Grand amateur de la culture indienne, je souhaite prendre une année sabatique et passer une année en Inde à partir de Janvier 2014.
Sur place je compte voyager un petit peu mais surtout faire du volontariat, soit dans l'humanitaire soit dans des fermes agroécologies (Woofing). Je pense de cette façon pouvoir réellement découvrir la culture indienne et avoir une véritable immersion.
Aujourd'hui je suis allé au Consulat de l'Inde pour me renseigner concernant les visas.
On m'a dit qu'avec un visa tourisme (6 mois) il n'est pas possible de rester six mois vivre dans le pays : on ne peut pas rester plus d'un mois consécutivement même si le visa tourisme est valable 6 mois. Pour avoir un visa de tourisme d'une durée d'un an, l'employé du consulat m'a dit que dans ma situatin ce ne serait pas possible et qu'il me faudrait trouver un organisme ou un particulier en Inde qui puisse se porter garant pour moi.
J'ai donc quelques questions :
1/ Est-ce vrai qu'avec un visa de 6 mois on ne peut rester consécutivement plus d'un mois ? 2/ J'ai vu pas mal de messages de personnes partant en Inde faire du volontariat : c'est à chaque fois avec un visa tourisme ? Pendant combien de temps avec vous fait du volontariat ? 3/ Connaissez-vous des organismes où je pourrais effectuer du volontariat et qui pourrais se porter garant pour mon visa ?
Un visa touristique pour l'Inde est valable 6 mois. Donc tu peux y rester 6 mois sans sortir du territoire.
Par contre, si tu sors du territoire pendant la validité de ton visa, tu ne peux plus y revenir pendant 2 mois (60 jours) même si ton visa est toujours valide. C'est complètement débile mais c'est comme ça...
Pour les autres questions je ne pourrais te répondre sauf qu'il se pourrait que pour faire du volontariat en Inde il faille un visa spécial même si la majorité des bénévoles ont des visas touristiques.
Si tu comptes séjourner un moment à Calcutta, le Missionaries of Charity (Mère Teresa) a toujours besoin de bénévoles pour s'occuper d'orphelins, d'handicapés, d'adultes, etc. Bien entendu, il n'y a aucune indemnité et les frais d'hébergements, de transport et de nourriture seront à ta charge. De nombreuses guest houses accueillent les bénévoles. Aucun besoin de réserver vraiment...tu trouveras toujours de quoi de loger sur plage.
Aussi Calcutta est une ville formidable et les gens dans l'état du Bengal Occidental sont plutôt accueillants.
La règle des deux mois entre chaque séjour a été abolie depuis plusieurs mois.
Un visa de six mois autorise bien à rester six mois consécutifs, à moins de changements récents, ce dont je doute. Etant en Colombie, notre ami a peut être eu des informations s'adressant aux Colombiens...Je ne connais pas les règles s'adressant à eux.
Excusez moi pour la Colombie, je n'y réside plus désormais, je suis actuellement sur l'île de la Réunion.
A Saint Denis de la Réunion il y a un consulat indien où j'ai cru comprendre qu'il serait difficile de faire ce que je souhaite faire avec des visas de tourisme.
Une questino concernant l'obtention d'un second visa consécutif , donc la période de carence de 2 mois n'est plus d'actualité, cependant savez vous si il est facile d'obtenir un autre visa de 6 mois à partir d'un des pays limitrophes de l'Inde ? Nepal, Sri Lanka, ... ?
les deux mois, c'était pour toute sortie du territoire pendant la durée du visa.
Maintenant, pour un renouvellement de visa, il faut faire la demande un mois après l'échéance du précédent visa (si cela n'a pas changé). On peut obtenir un visa de tourisme d'un an avec un dossier motivé, mais celui-ci implique la sortie du territoire tous les 90 jours. Mais comme il n'y a plus l'obligation des deux mois après chaque sortie, c'est moins gênant, on peut toujours aller faire un petit tour au Népal ou au SL.
Tous ces renseignements figurent sur le site VSF.
Visas & paperwork › India / Sri Lanka · 13 replies
Hi there, We re a group of 7 people heading to SRI LANKA in March. We re transiting through Mumbai (Air India flight), then after a few hours, we ll take a…
Hello my fellow travelers, I m leaving for 43 days in India from January 19, 2026, to March 1. How do I handle my e-visa if I don t necessarily want a one-year…
Visas & paperwork › Sri Lanka / India · 19 replies
Hi there, I ve been reading conflicting info about whether an Indian visa might be required for a few-hour layover in Mumbai. Do we need anything besides the…
Hey fellow travelers! I m heading to India in January with a tourist multi-entry ETA (is it still called an e-visa?). First things first, if I ve understood…
Hi there,
I’m explaining our situation—my daughter and her young family have just moved to Polynesia, specifically to the island of Raiatea. That’s great, of course, and my wife and I are planning to visit them. However, flights that go through the United States are causing us a problem because we’ve been to Cuba. I think we’ll need a visa because of that.
