India Travel Guide: States, e-Visa, Entry Permits, Seasons and Destination Guides
This guide covers what applies across India: the states and union territories, entry for overseas visitors and the e-Visa, the entry permits for protected areas and some states, the seasons as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) records them, and travel between regions. It then gives a short entry for each destination with its own travel guide on this site, linked to that guide and to its airport page.
India's states and union territories
The Government of India's National Portal names these states and union territories (page last reviewed in October 2026), shown here in alphabetical order. The list uses Keralam, the name the Government of India uses for the state.
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chandigarh
- Chhattisgarh
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
- Delhi
- Goa
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Keralam (Kerala)
- Ladakh
- Lakshadweep
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Odisha
- Puducherry
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Sikkim
- Tamil Nadu
- Telangana
- Tripura
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal
Entry to India for overseas visitors
The Bureau of Immigration (BoI) says that foreigners, except certain categories, need a valid passport and a valid visa to travel to India: a regular visa or an e-Visa. It also says that holding a visa does not confer the right of entry, which is at the discretion of the immigration authorities.
The e-Visa
Apply for an e-Visa only on the Government of India's official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in. BoI says the government has not authorised any agent or intermediary to charge a fee for arranging an emergency or express visa or e-Visa, and the e-Visa site lists e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical and e-Student visas among its categories. The site asks for a passport with at least six months' validity when you apply, and says to apply at least four days before the date of arrival.
Once the application is approved online, you print the approval and present it at the immigration check post, where the e-Visa is stamped on the passport. The site says the e-Visa is not available to holders of diplomatic or official passports, and it publishes the list of eligible countries, so check that list before you apply.
e-Tourist Visa limits
The e-Visa site offers the e-Tourist Visa for one month (30 days, multiple entry, non-extendable and non-convertible), for one year from the date the approval is granted, or for five years from that date. On the one-year and five-year visas, it says the stay in India should not exceed 180 days in one calendar year. BoI adds that an e-Tourist or tourist visa cannot be extended or converted.
Protected areas, health and the e-Arrival card
The e-Visa site says the e-Visa is not valid for Protected, Restricted or Cantonment Areas, and that a visit to one needs prior permission from the civil authority (see the permit rules below). The same site says nationals of yellow fever affected countries, and travellers arriving from them, must carry a yellow fever vaccination card when they arrive in India.
The e-Visa site says foreigners and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders complete and submit the e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before their arrival in India, at boi.gov.in or indianvisaonline.gov.in or via the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam mobile app, and that this is for arrival information, not a visa.
Entry permits
Permit rules differ by state and union territory, and the rule for Indian citizens is often different from the rule for foreign nationals. A permit is separate from a visa and from a flight booking, so check the rule for the place before you book.
Foreign nationals: Protected and Restricted Area Permits
BoI's page on restricted and protected areas says foreigners are not normally allowed into a Protected or Restricted Area unless there are extraordinary reasons. It lists these places as needing a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) or Protected Area Permit (PAP) for foreigners:
- the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland
- the whole of Sikkim, partly a Protected Area and partly a Restricted Area
- the entire Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory of Ladakh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand
For Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand the list says "parts of", and BoI says a permit is required for all such places as notified by the Government of India from time to time. BoI says a foreigner living outside India applies through the Indian mission at least 30 days in advance, and one already in India applies to the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) at least 15 days in advance. BoI adds that a permit does not by itself give access to an establishment, national park or island that needs its own special permission.
Indian citizens: Inner Line Permits and Sikkim
Indian visitors from other states need an Inner Line Permit (ILP), issued by the state government, to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram. Each state sets its own permit categories and exemptions; in Nagaland, a notification of 20 September 2024 extended the Inner Line to the districts of Dimapur, Chumoukedima and Niuland, with exemptions for some residents. The Government of Sikkim says Indian and foreign nationals both need a Protected Area Permit for its border and protected areas, and that foreign nationals also need a Restricted Area Permit for the whole state.
The airport pages for Dimapur Airport (DMU) in Nagaland, Lengpui Airport (AJL) for Aizawl in Mizoram, Imphal International Airport (IMF) in Manipur and Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL) in Ladakh each set out the permit rules for that airport. For Sikkim, see the Siliguri and Darjeeling entry below.
Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Lakshadweep is not on BoI's list, and the Lakshadweep Administration runs its own entry permit, which its e-Permit portal says must be held when boarding the ship or flight to the islands. A notice on the Administration's old e-Permit portal says its e-Permit applications go through a new portal from 15 October 2026. The Agatti Airport (AGX) page covers the permit for flights to Lakshadweep.
For the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, BoI lists the entire Union Territory, while the Andaman and Nicobar Administration's tourism department, in its Restricted Area Permit notice, says foreign nationals are not required to obtain a Restricted Area Permit for visiting the islands that have been excluded from the RAP regime, with exceptions. Check with both the Administration and the FRRO before you book. Flights land at Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ), at Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair).
