Safety and security for e-visa
We advise against all travel to rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir other than Ladakh
and all but essential travel to Srinagar. There’s a high level of conflict and terrorist
violence in the region and a high risk of unpredictable violence, including bombings,
grenade attacks, shootings and kidnapping.
We also 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.
A number of regions of central and southern India, including parts of Maharashtra,
Telangana and West Bengal, are vulnerable to violence from 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.
Terrorism
There is a high risk that terrorists will try to carry out an attack in India. Prominent
government buildings, public transport, places of worship and commercial and public
areas are all potential targets for terrorist attack.
We advise you to be extremely careful and be aware of your surroundings. Stay
vigilant, particularly in busy public places such as shopping malls, markets and on
public transport. Avoid any demonstrations that may occur and monitor the media
and other local information sources for information about possible new safety or
security risks.
A number of terrorist attacks have taken place in recent years, including in major
tourist destinations such as Mumbai and New Delhi, which has led to increased
security in many major cities. Tourist areas such as Old Delhi and other crowded
areas frequented by foreigners could be seen as targets.
Security forces in India consider the threat of terrorist incidents is heightened around
major national festivals such as Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15
August) and other major festival occasions.

Crime
Crime remains relatively low in India but you should take sensible precautions:
 Don’t carry your credit card, travel tickets and money together – leave spare
cash and valuables in a safe place.
 Don’t carry your passport unless absolutely necessary and leave a copy of your
passport (and travel and insurance documents) with family or friends at home.
 Be cautious when using a travel agent in India, use one that is recommended
by your guidebook or a reliable hotel. Irish citizens have been the victims of
travel agent scams in India.
Reporting crime
If you’re a victim of a crime while in India, report it to a local police station
immediately. You will need to file an FIR (first incident report) and the police must
register the crime. You can contact us at the Irish Embassy in New Delhi if you need
help.
Personal safety
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. Platforms for ordering taxis at set prices, such as Uber and OLA are now
available in many cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
Women travellers
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,
Madhya Pradesh, Kolkata and Rajasthan. Women travellers often receive unwanted
attention in the form of verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of
men. This may include being photographed.
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. In the evening or at night time women should be particularly

cautious. While using the metro, women travellers should use the women’s only
carriage. This is clearly marked on the platform of each station. Women should
consider travelling in a group 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 whom they do not know very well.
Driving
If you’re planning to drive in India, you should be extremely careful. 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. If your vehicle is involved in a collision with a pedestrian or livestock, you
are best advised to go to the nearest police station to report the accident. Staying at
the scene of an accident is unsafe, as you and the vehicle occupants may be
attacked.
If you want to drive, bring your international driving licence and make sure you have
adequate and appropriate insurance.
Hiring a vehicle
If you’re hiring a vehicle, we advise you not to hand over your passport as a form of
security. If you’re allowing your passport to be photocopied, keep it in your sight at
all times.
Check that you have adequate insurance and read the small print of the vehicle hire
contract (particularly any waiver that will come into effect if the vehicle is damaged).
In India, it is more common to hire a car and driver than to drive yourself.
Trekking
If you are trekking in high altitudes, make sure your insurance policy covers you for
altitudes over 2,400 metres. You should also be aware that there are no commercial
mountain rescue services capable of operating 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.

Local laws and customs for e-
visa
Remember, the local laws apply to you as a visitor and it is your responsibility to
follow them. Be sensitive to local customs, traditions and practices as your behaviour
may be seen as improper, hostile or may even be illegal.
Illegal drugs
Illegal drug use (no matter what the drug) carries stiff penalties, including fines and
long prison terms.  The slow judicial process means that lengthy pre-trial detention,
usually of several years, is the norm.
Buying property
We advise you to get 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 (for
example, if you purchase whilst in India on a tourist visa), you’re likely to lose all the
money you have put in to the purchase, and could even face prosecution.
Satellite Phones and other technological equipment
It is illegal to enter India with a satellite phone without prior permission from the
Indian authorities. There have been cases of Irish travellers being arrested for
possession of satellite phones and you should seek advice from the Indian Embassy
in Dublin before travelling to India with a satellite phone. You may also need prior
permission from the Indian authorities to bring equipment like listening or recording
devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras or binoculars into India.

