Travel Formalities

I. Passport II. Visa III. Health IV. Customs

V. Currency VI. Travel Insurance

Overview of Travel Formalities

Certain formalities need to be completed by tourists before theycan leave their country or enter another country. This is in theinterest of the tourists as well as the country being visited. Theseformalities are in the form of official documents and endorsementswhich need to be procured well in advance.

Generally there is no restriction on Indian and foreign nationalsvisiting any state in India except for the border states and islands,for which a special entry permit is required.

Travel formalities which need to be completed before undertakingany travel abroad are as follows:

I. Passport II.Visa III. Health

IV. Customs V. Currency VI.Travel Insurance

Passport

Definition: An official document issued by a Govt. or

competent authority to nationals /citizen of the issuing

country.

Contain information:

Family name Date of issue

Given name Authority

Nationality Date of expiry

DOB Holder’s signature

Place of Birth Holder’s photograph

Sex Observation

Types of Passport

Normal Passport: This dark blue coloured passport is issuedto any ordinary citizen of India.

Diplomatic or consular passport: This red colouredpassport is issued to persons holding diplomatic or consularstatus as per international law & custom.

Alien’s passport: This type of passport may be issued toindividuals living in a country, even though they are not citizenor nationals of that country.

Official passport: This white/grey coloured passport issuedto Govt. officials or other persons travelling on governmentmissions.

Cont….

Children’s identity card: Issued by some countries only

instead of passport to minor children who have not reached a

specified minimum age. Exp: the German “Kinderausweis”.

Other passport: International Red Cross & Laissez-passer

(safe conduct) travel document supplied to refugees /stateless

persons. These passports are issued by international

organisations such as the: UN, Int. Red Cross etc.

Bona fide Certificate: Issued to domiciles for travel to Nepal

or Bhutan.

Pilgrim Pass: This is issued by the Hajj committee for Hajj,

Umma & Zirat pilgrims.

Continuous discharge certificate(CDC): Issued to those

seamen who have to join on duty or go off duty.

Documents required for obtaining a passport

Photograph

Address proof

Date of birth proof

Identity certificate

Education certificate

No objection certificate

Affidavit / marriage certificate

How to obtain a passport

Complete an application

form

Assemble all required

documents

Submit to the passport office

VISA (Visitors Intended Stay Abroad)

Definition: A visa is an entry in a passport or other travel

document made by an official of a government, indicating that

the bearer has been granted authority to enter or re-enter the

country concerned. A visa usually specifies the authorised

length of stay, the period of validity and the number of entries

allowed during that period.

Single entry: A single entry visa will not be valid if it has been

used once, even when the validity date has not expired.

Multiple entry: Its validity expires on the date of its expiry.

Types of Visas

Tourist visa: For a limited period for leisure travel, no businessactivities allowed.

Transit visa: Usually valid for three days or less, for passing throughthe country to a third destination.

Transit without visa (TWOV): Many countries have madeagreements that allow other nationals to transit their countrywithout the need to obtain a visa.

Visa on arrival: This is in the form of an entrance fee and isrequired before they can pass immigration.

Spousal visa: Granted to the spouse of a resident or citizen of agiven country, to enable the couple to settle in that country.

Cont…. Schengen Visa: This is an agreement between several

member states of the EU and effectively creates a “borderless”region known as Schengen area (Est. 1995).

Fiancée visa: Granted for a limited period prior to marriagebased on proven relationship with a citizen of the destinationcountry. For example: an Indian woman who wishes to marryan American man would obtain a fiancee visa (K-1 visa) toallow her to enter the USA.

Student Visa: Allows its holder to study at an institution ofhigher learning in the country of issue. However, somecountries such as Algeria, issue tourist visas to students.

Requirements for visas

1. Original passport valid for min. 6 months from DOD

2. Valid return tickets

3. Visa form duly filled & signed as per passport

4. Last 3 yrs IT return

5. Last 6 months bank statement

6. Latest passport size photograph (as per country rule)

7. Foreign exchange, to be endorsed in the passport

8. Accommodation confirmation

9. Letter of invitation

10. No objection certificate

11. Covering letter from the applicant stating purpose & duration

12. Travel Insurance

How to obtain a visa

Complete an application form

Assemble all required documents

Submit to consulate office along with valid passport

Health certificate & General information

This is another travel formality that agents need to be able tooffer advice on. Agents should check for any compulsoryvaccinations required to protect against disease & infectionwhilst travelling. It is necessary to check the health regulationsof:

a. The country of destination

b. The country of origin or departure

c. Any transit countries

Travellers are given a health certificate by their doctor ortravel clinic when they receive compulsory vaccinations.Other vaccinations, which are not compulsory & thereforedo not need a health certificate to be issued, may berecommended for travel to certain countries.