Seasons, as the India Meteorological Department records them
IMD divides the year into four seasons for its records: winter (January and February), pre-monsoon (March to May), the south-west monsoon (June to September) and post-monsoon (October to December). These are record-keeping months, not a forecast for any year.
IMD's Monsoon 2025 report gives the normal date for the south-west monsoon's onset over Keralam as 1 June, the normal date for it to cover the entire country as 8 July, and the normal date for its withdrawal from north-west India to begin as 17 September. These are normals, and the actual dates move each year, so check IMD's bulletins for the year you travel.
IMD calls October to December the north-east monsoon in the south of the peninsula, a rainfall season for Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, South Interior Karnataka and Keralam; the name does not refer to north-east India.
What tourism bodies and the Press Information Bureau say about particular places
Each of these statements covers one place. The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site says Varanasi can be visited throughout the year but is most pleasant from October to March, and gives November to February for houseboat cruises at Kumarakom, a side trip in the Kochi guide. Meghalaya Tourism gives October to April for pleasant weather and sightseeing, and the monsoon months of July to September for waterfalls.
Incredible India says the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh is closed from November to May because of heavy snowfall. A Press Information Bureau (PIB) backgrounder on the Border Roads Organisation, dated January 2026, says the organisation cleared the Zoji La on 16 March 2023 and reopened it on 1 April 2025 after a winter closure. It names the Srinagar-Leh highway among the routes it covers, so check the road's status before planning an overland trip from Srinagar to Leh.
Getting between regions
By air
Each airport page on this site lists the direct domestic routes recorded from that airport in the site's schedule data, and each airline page lists the airports recorded for that airline. The airlines in that data include IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, Star Air and Akasa Air.
The site records Delhi's flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport and Hindon Airport, with Noida International Airport a separate airport, Mumbai's at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport, and Goa's at Dabolim and Mopa. Each of these airports has its own routes, so check which one a ticket names.
Two recent Vande Bharat services
The Prime Minister inaugurated the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link on 6 June 2025, and the Ministry of Railways says the Vande Bharat Express between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar entered regular service on 2 May 2026. On 17 January 2026 the Prime Minister flagged off India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper train, between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya), according to a PIB release. Check the current timetable and running days with Indian Railways before you plan around either train.
Destination guides, by state and union territory
Each destination below has its own travel guide, with the place's sights, its airport and the main routes recorded from it.
Assam: Guwahati
Guwahati is the largest city in Assam, according to Incredible India, and stretches along both banks of the Brahmaputra. The Guwahati travel guide covers the Kamakhya Temple, the Assam State Museum and side trips to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park, which Assam Tourism puts 217 km by road from the city. Flights land at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU).
Delhi
Delhi is India's capital, and the Ministry of Tourism lists three World Heritage Sites in the city: the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb and the Qutub Minar. The Delhi travel guide covers these, the Delhi Metro and side trips from the city. Flights land at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and at Hindon Airport (HDO), which is in Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh, not in Delhi; Noida International Airport (DXN), at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, is a separate airport.
Goa
Goa is a state on India's west coast, on the Arabian Sea, and its capital is Panaji. The Goa travel guide sets out the Churches and Convents of Goa at Old Goa, a World Heritage Site, beaches such as Baga, Calangute, Palolem and Agonda, and the Carnival and Shigmo festivals. Flights land at Goa International Airport, Dabolim (GOI) and at Manohar International Airport (GOX) at Mopa.
Gujarat: Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is divided by the Sabarmati River into the Walled City, its old quarter on the east bank, and a newer town on the west. Incredible India calls it India's first World Heritage City, a listing made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Ahmedabad travel guide goes through the Walled City, the Sabarmati Ashram, the Navratri and Uttarayan festivals and side trips such as the Adalaj stepwell and Lothal. Flights land at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD).
Jammu and Kashmir: Srinagar
Incredible India calls Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and points visitors to Dal Lake with its shikaras and houseboats, the Mughal gardens and Shankaracharya Hill. The Srinagar travel guide covers these, the tulip festival held at the onset of spring at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, the train from Jammu, and side trips to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg. Flights land at Srinagar International Airport (SXR).
Karnataka: Bengaluru
Bengaluru (Bangalore) is the capital of Karnataka, and Karnataka Tourism describes it as India's technology capital and says it is often called the Garden City. The Bengaluru travel guide covers Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Cubbon Park and Bangalore Palace, and side trips to Nandi Hills and Mysuru. The city's airport is Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR).
Keralam: Kochi
Kochi, also called Cochin, is a port city in Ernakulam district of Keralam, and Incredible India uses its nickname, the Queen of the Arabian Sea. The Kochi travel guide takes in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, the Kochi Metro and Water Metro, and side trips to Munnar, Alappuzha and Kumarakom. Flights land at Cochin International Airport (COK), at Nedumbassery.