Alcohol
The laws governing alcohol vary from state to state. Consumption of alcohol is
prohibited in Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Manipur, Nagaland and the union territory of
Lakshadweep. Consumption or possession of alcohol in prohibited states can lead to
arrest without bail and charges which carry a sentence of 5 to 10 years. In some
states foreign nationals and non-resident Indians are able to buy 30-day alcohol
permits. Seek advice from your local travel agent/hotel or the authorities to ensure
you’re aware of any alcohol prohibition in the state.
Additional information about
E-visa
Additional information
e-Visas
Irish citizens require a visa to travel to India. If you arrive in India without a visa, you
will be refused entry. If you over-stay your visa, you will be fined and may be
prosecuted or detained and later deported. If you lose your passport, you will have
to obtain an exit visa before you can leave India.
Irish citizens travelling to India as tourists are now eligible to apply online for an e-
Tourist visa before they go, subject to certain conditions. For more information,
please visit https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html
The Indian government has relaxed 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 for small
number of countries. Travellers should ensure that they have a multiple entry visa if
they wish to visit other countries during their time in India. The standard tourist visa
is for one entry only.
If you are transiting through India, you may need a transit visa if you must collect
your baggage to transfer it to another airline. Baggage collection areas in Indian

airports are normally after clearing immigration. Check this in advance with the
Indian Embassy where you are located.
You should note that special permits are required to visit certain areas of the country
including the Andamman Islands and parts of Sikkim. More information is available
from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.
If you are unsure of what the entry requirements for India are, including visa details
and other immigration information, ask your travel agent or contact the Visa Section
of the Embassy of India in Dublin.
Passport
Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months.
Registration
If you’re arriving in India on a long-term multiple entry visa, you must register with
the nearest Foreign Regional Registration Officer within 14 days of your arrival. If you
do not register, you may not be allowed to exit India.
Health
Check with your doctor well in advance of travelling to see if you need any
vaccinations for India. If you are travelling from a country with a risk of yellow fever
or polio, you must have proof of vaccination or you will not be allowed to enter
India. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Food and Water
Travellers to India should be aware that food and water hygiene standards are not
comparable to Ireland. Water-borne and food-borne diseases can cause serious
illness and simple precautions include avoiding ice cubes; not drinking tap water;
avoiding uncooked and undercooked food, especially from street vendors; and
drinking boiled water or bottled water with intact sealed caps.
Mosquito-borne diseases
Malaria and dengue fever are present in India so care should be taken to avoid
mosquito bites by covering up and using mosquito repellents. There is prescribed
medication, which you can take to prevent malaria that your doctor can advise you

on. However, there is no medication which you can take to prevent Dengue fever.
Therefore, due care should be exercised to avoid mosquito bites where possible to
reduce the potential of infection.
Medical facilities
The availability of healthcare facilities in India is inconsistent, particularly in rural
areas. Check with your travel insurance before you travel to see what hospitals they
recommend.
Swine Flu
There has been a number of cases of Swine flu (H1N1) in India. You should consult
your doctor before travelling for their advice, particularly on vaccinations that may
be available.
Surrogacy
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.
This is the only guidance that can be given to people considering surrogacy.
Any Irish citizen who is considering entering into a surrogacy arrangement in India
should be aware that the Government of India has announced that it will no longer
support commercial surrogacy.

 Who can apply?
A tourist visa can only be granted to a foreigner who does not have a residence or occupation in
India and whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet
friends and relatives, etc. No other activity is permissible on a tourist visa. A tourist visa may be
issued normally for three months to six months with single, double or multiple entries and is non-
extendable and non-convertible. The duration of the visa is at the sole discretion of the Issuing
Authority. All visa fees once paid are non-refundable irrespective of the outcome of the visa
application and duration granted Please note that the validity of the visa begins from the date of
issue by the High Commission of India and not from the date of travel on your application form.

