Passports & Travel Visas

Requirements for A Taste of India (formerly Taj Mahal Express)

Visa Required: U.S. citizens must have a visa for entry into India. India visas must be obtained prior to departure. Have a passport from another country? Please review the visa requirements.

Information by Destination

India

U.S. citizens must have a passport which is valid for at least six months after the arrival date, with at least two blank visa pages. U.S. passport holders must also have a visa to enter India. US passport holders visiting India with stays up to 30 days may obtain a single or double entry  eVisa through the Indian Government's eTVOA website. You should obtain your visa after your final payment due date (75 days prior to departure), but no later than 4 days before your departure from the US. However, we strongly recommend that you apply for your eVisa no less than 30 days before your departure date. 

Please note that when applying for your eVisa, you will be asked to upload clear photocopies of the following:
·         A recent front-facing photograph with white background
·         The signature, picture, and data pages of your passport

A non-refundable eVisa fee must be paid no later than 4 days before your expected arrival date in India.  Once your eVisa is approved, you will receive an email with the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) status marked as “GRANTED.”  

You may also view the status of your visa through the Indian Government's eVisa website 

Please be sure to have a print out of the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) with you at all times, during your stay in India. You will be asked to present your valid Indian visa at the airline check-in counter. You may not be allowed to board the plane without a valid India visa.

Non U.S. citizens must check with their respective consulates of the countries visited or transited through on this tour as to the most current visa requirements.

Nepal

U.S. citizens must have a passport which is valid for at least six months after your date of return to the U.S. with one blank page. U.S. passport holders must also have a visa to enter Nepal. The necessary tourist visa will be issued upon arrival in Nepal upon payment of the Visa fee.  Applications can be completed inside the airport using self-service kiosk machines. However, as there are only a few kiosk machines, to avoid long queues, we recommend completing the application online, no earlier than 15 days prior to your arrival in Nepal. Full instructions will be provided in your final documents. (as of Mar. 23, 2018 the fee is $30 per person but is subject to change at any time.)  

If you do not hold a U.S. passport, you are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas and meeting all entry requirements. If a visa is required, we recommend using a fee-based visa service, such as our preferred provider VisaHQ.

It is the responsibility of each traveler to determine passport and visa requirements and comply with them and to secure the proper travel documents. To avoid disappointment and unnecessary expenses, please carefully review the requirements so that you can obtain all necessary documents well before your trip. Requirements are subject to change, often without notice, and we suggest you verify requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate. We will not be held responsible for any charges, trip interruptions, or cancellations due to incorrect or missing visas, nor will travel insurance cover your lost expenses.

General Requirements & Guidelines

• To travel abroad, U.S. citizens must have a passport. In general, it should be valid for at least six months after your return date, and passports expiring before then should be renewed as soon as possible. We recommend that passports contain at least 2 blank pages for each country visited. If your passport does not have this many pages, you should obtain a new passport as soon as possible.
• Any changes in names or passport information should be reported to us immediately.
• Many countries also require a travel visa for entry. Requirements vary by country. Some countries issue visas upon arrival, but in most cases, you need to obtain visas prior to travel.
• Airlines and cruises may deny boarding and your tour may be disrupted if your passport and visa are not in order.
• Minors (age 17 or younger) departing and/or returning to the U.S. without parents or with only one parent may be required by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to present a notarized parental consent letter and/or unabridged birth certificate (more information). Many other countries have similar entry requirements, especially for minors traveling with a parent/guardian with a different surname; check with the consulates of all countries you'll be visiting to learn more.

Getting a Visa

In general, if you are a U.S. citizen, we will send you visa instructions.

If you are not a U.S. passport holder, you are responsible for checking the requirements to obtain your own visa. Please carefully review your entire itinerary (including all ports of call on cruises) to determine which countries you will visit. (Pay special attention to international flight routing, as some countries require visas for transiting through their airports, even if you are en route to another country.) Then determine the passport & visa requirements for each country on your itinerary, including whether you may need a multiple-entry visa. We recommend using an expedited visa service—see below.

Select a destination above to see more specific instructions.

Expedited Visa Service

Need to obtain your own visas? Though it is possible to obtain a visa directly from the consulate of the country you're visiting, we recommend using a fee-based visa service, such as our preferred provider for most destinations, VisaHQ. Here's why:

• It is much easier and faster to arrange your visa through a service.
• You can complete the entire process online, including all forms.
• Your information is stored on a secure server and can be re-used for multiple visa applications.
• For a nominal cost, you enjoy professional and expert handling of your visa application. If there's a problem, a specialist with contacts at the various consulates will ensure you get your visa in a timely way.

To get started, select the countries that you will be visiting.