Your First International Trip from India: A Checklist from Six Weeks Out to Departure Day

Six weeks out: passport, destination and visa

Check your passport first. Most countries want at least six months of validity on the date you arrive, and two blank pages for the visa and stamps. If your passport expires within the next year, renew it before applying for any visa, because a visa is tied to the passport number. A normal renewal through Passport Seva usually takes a few weeks, including police verification where needed; Tatkal is faster and costs more. Our glossary explains the six-month validity rule.

Pick an easy first destination. For a first trip, choose a country with simple entry rules for Indians, a short flight and familiar food. Thailand, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Mauritius all fit, though their visa rules differ and change. Our visa guides list the current requirements by country.

Book, then apply for the visa. E-visas usually take three to seven working days. Embassy visas for Europe, the UK or the US take weeks or months, so a six-week runway only works for the easier countries. Book hotels with free cancellation while the visa is pending.

Four weeks out: insurance, money and health

Buy travel insurance. Medical treatment abroad is expensive, and Indian health policies rarely cover it. A policy with at least USD 50,000 of medical cover is sensible for Asia and the Gulf, and more for the US and Canada; Schengen visas require a minimum of €30,000. Check it covers flight delays, lost baggage and any pre-existing conditions. See our travel insurance service.

Sort out forex. Carry money in three layers:

RBI rules let you take up to ₹25,000 in Indian rupees out of India, and buy foreign currency notes worth up to USD 3,000 per trip, with anything more on a card. Buy forex in your city a week or two before leaving rather than at the airport, where rates are worse. When a card machine abroad offers to charge you in rupees, always choose the local currency instead; the conversion it offers costs more. Our foreign exchange service can arrange a loaded card.

Check vaccinations. Trips to Asia, the Gulf and Europe need none beyond routine ones. Some countries in Africa and South America require a yellow fever certificate, and India asks for it from travellers arriving from those countries, so check before booking a safari.

Two weeks out: phone, apps and arrival forms

• Mobile data. Compare your operator's international roaming pack with an eSIM bought online for your destination. eSIMs are usually cheaper, if your phone supports them.
• Switch on international use for your cards. Under RBI rules, Indian debit and credit cards are issued with international transactions disabled. Turn them on in your banking app and set a sensible limit.
• Download apps. Offline maps, the local ride-hailing app (Grab in Southeast Asia, Careem or Uber in the Gulf, Uber or Bolt in Europe), a translation app with the language downloaded, and your airline's app.
• Arrival forms. Several countries now want an online arrival card shortly before you land, such as Thailand's digital arrival card, Singapore's SG Arrival Card and Malaysia's digital arrival card. Fill it in before you fly.
• Plug adapters. The UK uses type G, most of Europe types C and F, the US types A and B, and Australia type I.

One week out: documents and packing

Print and carry your passport copy, visa, return ticket, hotel bookings, insurance certificate and forex receipt, and keep scans in your email. DigiLocker documents are not accepted as ID abroad, so the physical passport is everything.

Pack medicines in their original strips with a copy of the prescription; some countries, including the UAE and Japan, restrict medicines containing codeine and certain other ingredients. Keep a change of clothes, chargers and medicines in your cabin bag, and follow the 100 ml liquids rule. Our packing lists cover each type of trip.

Save your hotel's address in the local script, offline on your phone and on paper. It is the one thing a taxi driver, an immigration officer or a police officer may ask for.

Departure day: the airport routine

1. Reach the airport three hours before an international flight. At Delhi and Mumbai during the late-night departure rush, give it more.
2. Check in and drop your bags. Keep your passport and boarding pass in hand.
3. At Indian emigration the officer checks your passport, visa and boarding pass. Frequent travellers can enrol in the Fast Track Immigration programme, which uses e-gates at major airports.
4. At security, take out laptops and liquids if asked; power banks stay in your cabin bag.
5. Find your gate first, then shop. International boarding usually starts 45–60 minutes before departure.

On arrival abroad

At immigration, answer questions simply: why you are visiting, how long, and where you are staying. Have your return ticket, hotel booking and insurance on paper. After customs, use an official taxi rank, a ride-hailing app or a pre-booked transfer for the first journey. On your first international night, a pre-booked transfer is worth the money.

Coming home

Indian customs allows a duty-free amount of goods bought abroad; check the current limit before a shopping-heavy trip, and use the red channel if you exceed it. If you are carrying more than USD 5,000 in foreign currency notes, or more than USD 10,000 in total foreign exchange, declare it on arrival. Leftover money on a forex card can be kept for the next trip or encashed.

If you would rather not juggle all of this on a first trip, our tour packages bundle the stays, transfers and sightseeing, or you can tell us where you want to go.