ÿþ<!DOCTYPE doctype PUBLIC "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="Author" content="Afroz Taj"> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Mozilla/4.7 [en] (Win98; I) [Netscape]"> <title>consul</title> </head> <body text="#000000" link="#0000ee" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000"> <b>Visa information:</b> <p>You need a TOURIST visa (3 months or more if you are staying longer). &nbsp;DO NOT ask for a student visa. &nbsp;Student visas are for people enrolling in Indian universities or course programs. &nbsp;<br> </p> <p>NOTE: THE INDIAN CONSULATE HAS OUTSOURCED IT'S VISA OPERATIONS TO TRAVISA OUTSOURCING INC whose link is as follows <a href="http://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/">TRAVISA OUTSOURCING.</a> The Travisa outsourcing Inc address is 1731 21ST. ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20009 <br> <br> </p> <hr width="100%"> <br> <b>Other Frequently Asked Questions:</b> <p>Q: How much spending money should I bring? </p> <p>A: About $200 or $300 should be more than enough.&nbsp; Certainly no more than $500, even if you plan to do a lot of souvenir shopping. &nbsp;Bring a combination of cash and travelers checks. &nbsp;Remember, all meals and group trip expenses are paid for, and in fact you are generally not allowed to go off and eat on your own. </p> <p>Q: Should I change money before I go? </p> <p>A: No! You will get a bad rate here. We can change money in the airport upon arrival, and ATMs are widely available in Delhi and the major cities.<br> </p> <br> </p> <p><br> Q: Will I have access to ATM machines in India?<br> </p> <p>A: Yes, certainly in Delhi. ATMs dispense Indian Rupees at the regular bank rate. Your bank usually charges a nominal transaction fee as well. There are ATMs in Jaipur and Agra as well. <p><br> Q: Can I use Travelers' Checks?<br> </p> <p>A: Yes, Travelers' Checks are the safest way to carry your money. You can change as little or as much as you need as you go. The down side is that only certain banks can cash TCs and these banks have limited hours. You should probably bring some TCs as a safety in case you lose your ATM card. </p> <br> </p> <p>Q: How will my parents contact me? </p> <p>A: Our contact numbers for each location will be posted under the Itinerary section of this website. However it's usually better for you to keep in touch with your parents by emailing, Skyping, or calling them from an STD service. Some students opt to purchase a cell phone in India although the process is somewhat complicated.<br> Q: Will I have access to email?<br> <br> A: There are Cyber Cafes everywhere in India. You pay a small fee, usually less than a dollar, for each half hour of Internet access. &nbsp;This is probably the best way to keep in touch with your friends and family back home. Be aware, however, that we may arrive in the middle of the night and there may not be a Cyber Cafe or STD service open at that hour. Let your parents know when they can reasonably expect to hear from you upon arrival. Remember, India is 10.5 hours ahead of the US (EST). <br> <br> Q: Should I buy a phone card here before I go? &nbsp;Or a cell phone with global roaming?<br> <br> A: Students have tried phone cards and found that cards don't work in India, or don't work outside of Delhi. &nbsp;Cell phones with global roaming also have not worked consistently and are very expensive. &nbsp;It's usually easier and cheaper just to call from an STD (commercial phone booth) and pay the attendant the normal rate. <br> <br> </body> </html>