International Patients
- Check the validity of your passport.
- Carry attested photostat copies of travel documents and keep the originals safely.
- Obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before traveling.
- Get a medical/dental/optical check-up.
- Review your health insurance policies / coverage.
- Get any needed immunizations. The recommended shots for India are for tetanus, tuberculosis and a hepatitis shot.
- Have your doctor use generic names of your medicine as trade names vary from country to country.
- Carry a letter from your doctor outlining your current treatment and illness.
- Bring your own medicines.
- India's time zone is GMT/UTC +5.5 so flying from almost anywhere in the world you will probably be jet lagged.
- Try to get onto India's time zone as soon as you leave home, try to eat and sleep on Indian time.
- Get the equivalent of $100 in rupees cash before leaving the airport. Taxis don't take US $!
- Do not carry large amounts of cash in your wallet or a back pocket.
- Don't try to sight see and shop on your first day.
- Buy from genuine shops only.
- Being a foreigner, you could be the centre of attraction. Therefore, try dressing like a local.
- Make sure you drink bottled water or packaged mineral water while on India tours.
- Try and avoid spicy food, especially if you’re not used to it.
- Use sun block rated at least 15 SPF, especially at high altitudes, where the risk of sunburn is greater.
- Buy air / rail or travel tickets only from unauthorized persons.
- Be careful about your luggage while you travel in train or in bus.
- Don't eat anything offered by fellow travelers on train or road travels.
- Diseases from food and water often cause vomiting and diarrhea. Make sure to bring diarrhea medicine with you so that you can treat mild cases yourself.
- Avoid self driving in India unless you have been trained on Indian roads.
- Avoid offers of spiritual salvation and magic remedies from saints, god men and quacks.
- Don't ever enter a temple, mosque, tomb, dargah or gurudwara ( Sikh Temple) with shoes on.
- Direct contact with animals can spread diseases like rabies or cause serious injury or illness
- It is important to prevent animal bites and scratches.
- To avoid infections such as HIV and viral hepatitis do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing, or injections.
- To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, especially on beaches where animals may have defecated