Travel Information

Last Updated

Last updated: 29 November 2006
Current at: 30 January 2007

Travel Insurance

The Department of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends that comprehensive travel insurance, including medical insurance, is obtained before travelling to India. Travellers should note that the Irish government does not provide funds for emergency medical repatriation or for repatriation of remains.

Visitors should be conscious of health precautions and should consult a tropical medicine adviser before travel to or in India. You should also ensure that immunisations against common infections are up to date before travelling.

Entry Requirements

For entry requirements for India, please contact the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate.

It is advisable to take a number of photocopies of your passport with you. During your stay you should carry a photocopy of your passport at all times.

Safety and Security

There is a continuing threat of terrorism in India.

On July 11 2006, bombs exploded at seven stations along the western commuter rail line in Mumbai killing over 180 people and injuring hundreds more. Irish citizens in India are advised to exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings. Security levels in India have been tightened following the incident.

We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in India due to the risk of terrorist activity by militant groups.

You should pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media and other local information sources for information about possible new safety or security risks.

Prominent government buildings, public transport, places of worship and commercial and public areas are potential targets for terrorist attack.

We advise against all travel to or through rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir (other than Ladakh) and all but essential travel to Srinagar. There is a high level of conflict and terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir (excluding Ladakh).

We advise against all but essential travel to Imphal (by air) and against all travel in the rest of Manipur and Tripura. Lawlessness and violence are serious risks in the north-eastern part of the country. There have also been occasional skirmishes on the India/Bangladesh border.

There have also been terrorist attacks in other parts of India, including the major cities of Delhi and Mumbai and in the religious pilgrimage city of Varinasi. Visitors should be vigilant at all times against the threat of criminality and terrorism.

India is a vast and diverse country. Travel in certain parts of India can be problematic because of specific local conditions, so trips should be thoroughly planned and researched. Parts of India can be prone to extreme adverse weather, geological conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, cyclones and the earthquake which affected northern India on 8 October 2005.

Irish citizens resident in India should ensure that they are registered with the Embassy in New Delhi.

Crime

Beware of the risk of street crime and take personal security measures including:

Taking particular care to safeguard your passport and credit/ATM cards, particularly when travelling by bus and train. There has been an increase in handbag snatching in Delhi.

A photocopy of your passport, Indian visa and flight ticket should be kept separately from the originals when travelling.

Local Laws and Customs

You should not become involved with drugs of any kind. Penalties for possession of narcotic substances can be severe. There is a minimum sentence of six months for possession of small amounts for personal consumption only. However, a 10 year sentence for possession of other amounts applies. The slow judicial process means that lengthy pre-trial detention, usually of several years, is the norm.

Local Travel

India is a vast and diverse country. Travel in certain parts of India can be problematic because of specific local conditions, so trips should be thoroughly planned and researched. Parts of India can be prone to extreme adverse weather, geological conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, cyclones and the earthquake which affected northern India on 8 October.

Road Safety

Driving on Indian roads can be hazardous, particularly at night in rural areas. Inadequately lit buses and lorries, poor driving and badly maintained vehicles are the main causes of accidents.

Health

On 29 March 2006, the Government of India announced that the H5N1 avian influenza virus was found in domestic poultry in Ichhapur village in the Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh. This is close to the Jalgoan region of Maharastra where the first outbreak of flu in India (in Navapur, 400 kms from Mumbai) was reported on 18 February 2006. On 25 February 2006, tests confirmed that the virus was present in domestic poultry in Surat, Gujarat, a few kilometres away from Navapur. No human infections or deaths have been confirmed.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. As a precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

Please see our section on Avian Influenza for further information and advice.

Local medical facilities are not comparable to those in Ireland, especially in more remote areas. However, in the major cities private medical care is available, but is expensive. In the case of psychiatric illness, specialised treatment may not be available outside major cities. The treatment of such illnesses may require long-term hospitalisation, which may incur large expenditure and in many of these cases, insurance companies are reluctant to cover the cost.

Dengue fever is one of the infectious diseases endemic to India and an outbreak resulting in some fatalities has been reported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, aching joints and a headache. These symptoms usually begin 7 to 10 days after being bitten. No vaccine exists to protect against dengue fever and you should therefore use mosquito repellent and cover up with suitable clothing to avoid being bitten. The Department of Foreign Affairs recommends that Irish citizens obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.

There have been some outbreaks of HPAI (Bird Flu) in India since the beginning of 2006.

Visitors should also be conscious of health precautions and should consult a tropical medicine adviser before travel to or in India.