Madhya Pradesh: Indore
Indore is a city in Madhya Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh Tourism lists the Rajwada, Lal Bagh Palace and the Sarafa Bazaar night market among its sights. The state tourism body says Indore's airport is the closest airport to Ujjain and the nearest to Mandu, and the Indore travel guide covers both as side trips, with Omkareshwar and Maheshwar. Flights land at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport (IDR).
Maharashtra: Mumbai and Pune
Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is on the Arabian Sea in Maharashtra, and UNESCO lists three World Heritage Sites in and near the city: the Elephanta Caves, the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. The Mumbai travel guide covers these, the Gateway of India and Marine Drive, the metro and buses, and Raigad district. Flights land at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) and at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI), at Ulwe in Navi Mumbai.
Pune is in the western part of Maharashtra, and Maharashtra Tourism and Incredible India both call it the "Oxford of the East". The Pune travel guide covers Shaniwar Wada, the Aga Khan Palace and the district's hill forts, among them Shivneri and Lohagad, which are components of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Flights land at Pune International Airport (PNQ), at Lohegaon.
Odisha: Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha, and Odisha Tourism calls it the Temple City; its list of the city's sights includes the Lingaraj Temple, the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves, Dhauli and Nandankanan Zoological Park. Odisha Tourism names the city's airport as the nearest airport for Puri and the Konark Sun Temple, which the Bhubaneswar travel guide covers as side trips. Flights land at Bhubaneswar Airport (BBI).
Rajasthan: Jaipur
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, founded by Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727, and UNESCO inscribed the walled city as a World Heritage Site in 2019. The Jaipur travel guide covers the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Amber Fort, and side trips such as Ajmer and Pushkar. The airport is Jaipur International Airport (JAI).
Tamil Nadu: Chennai
Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. The Chennai travel guide covers Fort St George, the Government Museum, Marina Beach, the Margazhi Festival of classical music and dance, and the day trip to Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram). The airport is Chennai International Airport (MAA).
Telangana: Hyderabad
Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana, and Incredible India puts Charminar, in the old city, at the top of its list of sights and calls Golconda Fort another major draw. The Hyderabad travel guide covers both, the Salar Jung Museum, the Hyderabad Metro and the Ramappa Temple, a World Heritage site north-east of the city. The airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD), at Shamshabad.
Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow and Varanasi
Incredible India describes Lucknow's architecture and culture under the Nawabs of Awadh, and names the Imambara, the Rumi Darwaza, the Residency and Dilkusha among the city's heritage sites. UNESCO has listed Lucknow in its Creative Cities Network for gastronomy since 2025, and the Lucknow travel guide looks at Awadhi food, the Lucknow Metro and Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary. Flights land at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (LKO), at Amausi.
Varanasi, also called Kashi and Banaras, is a city in Uttar Pradesh that UNESCO says is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Varanasi travel guide covers the ghats and boats on the Ganga, the old city, and Sarnath, where UNESCO says the Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon, and which UNESCO's World Heritage Committee inscribed in July 2026 as the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath. Flights land at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS).
West Bengal: Kolkata, Siliguri and Darjeeling
Kolkata (Calcutta) is in West Bengal, and Incredible India names the Howrah Bridge, the Victoria Memorial, the Maidan and Park Street among its sights. The Kolkata travel guide covers these, Durga Puja, which UNESCO places in September or October, and trips to the Sundarbans and Santiniketan. Flights land at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU).
Siliguri and Darjeeling are also in West Bengal, and Bagdogra Airport (IXB), which has a Siliguri postal address, is the airport for both; the Darjeeling district administration names it, 90 km away, as the nearest airport to Darjeeling. UNESCO lists the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway as part of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site, and the Siliguri and Darjeeling travel guide covers it, Tiger Hill, the tea estates, Kalimpong, and Gangtok with Sikkim's permit rules.
Questions about travelling in India
Do overseas visitors need a visa for India?
Yes, apart from certain categories: BoI says foreigners need a valid passport and a valid visa, either a regular visa or an e-Visa. Apply for an e-Visa only on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in, at least four days before the date of arrival.
Can I visit Sikkim on an e-Visa for India alone?
No. The e-Visa site says the e-Visa is not valid for Protected, Restricted or Cantonment Areas, and BoI lists the whole of Sikkim as needing a Restricted or Protected Area Permit for foreigners. The Government of Sikkim says foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit for the whole state, and a Protected Area Permit for its border and protected areas.
When is the monsoon in India?
IMD counts June to September as the south-west monsoon season, with normal dates of 1 June for its onset over Keralam and 8 July for covering the entire country, but the actual dates move each year. From October to December, IMD's north-east monsoon is a rainfall season in the south of the peninsula, including Tamil Nadu.