Cont….. The World Health Organization (WHO) collects & publishes

individual country health requirements in its booklet entitledInternational Travel & Health. Agents are advised to use TIM as thesource of reference on health.

The Official Airline Guide (OAG), published quarterly by OAGworldwide, is another valuable reference source for information onpassports & visas as well as vaccinations that are necessary orrecommended.

As per the WHO norms, vaccination of persons who arrive frominfected areas, against certain diseases such as plague, cholera, yellowfever, hepatitis etc. is compulsory.

A valid immunization certificate as approved by WHO should becompleted & signed by a competent authority.

Compulsory & Recommended vaccinations

There are two types of vaccinations, which are compulsory &recommended.

The compulsory vaccinations are required only by certaincountries.

Some countries may recommended certain immunizations,especially when the travellers normally travel outside theurban areas.

The travellers should obtain a health certificate, providing thatthey have been vaccinated for a specified infectious disease(either yellow fever or cholera). If they are not able toproduce the same, they could be deported back out of thecountry or they could be detained & kept in quarantine.

Travellers should know

Yellow fever & cholera vaccination performed togetherwill take up to 20 days to take effect.

The international certificate of vaccination must becompleted & stamped by the vaccinator.

Yellow fever vaccination are valid for 10 years beginning10 days after vaccination.

Cholera vaccination are valid for 6 months beginning 6days after the first injection.

General Health InformationInfected or endemic areas

Cholera:mainly in Africa (Senegal, Somalia, Swaziland, Togo, Uganda,

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Congo, Malawi etc.

in Asia (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, India, China, Iran etc.)

in S.America (Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica etc.)

Plague:mainly in Africa (Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi etc.)

in Asia (Vietnam)

in S.America (Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru)

Yellow fever: in Africa (Angola, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria,

Sudan, Ethiopia,Togo, Rwanda,Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia etc.)

in S.America (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,Venezuela etc.)

Health & Preventative measure for Travellers

Before going abroad travellers should visit a doctor ortravel clinic to find out what vaccinations are necessaryfor their trip.

Travellers should bring a good medical kit & prescriptionsfor all drugs taken into another country.

It is generally safe to drink boiled or canned milk, tea &coffee or bottle soda water.

Avoids many health problems by regularly washing hands,drinking only bottle mineral water.

Customs

Customs regulations govern the transport of articles & species fromone country to another.

The regulations may protect the spread of dangerous infectiousdiseases.

The import & export of certain articles may be restricted.

Import & export limits for permitted items may be exceeded, but aduty must be paid.

The duty collected by the customs officials is another direct sourceof revenue for government.

Personal use items (clothes, camera, laptop etc.) are not restricted.

Regulations describes in TIM

Passenger travelling with pets

Wild flora & fauna

Baggage clearance

Firearms, other weapons etc.

Customs regulations of individual countries of thequantities of duty-free items that may be imported orexported.

Currency & other forms of payment

Foreign exchange, to be endorsed in the passport for visa

Cash: Carrying a small amount of local currency is always useful &sometimes essential to pay for local transport, food, drink and entrancefees.

Traveller’s cheques: it can be replaced if lost. Travellers must keep arecord of individual cheque numbers & the date & place where chequeshave been cashed.

Credit /Debit cards (ATMs): this is safe & fees are often cheaper. Bestadvise to take another forms of payment as a backup.

International transfers: if one needs to get money sent from home,nominate a large bank in a major city to receive the funds. One can alsotransfer money through American Express or Thomas Cook.

Travel Insurance

Tourists going abroad need to insure themselves against anysudden and unexpected mishap, such as sickness, accident ordeath, which may arise when the insured person is outside hiscountry of origin.

To get the visa, travel insurance is mandatory of many countries. Ifnot, then also tourist should have the same.

From a travel insurance, a tourism organization can earn 25% -35% commission on it.

Travel insurance offers travellers the opportunity to protectthemselves financially from the most common types ofemergencies. Travel insurance can also provide helpful services,often 24 hours a day, offering general assistance & emergencytravel assistance.

Protecting risks by travel insurance

Accident during the journey (tour)

Trip interruptions due to cancelled services

Political or civil instability

Theft of luggage and personal effects

Health or loss of life