# Nomad · Travel Kit: sources

Official-source check of 30 Oct 2026 (IST). Every factual line on the page links to the official page(s) below; lines marked "Our tip" are editorial advice and state no facts. Customs and currency limits are legal thresholds, not prices; the page lists no costs. Kit picks: 0 (content.TRAVEL_KIT_PRODUCTS); the disclosure "Some kit picks link to products I sell on Amazon." shows only when there is at least one.

| Fact used | Source |
|---|---|
| Leaving India · Documents: Check your passport against your destination's validity and blank-page rules, and renew early if it is close. Renewals go through Passport Seva. | https://www.passportindia.gov.in/psp |
| Leaving India · Documents: Get your visa or e-visa only from the destination country's official embassy or government site. Your nearest Indian mission is on MEA's list of missions and posts. | https://www.mea.gov.in/indian-mission-abroad |
| Leaving India · Documents: Keep one printed set and one offline copy on your phone: passport photo page, visa, tickets, insurance policy and bookings. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Leaving India · Money and forex: Forex you buy for a private visit abroad (except to Nepal and Bhutan) counts toward the RBI Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit of USD 250,000 per person per financial year (April to March), from all sources together. | https://rbi.org.in/SCRIPTs/FAQView.aspx?Id=115 |
| Leaving India · Money and forex: Indian currency notes: a resident may take out up to ₹25,000 per person (other than to Nepal and Bhutan), unless RBI notifies another amount. | https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_FemaNotifications.aspx?Id=10255 |
| Leaving India · Money and forex: Going to Nepal or Bhutan: notes of ₹100 or less are fine; notes above ₹100 are allowed up to a total of ₹25,000. | https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=13215&Mode=0 · https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_FemaNotifications.aspx?Id=10255 |
| Leaving India · Money and forex: Carry two cards from different banks and switch on international use in each bank's app before you fly. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Leaving India · Health and insurance: Look up your destination's vaccines and health notices well before you go. | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list · https://www.who.int/health-topics/travel-and-health |
| Leaving India · Health and insurance: Visiting a yellow-fever country? You will need a valid yellow fever certificate when you come back to India. It is valid from 10 days after vaccination, and photocopies or scanned/digital versions aren't accepted. Without it you can be quarantined for up to 6 days. | https://ihpoe.mohfw.gov.in/vaccination.php |
| Leaving India · Health and insurance: Buy travel insurance that covers medical care abroad and the activity you are going for (sailing, ballooning, a desert burn), and check whether your visa asks for it. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Leaving India · Phone and power: Keep your Indian SIM active (on roaming or a small pack) so bank OTPs still reach you, and use a local or travel eSIM for data. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Leaving India · Phone and power: Indian plugs are mostly Type D (230 V, 50 Hz). Pack a universal adapter, since most destinations use different sockets. | https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Plugs-and-Sockets-20.pdf |
| Leaving India · Customs and coming home: Taking a new camera, drone or laptop abroad and bringing it back? Declare it to Customs before you leave and get an export certificate, so it isn't treated as new goods on return. | https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1526.pdf |
| Leaving India · Customs and coming home: Coming back by air or sea, residents may bring in articles up to ₹75,000 duty-free, plus one new laptop if 18 or over. Allowances can't be pooled between travellers. | https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1426.pdf |
| Leaving India · Customs and coming home: Declare cash on arrival if foreign currency notes exceed USD 5,000 or all foreign exchange together exceeds USD 10,000. Dutiable goods can be declared in advance on the Atithi app. | https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_FemaNotifications.aspx?Id=10255 · https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1526.pdf |
| Leaving India · Customs and coming home: Since June 2026 every international arrival, Indian citizens included, fills the Air Suvidha self-declaration before landing and shows the acknowledgement at the airport health desk. Check the portal: this rule is temporary. | https://airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in/ · https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2277648 |
| Leaving India · If something goes wrong: Save your nearest Indian embassy or consulate address and number before you go. | https://www.mea.gov.in/indian-mission-abroad |
| Leaving India · If something goes wrong: For consular help or a complaint, register it on MEA's MADAD portal, which covers all Indian missions. | https://www.mea.gov.in/consular-complaints-and-grievances |
| Coming to India · Visa and entry: Apply for your Indian visa or e-Visa only on the official Indian Visa Online site. The Government has not authorised any agent to charge you for it. | https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ · https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ |
| Coming to India · Visa and entry: e-Visa: your passport needs at least six months' validity when you apply, and at least two blank pages. Carry a return or onward ticket. | https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ |
| Coming to India · Visa and entry: Foreign nationals and OCI cardholders fill the e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before arrival. It is not a visa. | https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival/ · https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ |
