Travel

A visa is required for travel to India

You will need a passport already when you apply for a visa. Get your passport as soon as possible if you don't have one!

• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival and have a minimum of two blank pages.

You will also need to know your port of arrival ahead of time, so you will need to book flights before applying for the visa.

We strongly recommend applying for an e-Visa, since it is faster and much easier to obtain than a traditional paper visa.

• The official site is: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

• We recommend an e-Tourist Visa for 30 days ($25), but you may also do 1 year or 5 years ($40 or $160 respectively for U.S. citizens)

• You can apply a maximum of 120 days in advance of your arrival. It takes anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks for them to get back to you.

Bhopal's airport (BHO) is not international. You will need to fly into a major port city (e.g. Mumbai, Delhi) and go through customs, then transfer to a domestic flight.

• Beware that Delhi often has bouts of very heavy fog in the winter that can delay flights significantly. Consider an overnight layover if going via Delhi.

Watch out for baggage allowance, especially if you plan to take a domestic flight that is not part of an international itinerary

• If you're coming for just the wedding, book through to Bhopal instead of buying the legs separately ("split ticket") to ensure you get international baggage allowance even on the domestic leg.

• If you're planning on going around within India before/after the wedding, pack light or be prepared to pay extra for baggage

Air India is one of the few airlines flying direct between India and the U.S., but beware that they have been frequently rescheduling flights (we've seen up to 16 hours earlier or later), so keep an eye on your email.

Look for departures 2 days ahead of the day you wish to arrive. The journey will take anywhere from 20-40 hours depending on how many connections you have, and Indian Standard Time is 9.5 to 12.5 hours ahead of U.S. time.

We recommend arriving in Bhopal before the 30th, on Tuesday 12/29 or even Monday 12/28, to allow ample time for delays and recovery from jet lag.

See the Venue page for more information about the Jehan Numa Palace Hotel where the wedding is taking place.

The entire hotel has been reserved exclusively for wedding guests from December 30th until January 2nd. Check-in for wedding guests begins on 30th at 2pm. Early check-in may be possible; regardless, they can store your baggage until the room is ready. Check-out is by 12pm on the 2nd.

If you wish to extend your stay at Jehan Numa beyond this time, you will need to make your own reservation. Let us know if you do though; we may be able to coordinate with Jehan Numa such that you can remain in the same room without needing to check out and re-check in.

Air pollution isn't too bad in Bhopal, but may be pretty bad in large cities like Delhi. Consider wearing a mask if you have to go outside.

Be conscious of what you eat and drink while in India

• Only drink bottled/sealed water. Even filtered water may not be 100% safe. Do not drink tap water. To be extra safe, avoid ice, and use bottled water for rinsing your toothbrush when brushing your teeth

• Do not eat raw fruits or vegetables unless you peel them yourself

• Expect food to be spicier on average than American food

• Bring antidiarrheal medication just in case

India is somewhat more conservative on average than America

• Dress a little more conservatively while traveling. Avoid plunging necklines, short shorts, etc.

• Avoid romantic displays of affection in public - hugging is fine, but avoid kissing on the lips, for example.

If you plan on any travel or shopping outside of the wedding, consider converting cash since a lot of smaller shops may be cash-only.

• If you have a debit card with no foreign transaction fee, the easiest (and lowest-fee) option is to simply make a withdrawal from an ATM once in India.

• If you want to exchange physical cash from USD to INR (rupees), the best option in India, go to a RBI-licensed money changer or reputable bank (e.g. Axis Bank).

• The next best option is to order a cash pickup from Western Union or a similar service, but fees are usually higher.

• As a last resort, currency exchanges at any airport should be able to exchange money, however, the markup and fees are usually significant (up to 15%).