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UK tourist visa: How to apply from India, application process and other essential things

If you are planning to visit the United Kingdom in the near future, here’s everything you need to know about the UK tourist visa for Indians. From the application process and everything in between, here’s a step-wise guide to help you get a visa in the easiest possible way. Do Indians need a tourist visa for the UK? Most Indian citizens need a UK visa, with exceptions like British passport holders or those with a valid UK visa. For short-term visits, including tourism and business purposes, consider the UK's Standard Visitor visa, which is also known as the UK Tourist Visa. You can apply through the UK government's visa center in India, and make sure that you have all the necessary documents in place. However, do note that the visa requirements may change, so stay updated through the official UK government website or seek travel advice before planning your trip. Who is eligible for a UK Tourist Visa from India? Your type of visa will depend on your nationality and intended stay duration. You can refer to the UK government's website for visa type guidance. Typically, you'll complete an application, submit essential documents including your passport, travel plans, recent photo, and finance proof. Proof of return travel and accommodation may also be required. For some, a visit to a visa application center for biometric data, like fingerprints and a photo, may be necessary. Visa application fees vary based on visa type and stay length, payable upon submission. Applying well in advance is crucial as the process can be time-consuming. Once your visa is granted, you can visit the UK for tourism as specified on your visa. Adhering to visa conditions is important to avoid immigration complications.

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New 20% TCS rule from October 1, 2023: 4 tips to bring down TCS to zero during your next international trip

If you are planning to go on an international trip with your family, be ready to bear a higher cost up front due to a new tax collected at source (TCS) rule. When you book, offline or online, overseas tour packages of more than Rs 7 lakh in a financial year, you have to pay TCS at 20% from October 1, 2023. If the foreign tour packages cost up to Rs 7 lakh, TCS will be levied at 5%. Is there any way to reduce his additional upfront cost? Read on to find out. What is the new TCS rule on overseas tour packages from October 1, 2023? Let us first understand what constitutes an overseas tour package. The Ministry of Finance has refined the term clearly to make it easier for taxpayers. Explaining it, Lokesh Shah, Partner, IndusLaw, says, “To qualify as an overseas tour program package, there has to be at least two of the following: The Indian government has implemented a new Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rule that affects international travelers. The rule applies to various expenses related to overseas travel, including "international travel ticket; hotel accommodation (with or without food, boarding or lodging; any other expenditure of similar nature or in relation thereto.” It's important to note that the responsibility for collecting TCS falls on the travel agent, whether they operate offline or online, even when payments are made in Indian Rupees. This means that if you book your overseas tour through domestic online travel aggregators like MakeMyTrip, Yatra, or EaseMyTrip, you will still be subject to TCS at the specified rate. How to Plan Your Travel Abroad to Reduce TCS to Zero Given the increased upfront costs due to the new TCS rule, you might wonder if there's a way to avoid paying high TCS while traveling abroad. The answer is yes. If you choose to book your flights, hotels, and sightseeing activities separately instead of making a single bundled booking, it will not be considered a tour package. This means that the higher TCS rate will not be applicable to such individual bookings. Neeraj Agarwala, a Partner at Nangia Andersen India, advises, “The purchase of only an international travel ticket or purchase of only hotel accommodation by itself is not covered within the definition of 'overseas tour program package.' Accordingly, travelers should consider purchasing international travel tickets and booking hotel accommodations separately through different websites or travel agents.” Going on an International Vacation? How to Utilize the Rs 7 Lakh TCS Threshold It's essential to recognize that TCS is not limited to overseas tour packages. You will be required to pay the tax even if you remit money from India. Currently, there is no TCS for remittances up to Rs 7 lakh in a financial year. However, if you remit more than Rs 7 lakh within a year, a TCS of 20% will be imposed starting from October 1, 2023, with certain exceptions. Notably, there is no TCS applied to debit card and credit card spends of up to Rs 7 lakh in a financial year. According to Agarwala, "The threshold of Rs 7 lakh applies to the remitter."

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Udaipur set to become country’s first wetland city!

The Rajasthan government is making all efforts to make Udaipur, the City of Lakes, the country's first wetland city. As per the reports, the Environment and the Forest Department has chosen the city as per the Ramsar Convention of International Importance. Surrounded by five major lakes, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai, Udaipur is already included in the restoration project of the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) of the central government. It has to be noted that the wetlands and lakes of the city are majorly managed by the tourism and the local self-government departments. If reports are to go by, the state Environment and Forest Department is sending the nomination to the Ramsar Convention to declare it of international standard. Referring to this, Monali Sen, Joint Secretary of Environment and Climate Change Ministry, added that the department will be organising a one-day workshop for district officials and representatives of local bodies to finalise the draft. The inter-departmental meeting will consider suggestions from all stakeholders, the official added. If we go by the Ramsar Convention, a wetland has to be considered internationally important if it contains a rare, representative, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region and supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities. According to state authorities, Udaipur, with an area of 37 sq km, fulfils all the necessary requirements to earn the designation of a wetland city. This title is a rare distinction, with only a few cities worldwide having received this recognition. Aside from Udaipur, Bhopal is also vying for this prestigious status. The Ramsar Convention, formally known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, is a global treaty aimed at the preservation and sustainable use of Ramsar-designated sites. It is often referred to as the Convention on Wetlands and takes its name from the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the agreement was signed in 1971. In 2022, during the Convention's proceedings, 25 cities were acknowledged as wetland cities, including Sackville in Canada, Cape Town in South Africa, Ifrane in Morocco, and others from various countries. Presently, there are 42 wetland cities situated across 17 nations around the world, with China boasting the highest number at 13 such cities.