| Coming to India · Visa and entry: Since June 2026 every international arrival fills the Air Suvidha self-declaration and shows the acknowledgement at the airport health desk. Check the portal before you fly: this rule is temporary. | https://airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in/ · https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2277648 |
| Coming to India · Health and insurance: Coming from, or transiting through, a yellow-fever country? Carry the original yellow fever certificate (valid from 10 days after vaccination; photocopies and scanned/digital versions aren't accepted). Without it you can be quarantined for up to 6 days. | https://ihpoe.mohfw.gov.in/vaccination.php |
| Coming to India · Health and insurance: Check routine and recommended vaccines for India. | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/india · https://www.who.int/health-topics/travel-and-health |
| Coming to India · Health and insurance: Buy travel insurance that covers medical care in India and the activity you came for, such as flying kites from a rooftop or a trek. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Coming to India · Money and customs: Declare cash on arrival if foreign currency notes exceed USD 5,000 or all foreign exchange together exceeds USD 10,000. There is no limit on how much you bring if you declare it. | https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_FemaNotifications.aspx?Id=10255 · https://www.mumbaicustomszone3.gov.in/aarrival-passenger-guidelines |
| Coming to India · Money and customs: Duty-free allowance: tourists of foreign origin may bring articles up to ₹25,000. Tourists of Indian origin and foreigners on other visas may bring up to ₹75,000. Arriving by land, only personal effects are duty-free. | https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1426.pdf |
| Coming to India · Money and customs: Alcohol up to 2 litres, and up to 100 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 125 g of tobacco, are duty-free. Declare anything above that, for example on the Atithi app. | https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1526.pdf · https://www.mumbaicustomszone3.gov.in/aarrival-passenger-guidelines |
| Coming to India · Money and customs: Satellite phones such as Thuraya and Iridium are banned in India and will be confiscated. Leave them at home. | https://www.cgisf.gov.in/section/public-advisories/important-notification-for-travellers-to-india-ban-on-import-or-use-of-satellite-phones-in-india/ |
| Coming to India · Phone and power: Buy a local SIM with your passport and visa. Under the 2024 DoT rule the KYC OTP can go to your email if you have no second phone number. | https://www.dot.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/02/56e245c612b6499d71e299252157cbac.pdf |
| Coming to India · Phone and power: On an e-Visa, a SIM issued to you can't stay valid beyond your e-Visa's validity. | https://www.dot.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/02/342b3918ca879ab22875f5e494b8e7a9.pdf |
| Coming to India · Phone and power: India uses 230 V, 50 Hz, and Type D sockets are the most common. Pack a universal adapter. | https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Plugs-and-Sockets-20.pdf |
| Coming to India · Help in India: Emergency: dial 112, India's single emergency number for police, health, fire and other emergency services. | https://www.mha.gov.in/emergency-response-support-system-erss |
| Coming to India · Help in India: The Ministry of Tourism helpline 1800-11-1363 (short code 1363) is toll-free, 24x7, in 12 languages, 10 of them international. | https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2223765 |
| Coming to India · Help in India: Plan with the official tourism site. | https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/ |
| Travel hack (from-india): Pack for the festival, not the city. Each listing's “Skills you'll need” section shows what you'll actually be doing, e.g. crewing a tall ship (experiences/tall-ships-races/) or crewing a balloon (experiences/albuquerque-balloon-fiesta-crew/). | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (from-india): Desert burns (Burning Man (experiences/burning-man/), AfrikaBurn (experiences/afrikaburn/)): read the organiser's survival guide, linked on the listing, before you pack. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (from-india): Photograph new gear and its bills before you leave. It helps with customs on return and with insurance claims. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (from-india): Split cash and cards between two bags, and keep a day's money in your pocket. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (from-india): Download offline maps and a translation pack for the destination's language on home Wi-Fi. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (to-india): Rooftop kite flying at Uttarayan (experiences/uttarayan-ahmedabad/): bring sunglasses, a hat and finger tape to protect your fingers from the string. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (to-india): Festival crowds (Durga Puja (experiences/kumartuli-durga-puja-kolkata/), Ganesh Chaturthi (experiences/ganesh-idol-workshops-mumbai/)): carry a small cross-body bag and agree a meeting point. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (to-india): Cold-weather festivals (Zanskar (experiences/zanskar-winter-festival/), Hornbill (experiences/hornbill-festival-nagaland/)): pack thermal layers, and read the listing for any permits. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (to-india): Set up your phone for local payments and maps on arrival, and keep some small notes for markets and autos. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |
| Travel hack (to-india): Dress for temples: shoulders and knees covered, and shoes that slip off easily. | Our tip (editorial advice, no factual claim) |

