Visiting Bangalore Reconnaissance Guide
The easiest way for you and your family to make a first visit to Bangalore is to enter India on a tourist visa. Tourist visas can take from two days to four weeks to process, depending on the particular embassy/consulate at which you’re applying, and are typically granted for a 3- or 6-month period. A multiple entry visa is usually granted, however, a two-month waiting period between visits was recently established due to heightened immigration policies in India. This restriction currently applies to nationals of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, Bangladesh, foreigners of Pakistan and Bangladesh origins and Stateless persons. Special exceptions can be made, but you must contact your local embassy or consulate for permission. Often the six-month period begins on the date that the embassy issues your visa so it is important to time travel arrangements accordingly. Check with your local embassy/consulate for their processing times.
It is also worth noting that you will have to exit India (preferably returning to your home country) to obtain whatever visa it is that you plan on eventually obtaining in order to settle in Bangalore, since changing visa types and extending your stay from within India is rarely permitted.
Check http://www.visatoindia.com/ and http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in for further general information and visit your local Indian Embassy/Consulate’s website to download application forms and obtain more specific details.
Usually, you will be required to present your passport (valid for at least 190 days), photocopies of passport, proof of sufficient funds, completed application form with 2-4 passport-sized photos, processing fee (typically in the form of a bank draft) and any other supporting documentation of your travel plans.