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Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam to reopen for tourists from October 15

Closed from May to October due to warnings of Brahmaputra river floods, Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve to reopen for tourists from October 15. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve under the jurisdiction of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division will be reopened for tourists for the season 2023-24 from October 15, an official statement said. "In view of present road conditions due to inclement weather, the park is partially opened only for Jeep Safari in two ranges - Kaziranga Range, Kohora and Western Range, Bagori", said Divisional Forest Officer of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division in a statement. "The Kaziranga Range, Kohora and Western Range, Bagori will remain closed every Wednesday afternoon. At present, the tourists are allowed to travel up to Bimoli Tiniali via Donga Tower under Western Range, Bagori and from Mihimukh via Daflang Tower via Vaichamari Junction under Kaziranga Range, Kohora till further notification/orders," the statement added. It is worth mentioning that the Kaziranga National Park remains closed from May to October due to warnings of Brahmaputra river floods. It is one of the most sought tourist destinations in the country.The park is famous for its one-horned Rhinoceros is located in the Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam. Kaziranga was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.

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Himachal Pradesh gears up to welcome tourists at International Kullu Dussehra Festival 2023

International Kullu Dussehra Festival, which dates back to the 17th century, will be organised from October 24 to October 30, 2023 at Kullu, Himachal Pradesh.A curtain-raising event dedicated to the 9th edition of the 'India International Dance and Music Festival' and the International Kullu Dussehra Festival 2023 was jointly organised by the Himachal Pradesh government and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in New Delhi on Tuesday. Chief Parliamentary Secretary of Tourism, Sunder Singh Thakur, who is also Chairman of the International Kullu Dussehra Festival Organizing Committee, launched the teaser and released a booklet on the occasion to provide a peek into the grand celebration of the festival. We're now on WhatsApp. Click to join. While interacting with the media on the occasion, Thakur informed them that the International Kullu Dussehra Festival, which dates back to the 17th century, will be organised from October 24 to October 30 at Kullu this year. He said that the celebrations will commence with the famous Lord Raghunath ji's Rath Yatra, and more than 300 local deities will participate in the mega event. He further added that the major highlights of the festival will be the International Carnival on October 25 and the Kullu Carnival Fest on October 30. The International Cultural Festival is a major attraction of the International Kullu Dussehra Festival, in which cultural troupes from over 20 countries, including Russia, Israel, Romania, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Panama, Iran, the Maldives, Malaysia, Kenya, South Sudan, Zambia, Ghana, and Ethiopia, have been invited to participate in the Dussehra festivities this year. He said, "The state government is making efforts to make the festival a global event and added that the "state is recovering from the aftermath of the disaster and is now ready to welcome the tourists to Kullu and Manali. He gave credit for the expedited efforts of restoration and rehabilitation to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu after the natural calamity. He said that travel time from Chandigarh to Kullu has been reduced from six hours to four hours and added that 13 out of fifteen tunnels were open to commuters. The flights from Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Delhi to Kullu were operating to facilitate tourists, said Thakur.

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Maldivian to commence flights to Bengaluru from 30 October

Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, has announced the launch of new flights to Bengaluru, India. Starting from October 30, 2023, the airline will operate two weekly flights every Monday and Thursday using its Airbus A320 aircraft. The Male-Bengaluru flight will leave from Velana International Airport at 9:35 and fly down to KIA at 12:15. The flight flying from Bengaluru will leave KIA at 13:15 and reach Male at 14:50. The new route will provide travellers with a convenient and direct connection between the Maldives and Bengaluru. Tickets for the flights are live. The schedule has been designed to cater to the needs of both leisure and business travellers, providing options for mid-week and weekend trips. Travelers can conveniently connect to onward destinations within the Maldives using Maldivian domestic network consisting of 17 destinations. This new service is part of Maldivian’s ongoing efforts to expand its network and provide its customers with more travel options. The airline is committed to providing high-quality service and a comfortable travel experience for its passengers. As a full-service carrier, Maldivian’s will offer 138 economy class seats and 14 premium economy class seats. This further promises the commitment Maldivian has for all the travel segments. Premium economy class travelers can enjoy complimentary lounge access in both Bengaluru and Male’ in the departure phase with a great product onboard the aircraft. Maldivian held the route launch event in Bengaluru’s Chancery Pavilion Hotel on October 09, 2023, attended by over 100 travel trade professionals across India. Speaking on the occasion of the launch Mohamed Mihad, Managing Director – Maldivian, said, “Bengaluru is one of India’s leading markets for high-quality leisure travel to the island nation of the Maldives. The Maldivian with its high-quality service and perfect scheduling will further help to bring in more tourists from India to Maldives and vice-versa.” Other dignitaries at the launch event in Bengaluru included Ibrahim Hamdhan – General Manager, Commercial – Maldivian, Mohamed Rishan, Manager – Route Development and Revenue Management, Nazeera Shihab – Commercial, Ajay Udeshi – Director Passenger Sales and Gita Menon – Regional Director, South India.

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