The Journal.

Trip Planning · 4 min read

How can you show that your personal phone was taken from India and not purchased abroad?

Yes, Indian customs can ask how you will prove your phone was not bought abroad. The cleanest proof is a free Export Certificate from the customs desk before you fly out - it records your phone's serial number or IMEI. If you skipped that, the original Indian purchase invoice with the IMEI, the warranty card and the phone's own activation history all help. Here is what works, in order of strength.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 4 min read

What address proof should Indian parents carry when visiting their children overseas?

Parents are rarely asked to prove their own Indian address - what officers and consulates want is proof of where they will stay. That means an invitation letter from the child with the full address, copies of the child's passport and visa or residence permit, and the child's own address proof. Two countries make it an official form: France asks for an attestation d'accueil, Germany for a Verpflichtungserklarung. Here is the exact pack to prepare.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 4 min read

Onward boarding pass refused at transit? Confirm the cause and the next airline team

If the onward boarding pass is refused or cannot be issued at transit, ask the airline to identify the cause and the responsible next team before changing your route.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 3 min read

What Should an Indian Traveller Do if There Is No Entry Stamp in the Passport After Arrival?

First find out whether that country still stamps at all. Singapore emails an electronic Visit Pass instead of inking your passport, the US records entry in the electronic I-94, Australia and much of Europe under EES leave no ink either - your legal record is digital, so retrieve and save it. If the country does stamp and the officer skipped yours, go back to the counter before leaving the hall; already out, contact the airport immigration office with your boarding pass.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 3 min read

What Should You Do if an Immigration Officer Stamps the Wrong Date on Your Indian Passport?

Fixable - and easiest at the counter, that same minute. Check the stamp the moment the passport comes back (date, and entry versus exit). If it is wrong, go straight back to the officer or the duty supervisor; they verify against their own system and correct it on the spot. Already left the airport? Your boarding pass is your dated proof, and some countries fix records through their own offices.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 3 min read

What Should You Do if Indian Customs Asks for Receipts of Gifts Bought Overseas?

Stay calm - the question is routine when bags look like shopping. Hand over original receipts first: they set the value by the preferred method. No receipt? Card or bank statement entries plus your own price list work as support; without any proof the officer can value items at Indian retail prices, which may be higher than you paid. Gifts are not exempt - they count toward your free allowance like any purchase.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 3 min read

Do You Need to Declare Personal Gold Jewellery Worn During an International Trip When Returning to India?

Your own jewellery that left India with you is not an import - everyday gold worn on a holiday needs no declaration and normally no paperwork. The risk case is heavy, wedding-level jewellery an officer could suspect was bought abroad. The official safeguard costs nothing: an Export Certificate from Customs at departure. Here is who needs it and how to get it.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 3 min read

Can You Travel to Dubai With a Valid Visa Linked to Your Old Passport?

Yes - for a tourist or visit visa, carry both passports: the valid UAE visa in the old one is accepted when shown with the new one, and no transfer is needed. Residence visas are different: get the permit data amended to the new passport before you fly. Here is the full split, and where problems actually happen.

03 Nov 2026

Trip Planning · 3 min read

Do Indian Tourists Need a Printed Return Ticket When Entering Thailand?

Thailand does not demand paper - a ticket on your phone is accepted, and many travellers are never asked. But the return ticket itself is a listed requirement, your airline in India often checks it before boarding, and phones fail at the worst moments. Print one page per traveller, keep an offline PDF, and make sure the booking is actually issued.

03 Nov 2026