The short answer
Every country sets its own entry rules, and only that country’s official pages can say what applies to you. StudentFlow has curated pages for the UK, Canada, Australia and Germany. For every other country the steps are the same: check your passport, find and read the destination’s own official page, keep bookings changeable until the entry step is clear, then sort cover, money and health. StudentFlow links official pages and never says whether you will need or get a visa. For some countries your plan links the official pages we have checked, and for the rest it tells you how to find them.
Key terms in plain English
- Official entry page: the destination government’s own page for visitors. It is not an agent, a forum or a look-alike site.
- Visa, e-visa or travel authorisation: permission to enter. Some countries ask visitors to apply online before they travel and others do not. The official page says which, if any, applies.
- Arrival card or declaration: a form some countries ask visitors to complete for immigration, customs or health.
- Indian mission: the Indian embassy, high commission or consulate in the country.
Step by step
- Check your passport. Look at its expiry date and blank pages, then read what the destination’s official page says about both. If you need a new one, start early on Passport Seva.
- Find the official entry page. Search for the country’s immigration or e-visa website, check that the address belongs to its government, and read the page to the end. Note the date.
- Keep bookings changeable until the entry step is clear. If you are unsure, ask your airline, which checks documents before you board.
- Read the advisory. The Ministry of External Affairs publishes travel advisories and lists the Indian missions abroad. Save the mission’s details.
- Arrange cover. Read what a policy excludes and how to claim.
- Sort your money. India’s foreign exchange rules apply to what you take abroad. Tell your bank and carry a backup card.
- Think about health. Speak to your doctor or a travel clinic. The World Health Organization has general information. StudentFlow gives no medical advice.
- Prepare for the border and for home. Keep documents in hand baggage, declare what the destination’s page says you must, and read India’s customs page before you shop.
If your trip crosses borders
Each country on the route has its own rules, so repeat the steps for every stop. For the Schengen area, the European Commission explains the Schengen area, and the EU’s travel pages cover the Entry/Exit System.
Checklist
- To do: Check your passport against the destination’s official page
- To do: Find and read the official entry page, and note the date
- To do: Keep flights and stays changeable until the entry step is clear
- To do: Read the Indian government’s advisory and save the mission’s details
- To do: Arrange travel cover and read the exclusions
- To do: Tell your bank, carry a backup card and read India’s exchange rules
- To do: Ask your doctor or a travel clinic about the trip
- To do: Keep documents in hand baggage, with copies elsewhere
Common mistakes
- Trusting a forum or an agent for entry rules. Use the official page for facts.
- Using a look-alike website. Some charge extra for a form that is free on the official site.
- Booking first and checking later. A refusal can strand a non-refundable booking.
- Checking only the first country. Every stop has its own rules.
Things that change
Entry rules, forms and systems change. Check the date on the official page, and check again shortly before you fly.
Verify before you act
The pages above are the source. For advice on your case, ask the destination’s official website, your airline or a licensed professional.