Has anyone else dealt with this situation before? Any advice on flights and visas would be really helpful.
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
I have two questions about applying for a Non-Immigrant O Visa at the Thai embassy in France for someone over 50:
- - Do I need to provide the address(es) of stay in Thailand (hotels, staying with a Thai friend)?
- - Financial proof: Is a retirement statement showing over 2,000 € per month sufficient, or are bank statements also required?
I know there’s already a lot of information about the visa requirements on the embassy’s website, but from my experience—having dealt with embassies in other countries in previous years—I know that the information is sometimes (!) incomplete or inconsistent. So, I’d rather hear from people who’ve recently gone through this process to avoid any surprises after submitting my application, which could cause unpleasant delays.
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi,
I’m planning a trip to Laos from France with a transit through Thailand involving 2 entries. I might spend up to 7 days max in Thailand (round trip).
The flight I’ve spotted: arrival at BKK and return to France 31 days later.
With the new regulations/visa:
"Starting September 15, 2026, French nationals holding an ordinary passport will be able to stay in Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism purposes only, down from the previous 60 days."
How do you think the counting is done?
- Number of days spent in Thai territory?
- Entry and exit dates: number of days between the two?
I’m leaning toward the first option, but to avoid any administrative hassles with Thailand (fines, etc.) and before booking my ticket, your input would really help.
Hi there,
we’re planning our trip to the North Cape this summer. We bought a new vehicle for it. Unfortunately, the registration document is still being processed, and the delay seems long—I don’t think I’ll have it in time for our departure...
I have the transfer documents, insurance in my name, and all the supporting paperwork, but not the registration document. So my question is: does the ferry company require the registration document *mandatorily* when boarding in Denmark or not?
Thanks for any insights...
Hi everyone,
I bought a new apartment in Pattaya that will be finished at the end of 2013, and I’d like to buy more later...
I think it’s a good investment idea, but I’d love to hear from those of you with experience—what do you think? I’d also like to know how to handle rentals... Should I go through agencies, or are they usually rented out directly by the building management companies?
Thanks in advance for your replies! 🙂
Hi everyone,
I have to leave for Perth, Australia in a week, for 7 days, and I couldn’t get my international driver’s permit due to processing and delivery delays.
The information I’ve found about whether an international permit is required is contradictory. Some sources say you need one, others say you don’t.
Could anyone let me know if an international driver’s permit is necessary to rent a car in Australia (Perth), or if a French license is enough for a 7-day rental?
hi everyone,
I need to apply for a new eTA for Canada.
do I need the number from my old eTA or not?
because I can’t find my old eTA number anymore.
thanks for your replies, have a great weekend
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
Hi everyone,
I’ll explain my situation.
Unfortunately, I lost my passport, and I only realized it two weeks before my departure for a humanitarian mission in Libya. I’m a nurse, and this mission really means a lot to me.
First, I applied for an emergency passport, but it was denied by the Val-d'Oise prefecture on the grounds that a planned humanitarian mission wasn’t considered an urgent reason.
So, I submitted a biometric passport application on July 20th. Since then, the tracking has been stuck, and the town hall can’t (or won’t) give me any clear information. Every time I call, I get a different story. The last update I received was that the passport had been produced since July 23rd with a status of "about to be shipped," but nothing since then.
I’ve managed to push my departure back to next Tuesday at the latest, but I’m starting to really panic.
Have any of you submitted an application around July 20th, especially in Val-d'Oise (95)? How long did you wait between the passport being produced and it being available at the town hall? Is it normal for this step to take this long?
This mission means so much to me. I had everything organized, and I’m also supposed to attend a friend’s wedding right after near the border.
Thanks so much to those who take the time to respond or share their experience. 😔
Can anyone tell me exactly if a passport "valid for the duration of the stay" is enough, or does it need to be valid for 6 months after the trip?
I checked the embassy’s website, but that info is missing.
Hi there,
I’ll be arriving in Seoul on November 18th after spending about a month in India.
Do you know if I’ll need to fill out any additional documents besides the e-arrival card?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist!
But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point.
I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing!
In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing!
I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me!
If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
hi there
I’m heading to Seoul in September, and to do that I need to get a travel authorization that we apply for through K-ETA....... turns out I can (barely, I admit) fill out the form up to the address of our "stay location," but every address I’ve entered has been rejected by the system. I’ve tried my hotel, the Lotte Hotel (which is well-known in Seoul), the airport—basically, I’ve entered at least 20 addresses, all rejected....
So, to anyone who’s successfully gotten the authorization, could you tell me which address you used to get that "elusive" approval?...
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.
We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.
Hi there,
We need to apply for a B2 visa because we visited Iran in 2018. It currently costs $185, but they’re planning an additional $250 fee per person for the same visa—it’s been approved but not yet implemented. Does anyone know when this fee will take effect?
Thanks in advance!
Elisabeth
Hi there,
In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam.
I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice.
Has anyone here been in this situation recently?
Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding?
Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival?
Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient?
Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?
