New Delhi International Airport Experience.

[Raju in Philly]

Hi Friends,
Next month me and my wife are going to India for a 18 day tour of north India. We will be landing in New Delhi International airport and have a couple of questions regarding the same as this is our first trip to New Delhi. I am an Indian citizen with US Permanent Resident (Green card holder) and my wife is a USC. My questions are 1) Is New Delhi airport just like Mumbai airport when it comes to Immigration and Customs? What I mean is when I travel to Mumbai once you land from the plane you stand in the line for immigration and once you clear that you get your bags and then go through the GREEN channel and you are out of the airport. Now does New Delhi have the same GREEN/RED channel system? Me and my wife are planning to take 2 bottles of Wine (each) 4 bottles in total would this be a problem? I am also taking a video camera and a DVD player (of course not for selling but our own personal use) Do the customs people in New Delhi give you a hard time clearing these things (you know asking for bribe and stuff) . Anyone who has recently been to New Delhi can you please put some light on these issues please and also some general Do and Don’t in New Delhi. As always thank you so much for your info guys.

Raju

[ss_2004]

Originally Posted by Raju in Philly

Me and my wife are planning to take 2 bottles of Wine (each) 4 bottles in total would this be a problem? I

I guess, per person limit is 1 liter, so watch for total quantity in the two bottleshttp://boards.immigrationportal.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Dallas03096]

Immigration & Customs at New Delhi airport is similar to what you find at Mumbai. Going through green channel at NewDelhi airport is without any hassles (as always. Recent experience a month ago)! Enjoy your trip to India!

[GC_TRAP]

New Delhi isn't exactly the best city in India for newbies and foreigners. In general, it is best to stay very alert about your bags, personal belongings, as well as if you are a woman or traveling with one.

Immigration in Delhi has improved over the years, but be prepared for long lines at immigration counters (use the rest room on the plane before landing to avoid leaving the line). Also, it all boils down to the immigration officer letting you in. S/He could be very friendly or even very rude. It is safe to say that one must look confident, act confident and be prepared to request a "Senior" officer to intervene if you think you are being unfairly targeted.

Answer questions asked, do not venture any information if not asked. Once you clear the immigration, make sure you hold on to a form that has a stamp on it. This has to be turned in at the final exit gate when leaving the terminal. They could stop you and harass you if you lose this small customs form. Again, at the Green Channel, look confident and insist that you have nothing to declare. And that everything is for personal use and consumption.

Once out, your real battle in New Delhi begins. Unless you have somebody coming to pick you up, or have a pre-arranged transport to a hotel/venue, you will be overwhelmed with the number of people and touts/agents that will want you to take their taxi/auto etc. etc. Be very careful at this point, and keep a constant eye on all your bags on the cart. If no prior arrangements, look for and head straight to Pre-paid TAXI stand and get a voucher by paying them to your destination. You will retain this voucher (do not give it to anyone) until you are dropped off to your destination, then you will hand it to the taxi driver. This is the safest and most reasonable way to travel from the airport late at night (90 percent of Intl. flights arrive near midnight or later).

In Delhi, be extra careful with your wallet/ladies purses in crowds, trains or buses. If you look like a visitor, you will be harassed at every location to buy this, buy that, take this taxi, etc. etc. Best response is to smile and move on, or say "no, thank you" but if some vendor/tout gets too persistent in his chase, stop and say loudly "NO" or "nahi" in hindi.

If you are taking taxis or autos in Delhi, and you don't know the route, rest assured you will be taken for an extra ride. Best is to ask a local/hotel clerk as to what would cost in flat rate to the destination and then try to get a taxi/auto with that approximate rate in advance.

Drink only sealed (watch for the seal) bottled water, avoid food from open stalls, and do not stress yourself in Delhi, else you will find yourself with a delhi belly. Ideally, for best India experience, leave Delhi ASAP and venture out to many beautiful places in India.

Good luck! Ask any specifics if you have...

[Raju in Philly]

Hello ss 2004,
Thank you so much for your response. Well I think most bottles are like 750 ml so that would mean it would be 1.5 lites. I hope that should be okay after all we don’t have anything else with us just clothes and a DVD player and video camera (all for personal use only). Anyway thank you so much.

Hello Dallas03096,
Thank you so much for your response. Well I am glad that New Delhi has the same system like Mumbai (Green/Red Channel). I feel a little comfortable knowing that. Thank you so much.

