cTravel Visas

All non-Indian citizens are required to have an Indian travel visa to enter the country. Allow sufficient time (at least 4-6 weeks) to procure the appropriate visa from your nearest Indian consulate (see Indian consulates worldwide). Indian consulates in the continental US are located in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Atlanta. All participants traveling from the United States must use either the Indian Government’s e-Visa portal (if eligible for e-Visa) or VFS Global for traditional paper based Visa. All other participants should contact the Indian Embassy/ Consulate General of India in their respective countries for information on obtaining an Indian visa. This is to ensure that you are in compliance with respect to latest the regulations enforced by the Indian Embassy issuing the visa.

Applications for a Conference Visa will require the applicant to supply a letter of invitation from HiPC organizers, which may be requested after you have registered for the conference and paid your fees. HiPC organizers have secured the required Indian government approvals and clearances to support applications for Conference Visas. A single pdf of these permissions and certifications for HiPC 2024 from Indian Government Agencies will be included with your invitation letter.

Important Note: Participants who require an Indian visa to travel to HiPC are advised to check the exact set of approvals and clearances that the Indian Embassy requires, including requirements for security clearance that apply to passport holders from some countries. When completing the online Visa Invitation Letter Request form, check the last section of the form and complete if your passport country is named, no matter where you may currently reside. This is to ensure that the compliance is met with respect to the latest regulations enforced by the Indian Embassy issuing the visa.

Hotel Reservations: Please make your hotel reservations ahead of time so that you get your choice of accommodation. See the Accommodation page for more details. 

Vaccinations & Health Tips

Many first-time travelers to India prefer to get preventive vaccinations (shots). The US CDC Website offers the latest vaccination information on travel to India. In other countries, there may be similar advisories available from the appropriate government agency. Checking various world travel sites is another source of information, including tips for first time travelers.

Foreign Exchange 

While international credit cards are widely accepted in commercial establishments in India, several places rely on cash transactions in the local currency (Indian Rupee), especially if the purchase value is not very high. We suggest that you either carry some Indian currency when entering India or purchase Indian currency at the currency exchange agencies at the Indian airports, upon arrival. The current exchange rate is about ~83 INR per US dollar. Please check the conversion rate before you travel. Once in India, you can purchase additional Indian currency from local branches of Citibank, Thomas Cook, etc. However, it is typically difficult to convert Indian currency back into foreign currency because of exchange regulations.

Time and Weather 

The Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5.5 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and is 13.5 hours ahead of the U. S. Pacific Standard Time (PST). In December/ January the weather is mildly tropical with temperatures averaging about 26° Celsius (approx. 79° Fahrenheit) during the day and about 14° Celsius (approx. 58° Fahrenheit) during the night. You can check the daily weather forecast here.

Flights to India 

Bengaluru is well connected by airline services to most major cities in India and abroad. All flights, national and international, operate from the Bengaluru International Airport (Airport Code: BLR). If you are planning to travel around India after/before the conference, check with your travel agent for attractive local air travel offers that are usually available with your international travel ticket.

Domestic Airlines

• Air India
• AirAsia India
• IndiGo
• Vistara

Transportation

Airport: Depending on your hotel booking, the hotel may arrange for an airport pickup, at times with an additional cost. You should check with the hotel prior to your departure. The charges will vary depending on the hotel.

Taxis are available at the airport departure. Follow the signs to Local Transportation which is a level below the arrival level. Keep a printed copy of your hotel address available to show to the driver. Most drivers can read and speak (a little) English. On the printed copy, be sure to include the phone number of the hotel. Drivers can then talk to the hotel staff on mobile phone if directions are needed.

From the Bengaluru airport to the conference hotel, the taxi fare would typically be under 2000 INR (< 30 USD). There is no public point-to-point transportation from/to the airport, so it is advisable to pick the taxi. The standard taxi from the airport can take 2 large bags of luggage in the boot (trunk) plus one or two pieces of small bags. It can seat 3 passengers comfortably beyond the driver

Local: Most hotels have travel desks that can arrange for a city tour in a cab. Hotels can also help you with local transportation. Charges will vary based on distance and the time. Taxis for call are also available based on prior booking.