## Source list

| Fact used | Source |
|---|---|
| Passport Seva online portal (Consular, Passport & Visa Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://www.passportindia.gov.in/psp |
| Indian Missions/Posts abroad (Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://www.mea.gov.in/indian-mission-abroad |
| MADAD: consular grievances (Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://www.mea.gov.in/consular-complaints-and-grievances |
| Liberalised Remittance Scheme: FAQs (Reserve Bank of India; official) | https://rbi.org.in/SCRIPTs/FAQView.aspx?Id=115 |
| FEMA (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2015 (Reserve Bank of India; official) | https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_FemaNotifications.aspx?Id=10255 |
| Currency notes to and from Nepal and Bhutan (Dec 2025) (Reserve Bank of India; official) | https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=13215&Mode=0 |
| Baggage Rules, 2026 (Notification 14/2026-Customs (N.T.)) (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India; official) | https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1426.pdf |
| Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026 (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India; official) | https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/cen/cus1526.pdf |
| Arrival passenger guidelines (Mumbai Customs Zone III (Airport), CBIC, Government of India; official) | https://www.mumbaicustomszone3.gov.in/aarrival-passenger-guidelines |
| Indian e-Visa (Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ |
| Indian Visa Online (visas, e-Visa, e-Arrival card) (Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ |
| e-Arrival card (Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival/ |
| Air Suvidha 2.0 self-declaration (Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India; official) | https://airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in/ |
| Air Suvidha self-declaration for all international arrivals (25 Jun 2026) (Press Information Bureau, Government of India; official) | https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2277648 |
| Yellow fever vaccination (IHR Points of Entry, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; official) | https://ihpoe.mohfw.gov.in/vaccination.php |
| Travel and health (World Health Organization; official) | https://www.who.int/health-topics/travel-and-health |
| Destinations: travel health notices and vaccines (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; official) | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list |
| India: traveller health (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; official) | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/india |
| SIM cards for foreign tourists on e-Visa (2 Aug 2016) (Department of Telecommunications, Government of India; official) | https://www.dot.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/02/342b3918ca879ab22875f5e494b8e7a9.pdf |
| KYC for foreign nationals: OTP by email (31 Jul 2024) (Department of Telecommunications, Government of India; official) | https://www.dot.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/02/56e245c612b6499d71e299252157cbac.pdf |
| Ban on import or use of satellite phones in India (Consulate General of India, San Francisco (Ministry of External Affairs); official) | https://www.cgisf.gov.in/section/public-advisories/important-notification-for-travellers-to-india-ban-on-import-or-use-of-satellite-phones-in-india/ |
| Plugs and sockets (IS 1293) (Bureau of Indian Standards, Government of India; official) | https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Plugs-and-Sockets-20.pdf |
| Emergency Response Support System (112) (Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; official) | https://www.mha.gov.in/emergency-response-support-system-erss |
| Incredible India tourist helpline (5 Feb 2026) (Press Information Bureau, Government of India (Ministry of Tourism); official) | https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2223765 |
| Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; official) | https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/ |

## Left out (no official source found on 30 Oct 2026)

- Plug types C and M in India (only Type D is confirmed, by BIS).
- Digi Yatra for international flights (news reports only).
- Country-by-country visa and passport-validity rules (they change; we link to official sites instead).
- Any vaccine, visa or SIM costs (the site lists no costs).