You will need a visa to enter and stay in India, and the nature of that visa must suit your pursuits here.   Your best bet is to talk with the local Indian Consulate in your home country and clearly explain what you want to do in India.  Different countries have different bi-lateral agreements with India regarding visas, though there are similarities.  You have to determine the requirements for your case to avoid complications when you get here.

Applying for a visa is a relatively straightforward process. However, it is very important to check that you are applying for the correct visa, as it is not possible to change your visa type once you are in the country. Application for a visa should be made at the country of origin or country of last employment. Further, one should always apply for a multiple-entry visa. This is needed in case of any travel outside India undertaken by the employee during the period of assignment in India. All visas are active from the date of issue, so keep that in mind when you apply.

Living costs in India is not expensive for expatriates.

It used to require a Herculean effort to just get a simple telephone connection in India. The past few years have seen a tremendous change in the quality and quantity of service. Telecom has probably been the fastest growing area in the entire economy and the results are impressive, particularly in the area of wireless communication. Cellular coverage has extended to most areas of the country and rates have plummeted. It is now possible to get a connection anywhere in a matter of hours by filling out a simple form (in triplicate with photo and proof of identity). Entry costs are almost unbelievably low and the rates are the lowest in the world - incoming calls are free and outgoing local calls are 2 to 5 US cents a minute. Recent developments in cellular technology make it possible to get the internet through your cell phone, so if you are technically capable (and fairly lucky) you should be able to plug your laptop into the net on the road here. Several companies are now offering USB devices that plug into your laptop and give a pretty good connection. 3G services are being launched across the country and should be available in at least major centers. There are two types of service - Prepaid and PostPaid. Prepaid requires that you regularly buy a "recharge card" that tops up your phone call limit. These cards are offered in a range of time spans from a few days to a full year, and in varying denominations. When you run down the call limit (or the time limit), you need to get new cards to top up your amounts. You can make interstate and international long distance cards with these phones if your call limit is high enough. "Roaming" over a large geographic area is also possible, with slightly higher rates applying. Postpaid requires you to have a fixed address and ideally some long term connection to the country, like a company. You pay a deposit (from $20 to $200) depending on what calling area you opt for and are billed on usage at the end of the month.

Doordarshan offers national, regional, and local service. Cable television services are also available. These are run by local companies and you can ask your neighbors who works your area. Many companies are now offering a deluxe service via a set top box that brings many more channels. The cost is very low, between $5 to $10 per month and you need to buy a set top box for about $ 50. There is now Satellite TV. Several companies now offer small dish antennas. