised to exercise caution and to be aware of their surroundings. You should remain vigilant, particularly in the vicinity of busy public places especially shopping malls, markets and on public transport. You should monitor the media and other local information sources for information about possible new safety or security risks.

Prominent government buildings, public transport, places of worship and commercial and public areas are potential targets for terrorist attack.

North-east (Jammu and Kashmir)
We advise against all travel to or through rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir (other than Ladakh) and all but essential travel to Srinagar. There is a high level of conflict and terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir (excluding Ladakh). Despite an overall decline in violence in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, there is a high risk of unpredictable violence, including bombings, grenade attacks, shootings and kidnapping. On 28 July 2012, there was an explosion in a minibus carrying tourists at Bijbehara. Three people were killed, including two foreign nationals, and four were injured.

North-west (Imphal, Manipur and Tripura)
We advise against all but essential travel to Imphal and against all travel in the rest of Manipur and Tripura. Lawlessness and violence are serious risks in the north-eastern part of the country, including in Assam, where risks are further increased by the ongoing campaign of violence by ULFA militants.

Central and Southern India
A number of regions of central and southern India are vulnerable to violence form the extreme left-wing Naxalite militants who are active in some rural areas. Visitors should be vigilant at all times against the threat of criminality and terrorism.

Health

The availability of healthcare facilities in India is inconsistent, particularly in rural areas.

Travellers should consult a tropical medicine adviser before travel to India and ensure that immunisations against common infections are up to date before travelling. 

There is malaria and dengue fever in India. Take medical advice before travelling. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up and using mosquito repellents.

There have been reports of fake sunscreen for sale in India. Travellers should ensure that the SPF of any sunscreen is independently tested and purchase from a reliable vendor.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommends that Irish citizens obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to India which will cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation.  You should check your policy carefully and ensure that it covers all the activities that you wish to undertake.

Surrogacy

Irish citizens should be aware that there is no legislation covering surrogacy in India. In 2005, the Indian Council of Medical Research issued guidelines on surrogacy arrangements but these are not legally binding.

Irish citizens who are considering surrogacy should obtain independent legal advice in Ireland and in India. Applicants should be aware that as surrogacy is unregulated in India, there have been cases where the child born of the arrangement does not have a genetic link to the commissioning parents. Irish citizens should be aware that children born of surrogacy are not normally covered under health insurance policies. Commissioning parents may face unplanned medical expenses if the child is premature or born with medical problems. Treatment options for children in India are very good but can be expensive.

The Department of Justice and Equality have issued guidelines on obtaining Irish citizenship for children born of surrogacy arrangements. The guidelines can be accessed here: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR12000035

This is the only guidance that can be given to people considering surrogacy.

Irish citizens should be aware the Government of India have specific visa rules for persons who wish to travel to India for the purposes of carrying out surrogacy. Further information on this can be obtained from the Embassy of India in Dublin. If you require a letter in support of your visa application, please e-mail newdelhiembassy@dfa.ie

Information on obtaining a travel document for a child born of a surrogacy arrangement can be found here:  http://dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=87551

Irish citizens should be aware the processing these applications are complex. It may take up to 4 weeks to process a straightforward case. It is not possible to expedite these cases, even if the child requires medical treatment. Irish citizens should ensure that they have adequate resources and support to remain in India while the application is processed.

Irish citizens should be aware that consular service fees may be applicable. Full information on consular service fees can be found here: http://www.dfa.ie/uploads/documents/Embassy/New%20Delhi%20EM/consular%20assistance%20and%20services.pdf This is in addition to the travel document fees.

Local Laws and Customs

Drugs
You should not become involved with drugs of any kind. Penalties for possession of narcotic substances can be severe. There is a minimum sentence of six months for possession of small amounts for personal consumption only. However, a 10 year sentence for possession of other amounts applies. The slow judicial process means that lengthy pre-trial detention, usually of several years, is the norm.

Purchasing property
Irish citizens are advised to seek legal advice before investing in property or businesses in India. There are often strict rules preventing the purchase of property by non-Indian nationals (for example in Goa). If the purchase is judged to violate local laws (including if you purchase whilst in India on a tourist visa), you are likely to lose all the money you have put in to the purchase, and could even face prosecution.

Natural Disasters and Climate

India is a vast and diverse country. Travel in certain parts of India can be problematic because of specific local conditions, so trips should be thoroughly planned and researched. Parts of India can be prone to extreme adverse weather, geological conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, cyclones and earthquakes. Parts of southern India were severely affected by the South Asian tsunami of December 2004.

Travellers should be alert to the risks of flash flooding and landslides particularly in mountainous areas.  The risk in increased during the monsoon season.  More than 100 people were killed and many more injured in flash floods and landslides in the mountainous Leh region in August 2010.  Foreign tourists on trekking holidays were among the fatalities.

Travellers trekking in remote mountain areas you should be aware that there are no commercial mountain rescue services which are able to operate at altitudes above 3,000 metres. There are also parts of the border areas where only the Indian Air Force is permitted to carry out air rescues. They are under no obligation to perform air rescues and have limited resources available to do so. High Altitude Trekkers should ensure that their insurance policy covers you for altitudes over 2,400 metres.

Irish citizens resident in India should ensure that they are registered with the Embassy in New Delhi . 

Additional Country Info

For entry requirements for India, please contact the Indian Embassy in Dublin .

You must obtain a visa before travelling to India. If you arrive in India without a visa you will be refused entry. Foreign nationals arriving in India on long term multiple entry visas are required to register with the nearest Foreign Regional Registration Officer within 14 days of arrival. Overstayers will be fined and may be prosecuted or detained and later deported.

It is advisable to take a number of photocopies of your passport with you. During your stay you should carry a photocopy of your passport at all times.

The Indian government has revised the rules on re-entering the country while on a tourist visa. The previous rule of no re-entry on the same visa for 2 months after leaving India no longer applies to foreign nationals coming to India except in case of nationals of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, Bangladesh, foreigners of Pakistan and Bangladesh origins and stateless persons. You should review the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs information here on which visa you may need. For further clarification as to the correct Indian visa that you should be applying for, please contact the Visa Section of the Embassy of India in Dublin .

Passports are required to be valid for a minimum of six months.