Photo by Greg Rodgers
Although confirmation and updates were slow to come, the rumor is confirmed true: India has lifted the two-month gap rule for visitors!
This is good news for travelers. Although generous with long stays (India even grants visas for five or ten years), travelers once had to leave the country every three months then remain outside of India for two months before coming back.
It took me around three months just to get a grasp on what was going on around me in this swirling subcontinent!
Getting an Indian visa for any duration requires jumping through some bureaucratic hoops -- including filling out a lengthy-and-complicated visa form online. I fought through the process last year; see my tips for completing the online Indian visa application.
Travelers were using the two-month gap rule as a good excuse to pop into neighboring Nepal -- as if you needed an excuse -- then applied for an exception in Nepal so that they could come back to India earlier.
Fortunately, hoping for paperwork blessings is no longer necessary, but Nepal's famous trek to Everest Base Camp is still as inviting as ever.
So if you've been contemplating a long trip to India, seeing one of the most fascinating places on Earth just got a little easier!
- See some India travel essentials before you go.