Indian e-visa

the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) facility became operational for citizens of over 40 eligible
countries, including those who are eligible for visa on arrival. The list was further expanded to 113
countries in August 2015 (see chart below). [6]  ETA is issued for tourism, visiting friends and family,
short duration medical treatment and business visits. The scheme was renamed to e-Tourist Visa
(eTV) on 15 April 2015. [7]  On 1 April 2017 the scheme was renamed e-Visa with three subcategories:
e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa and e-Medical Visa.
An application for e-Visa must be made at least four calendar days in advance of the date of arrival
and can be made as early as 120 days in advance. The visa is valid for one year from the date of
arrival. Continuous stay during each visit on an e-tourist visa must not exceed 90 days, except for
citizens of Canada, Japan, United Kingdom and United States as well as all nationalities visiting on
an e-business visa who are allowed to stay for 180 days. [8]  The duration of stay cannot be extended. [
2013
In October 2013, India decided to initiate the process of extending visa-on-arrival access to 40 more
nations. [29]  In January 2014, plans were confirmed by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and
Planning of India. The sixteen different types of visa would also be reduced to three: work, business
and tourism. [31]  The proposal initially met resistance from intelligence agencies and the possible
problem of queues emerged
2014
n February 2014 it was announced that Indian intelligence agencies had given their approval to visa-
on-arrival for up to 180 countries, largely due to the new possibilities provided by the Immigration,
Visa and Foreigners’ Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) system. The system would not be a typical
visa on arrival in order to avoid clutter at the airports, but a system based on a prior online
application modelled after Australian Electronic Travel Authority system. [34][35][36] On 5 February 2014 it was decided to introduce visa-on-arrival to tourists from 180 countries.
Technical implementation, such as setting up the website for applications, was expected to take
about 6 months and the authorities hoped to have it in place for the tourist season beginning in
October 2014. Prospective visitors would have to pay a fee and the electronic version of the visa
should be granted within three days. The program was expected to apply to all international airports.
However, nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan were to be
excluded from this program. [37] In July 2014 it was announced that India hoped to implement the program for citizens of 40 countries
in the first phase by December 2014 and later on for 109 additional countries if the first phase were
implemented successfully. [38] In August 2014 it was revealed that ministries of Tourism, Home Affairs and External Affairs could
not agree on the list of countries for the ETA. The Ministry of Tourism proposed to allow the new
system for the citizens of the 15 countries with the most visitors to India, the Ministry of External
Affairs proposed to create a balanced list with some Asian and African countries, while the Ministry
of Home Affairs proposed to exclude all countries with high security concerns. [39]

In September 2014 Indian Prime Minister  Narendra Modi  announced that the United States would be
added to the list of countries whose citizens may obtain a visa on arrival. [40]  However, in October
2014 the planned introduction of the new e-Visa system was pushed from 2 October 2014 to June
2015. [41]  It was also revealed that the list of visa on arrival countries was unlikely to be expanded in
2014. [42] In November 2014 it was announced that the e-visa system might be rolled out for about 25
countries including the 13 countries which were already eligible for visa on arrival. [43]  Later that month
it was announced that 28 countries would become eligible for an electronic visa on 27 November
2014 and that the list would include visa on arrival eligible countries as well
as Brazil, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Mauritius, Norway, Palestine, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, United
Arab Emirates, United States. [

2015[edit] The manual processing of the visa on arrival was discontinued in January 2015. [48]  Until 26 January
2015, citizens of the following countries holding ordinary passports were granted visa on arrival
without obtaining an ETA (unless they were of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin), for a single stay up
to 30 days in India when traveling as a tourist or for visiting family or friends: [1][49][48]   Cambodia
  Finland
  Indonesia

  Japan
  Laos
  Luxembourg

  Myanmar
  New Zealand
  Philippines

  Singapore
  South Korea
  Vietnam

In February 2015, the Ministry of Tourism proposed extending the facility to citizens of China, United
Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy and Malaysia. [50]  Subsequently, the Minister of Financeannounced that
the facility would be extended, in stages, to citizens of 150 countries. [51]  In March 2015 it was
announced that 53 nations were shortlisted for the second round of expansion of the system based
on the number of tourist arrivals in the previous years. [52] After the Government was criticised for naming the new policy "Visa on arrival" it decided to rename
it to "e-Tourist Visa (eTV)" in April 2015. [53][54] The e-Tourist Visa facility was extended to 31 new countries on 1 May 2015. [55] In May 2015, Indian Foreign Ministry announced that Chinese citizens will be able to apply for e-
Tourist Visa facility in order to coordinate Prime Minister  Narendra Modi  visiting China between 14
and 16 May. Disputes about the Sino-Indian border and national security would be postponed. [56] On 29 July 2015 Indian Ministry of Home Affairs announced the extension of e-Tourist Visa facility
to China, Hong Kong and Macau with effect from 30 July 2015. [57] The list of eligible nationalities was extended with 36 new countries on 15 August 2015. On the
same day the list of eTV airports was expanded with 7 new airports. [14]  The extension to 150
nationalities was scheduled to be finished by 31 March 2016. [58] In September 2015 it was announced that the list would be expanded by another 37 countries