Passport, Visa & Entry Requirements
| Package: | 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. See below for more information.
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 cannot obtain an eVisa until 30 days prior to arrival in India, but no later than 4 days before your departure from the US. However, visas are only valid for entry within 30 days of the date of issue, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply for your eVisa between 14-21 days prior to your arrival in India.
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.”
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.
If you do not hold a U.S. passport, please see the entry 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, please see the entry requirements.
General Requirements & Guidelines
- We provide visa & entry requirement information for the convenience of our travelers, and we try to keep it up-to-date. Ultimately, however, it is your responsibility to determine the passport and visa requirements that apply to you and to comply with them, including securing proper travel documents by the required deadlines and carrying them with you. Requirements are subject to change, sometimes without notice, and we suggest you verify them with the relevant embassy or consulate, the U.S. State Dept (if you're a U.S. passport holder), and/or with an expedited visa service such as VisaHQ. Airlines and cruises may deny boarding, your trip may be disrupted, and travel insurance may not cover your losses if your passport and visa are not in order.
- 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. Airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding if the name on your passport does not match your tickets.
- 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.
Expedited Visa Service
Need to obtain your own visas? Though it is possible to obtain a visa directly from an embassy or consulate, we generally recommend using a fee-based visa service, such as our preferred provider, 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.