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A Visa is necessary for you to travel to India. Please contact your local
Indian Embassy or Consulate for the proper forms and information.
Note: As of 2007, Indian visas for visitors from the USA are being
outsourced to Travisa India. Be sure to apply for your visa early enough. You will need to
send your passport together with the necessary payment.
• Depending on the length of your stay it may be necessary for a "Residential Permit" from the Police Department in Madurai on arrival.
• It is advisable to carry additional copies of your visa/ passport/ residential permit. Having spare passport sized photographs with you will also
be useful.
• It is advisable to obtain a travel insurance policy to cover theft, loss
and medical problem before leaving for India. There are a wide range
of policies, and your travel agent can advise you. Be sure to check the
small print that covers things such as an emergency flight home with
a medical escort and the ambulance costs. Keep a copy of this policy
apart from the original.
• Before leaving your own country you should visit your doctor to
receive information on the precautions and vaccinations needed for
travel in India.
• Since India can be quite dusty, contact lens wearers may find it
difficult, especially in the rural areas. It is advisable to bring along a
pair of sunglasses and some sunscreen lotion. It’s also advisable to
bring along some mosquito repellant.
When making your flight arrangements, try to find a travel agent
familiar with India. Some inexpensive flights can be found, both from
the major carriers and also from some of the new "budget carriers" in
India.
• For travel to India from the USA, you can purchase a TSA approved "travel lock" with a strap to go around your suitcase, minimizing the
chances of items disappearing from your luggage.
• Planes are sometimes double-booked and confirmation of booking and
flight time is important.
• When checking your luggage for your journey to Aravind, you can
usually check your baggage all the way to Chennai (or other major international airports). After going through customs inspection, you
can re-check your bags for the remainder of your journey.
• For local flights within India, in addition to the other items you normally carry in your checked baggage, transfer all extra batteries from
your hand baggage to your checked baggage – otherwise they will be
seized by airport security during check-in.
• Most Indian airports with international facilities have two separate terminals, one for “international” and one for “domestic” flights. When
scheduling connecting flights, be sure to allow enough time for immigration, customs inspection, and transfer to the other terminal.
• Retain the baggage tags that you receive when you check in, as security
may require you to show the tags when you leave the destination airport.
• If you will have an overnight stay in Chennai between connecting
flights, we recommend the Hotel Mount Heera and Hotel Mars as safe
places to stay. Both hotels are only fifteen minutes from the airport.
• Retiring rooms are also usually available at the Chennai airport. The
cost is 700 rupees for one bed in a two-bed room, or 400 rupees for
a bed in the eight-room dormitory. These retiring rooms cannot be
booked in advance. When you arrive at the Chennai airport, go to
the Airport Manager’s offices, mid-way between the domestic and
international terminals, and enquire whether space is available. This is
a convenient, clean, and safe way to spend the night if you're leaving
on a flight the next day. The airport restaurant is located above these
rooms, on the next floor.
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