Hello GC TRAP,
Thank you so much for your detailed Do and Don’t regarding New Delhi and other matters. I really can’t thank you enough for taking the time to typing all that information I really REALLY appreciate the information you have shared. Well we land in New Delhi and then from there we go to the New Delhi Rail Station and catch a train to Agra and then 4 day later we go to Jodhpur stay there for 8 days and then fly to New Delhi
And stay there for 5 days and then we fly back to the US.
The idea of prepaid taxi to the New Delhi Rail station sounds great (no cheating there) also we are landing at around 12 in the afternoon so it is light out which is good. So hopefully we will find a trustworthy taxi driver.
At immigration in New Delhi can I go with my USC wife to the same officer together or do they take people one at a time? (After all we are a couple and I am an Indian citizen she has a visa) By the way what kind of questions can me and my wife expect at the immigration counter in New Delhi Airport? Please let me know. Thank you so much for letting us know that we need to be vigilant about our bags and wallets I have heard a lot of horror stories about New Delhi. I personally think Mumbai is 100 times better then New Delhi when it comes to crime and general stuff. By the way did you recently travel to New Delhi since you know a lot about the place. Once again I really thank you for all your information and please PLEASE let me know if I am missing something or some other information you think I should really know about. Once again thanks.

Raju

[get_gc04]

Originally Posted by Raju in Philly

Hello ss 2004,
Thank you so much for your response. Well I think most bottles are like 750 ml so that would mean it would be 1.5 lites. I hope that should be okay after all we don’t have anything else with us just clothes and a DVD player and video camera (all for personal use only). Anyway thank you so much.

Hello Dallas03096,
Thank you so much for your response. Well I am glad that New Delhi has the same system like Mumbai (Green/Red Channel). I feel a little comfortable knowing that. Thank you so much.

Hello GC TRAP,
Thank you so much for your detailed Do and Don’t regarding New Delhi and other matters. I really can’t thank you enough for taking the time to typing all that information I really REALLY appreciate the information you have shared. Well we land in New Delhi and then from there we go to the New Delhi Rail Station and catch a train to Agra and then 4 day later we go to Jodhpur stay there for 8 days and then fly to New Delhi
And stay there for 5 days and then we fly back to the US.
The idea of prepaid taxi to the New Delhi Rail station sounds great (no cheating there) also we are landing at around 12 in the afternoon so it is light out which is good. So hopefully we will find a trustworthy taxi driver.
At immigration in New Delhi can I go with my USC wife to the same officer together or do they take people one at a time? (After all we are a couple and I am an Indian citizen she has a visa) By the way what kind of questions can me and my wife expect at the immigration counter in New Delhi Airport? Please let me know. Thank you so much for letting us know that we need to be vigilant about our bags and wallets I have heard a lot of horror stories about New Delhi. I personally think Mumbai is 100 times better then New Delhi when it comes to crime and general stuff. By the way did you recently travel to New Delhi since you know a lot about the place. Once again I really thank you for all your information and please PLEASE let me know if I am missing something or some other information you think I should really know about. Once again thanks.

Raju

Raju,

You are going to your own country, you are not a foreigner there. You need not to be afraid of New Delhi people. I do not agree with some of the postings about New Delhi. They have created a very bad picture of New Delhi and the people there. Hey...Just like anywhere in India or the world, Just use your Common Sense about the things and you will be alright.
Mugs and theives are everywhere in India no matter which City you go to. North & South are equally bad. Just like any new place you have never been, be careful of your surroundings and people. Nothing to be scared off like you are going to a Jungle with lions all over the place to eat you. . The only disadvantage you may have, if you do not speak the local language. It's better to book everything like Hotel, Tour Buses/Rail Tickets etc in advance before you leave from USA. The custom officers in New Delhi are polite and do not harass you unless you act strange. Camcorders & personal DVD players are not a big deal there, if it's not in a Brand New sealed packing. I am pretty sure, it will be the case in any International Airport, including Mumbai. For Taxis, try to get pre-paid ones to be safer side. Be extra careful at Railway station and during rail journey, that might be little bit of concern specially if you are travelling in night time. Shatabdi Express and other top level trains are excellent and provide world class service.

Enjoy your travel

get_gc04

[pratham]

Hey you are not going to Iraq, you are going to India ....