Passports & Travel Formalities 

Once you have decided to go abroad, in addition to obtaining the relevant visas you will have to take the following preparatory steps:

�         Apply for and obtain your passport.

• Buy a ticket to your destination.

• Comply with certain regulations, including those governing foreign exchange.

Passport

The normal time it takes to obtain a passport is six weeks, but in reality your application could remain pending for a long time and at times, it might be well over six months before you are issued a passport. Therefore, make sure you apply for one well in advance of your intended departure. In fact, irrespective of your travel plans, it helps to keep a valid passport with you. In case the opportunity to go abroad comes up suddenly, you would not want to be held up for lack of a passport!

In addition to the completed application form, you must also submit the following

items to your nearest regional passport office:

The prescribed fee, which is as follows:

For a 36-paged passport: Rs. 300 for a 10- year validity and Rs. 600 for a

20-year validity.

For a 60-paged passport: Rs. 500 for 10-year validity and Rs. 800 for a 20-

year validity.

Six photographs (35 mm x 45 mm).

Your birth certificate (Photostat).

Proof of residence (e.g., voter�s identity card, ration card, etc.).

Certificate of educational qualifications.

If you require a passport urgently, then you need a verification certificate (preferably below the rank of Deputy Secretary, or a First Class Magistrate).

Although a wife�s name can be entered on her husband�s passport, and the names of minor children on the father�s or mother�s passport, this is not advisable because many foreign diplomatic missions require each person travelling to possess a separate passport.

If you are denied issue or renewal of a passport, you are free to make an appeal. Your travel agent could also assist you in obtaining your passport. His services for this should be gratis, especially if you plan to buy your ticket from him. You should remember that he will be making a commission on the sale of the ticket.

Airline Tickets

Due to stiff competition among airlines, it is possible to obtain very cheap tickets on most international sectors � an important factor if you are travelling on a budget. All airlines offer substantial discounts through their travel agents. So do scout around a bit.

At one time it was cheaper to obtain tickets from abroad. This is not so now. Tickets bought in India are anywhere between 10% to 25% cheaper than elsewhere in the world.

For example, the difference between a return ticket to New York and London is very little, as much for 14 hours of extra flying time. It would therefore prove worthwhile to plan a trip to the US as well if you are on your way to Europe.

Baggage

� On an average, you are entitled to a free checked-in baggage allowance of 30 kg if

travelling first class or 20 kg if travelling economy class.

�         Infants for whom you have paid 10% of the regular fare are not entitled to any free baggage.

• If you are travelling to the US on economy class you would be allowed to check

in two bags regardless of their weight, provided that the sum of the dimensions (length + height) of both does not exceed 270 cm, and each individually does not exceed 158 cm.

�         In business class, the only restriction is that each baggage individually should not exceed 158 cm.

• The hand baggage should not exceed 115 cm in dimension, so that it can fit under your seat. The allowance is the same, whether you are travelling by business or the economy class.

• Airline rules are generally flexible, and if you make a request they just might waive off excess baggage charges especially if you don�t exceed your allowance by more than 25%. However, you must be prepared to pay, if necessary, so be sure to keep enough money on you to cover such charges.

• Charges for excess baggage may vary. For the US, there is a charge of Rs 4,000 per piece of excess baggage. In the case of Europe, 1.5% of normal economy fare is charged, per KG of excess baggage.

• If you feel that you might have a lot of extra baggage (which would obviously be the case if you are changing residence), then you should find out details of charges in advance from your travel agency. You should also consider the alternative of sending your baggage by air cargo. This may be less convenient but you could get your belongings to your destination at half the cost of accompanied baggage.

Note

A word of caution regarding your checked-in baggage allowance. The regulations governing free entitlements often differ from airline to airline and from sector to sector, which can cause a great deal of confusion for the unwary traveller. Therefore, to avoid any unpleasant and costly surprises in the form of excess baggage charges during your journey, when you buy your ticket do check with the airline or your travel agent to ascertain the particular baggage allowance rules applicable to the sector(s) on which you will be flying.

You should also be aware that you cannot carry any corrosives, explosives, inflammable or other dangerous materials either on board or as checked baggage. Besides being illegal, you would be liable for criminal and/or civil action against you. If you are in doubt regarding restrictions on any article, please check with your airline, Airlines can also refuse to carry baggage which is unmarked or otherwise unsuitable, e.g. if it is poorly packed.

The liability of the airline for lost or damaged baggage is limited. It may be worth taking out an insurance at a nominal cost if you feel your passions are very valuable. If baggage is lost, the airline normally takes a maximum of 45 days to compensate the passenger. In case of damage, make sure you file your claim before they are repaired or replaced by the airline, and if it per year is deducted, and 85% of the cost is paid if the object is 2 years old.

People leaving India are also subject to having their luggage inspected by the Customs. This checking is nothing in comparison with what you face on your return to India, but you should be aware of the fact that there are restrictions on carrying out gold and silver other than jewellery, foreign currency except as authorized by the Reserve Bank of India, Indian currency, and a range of other items. These regulations would normally not pose any problem for you if you are carrying bona fide personal baggage.

Foreign Exchange and Other Requirements

For Indian tourists, the Reserve Bank of India sanctions upto $3,000 for one calendar year. For businessmen, the RBI allows US $350 per say for a maximum of 45 days, till the General Manager level, and US $500 per day for a maximum of 45 days, for all positions above. An additional amount of US $2,000 can be obtained as entertainment allowance. For students, too, the RBI grants foreign exchange, generally limited to US $500-1,500, unless special sanction has been sought and obtained. For emigration, you are granted upto US $3,000, per member of the family, or the amount specified by the country of emigration, based on documentary evidence. If you are going for employment abroad, you are allowed up to US $2,500, per person. In addition to the foreign exchange available to you through the RBI, you can buy foreign exchange worth up to $50, per person, at the airport when departing from India.

You should also check up on the latest vaccinations and inoculations that need to be done at least ten days prior to your leaving the country.

If you are going abroad permanently, you also have to obtain a clearance from the income tax department stating that you have no our standing dues with them. Their clearance certificate has a validity of only one month. So it would be futile to obtain it much in advance. .

.