Travel Information

All travelers are strongly advised to take necessary precautions, when traveling abroad.

Traveling to India

Travelers are advised to be very wary of unsolicited approaches for provision of various services, particularly for assistance with shopping for jewelry and gems. Many tourists fall victim to gem and jeweler scams, in which one or more friendly strangers (including foreign travelers) offer, or alert the tourist to, a claimed exceptional deal that would multiply the value of their money back in their country. Many of these scams involve the stranger introducing or directing the tourist to a third party; the sale will then take place between the tourist and the third party. The gemstones and jewelry turn out to be grossly overpriced and money back guarantees are not honoured. Refunds are very difficult to obtain and trying to do so will be a major inconvenience to travel plans.

When shopping for jewelry and gems visitors should use only reputable outlets - there are government jewelry outlets in India and these are listed in Government tourist literature. There are no special tax free arrangements on holidays or other special occasions. It is recommended that Australian citizens seek advice from major hotels or the Tourism Authority of India on reputable establishments.

Prior permission is required from the Indian authorities to visit certain parts of the country, particularly in the north-east. For example, permits are required for Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, parts of Kulu District and Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh, border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, some areas of Uttar Pradesh, parts of Rajasthan adjacent to the international border and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has advised that the minimum period of notice required for processing applications for permits is four weeks. Advice on particular requirements should be sought from your travel agent or from the Indian mission in the city closest to you.

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Health Issues

For information on prevalent diseases and inoculations, travelers should consult their doctor or a travel clinic.

Travel and Health Insurance

Travel and medical insurance is strongly recommended for all overseas travel. Travelers should check with their insurer to make sure that their policy meets their needs. In particular, travelers should be aware that some insurance companies will not pay claims which arise when travelers have disregarded the Government’s travel advice.

Safety and Security

Travelersshould not travel to the border areas between India and Pakistan. Trans-border coach and rail services and air services between the countries are suspended. Travelers who choose to travel to border areas despite this warning should closely monitor events that might affect their safety and follow the advice of local authorities.

Travelersshould also avoid travel to Jammu and Kashmir. There continue to be serious security problems in Srinagar, elsewhere in the Kashmir valley, and in other parts of the state. Armed clashes and bombings occur frequently. This has resulted in the death of several hundred people annually.

The security situation in the north-east remains uncertain. Foreign citizens should defer travel to the states of Assam, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur and exercise caution if traveling in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

There are still on-going tensions in the states of Gujarat following the outbreak of communal violence earlier this year. Some cities, including Ahmadabad, still have curfews in place and while the violence is not directed at foreigners, travelers in these states should pay particular attention to their personal security, monitor local news reports and act on the advice of local authorities.

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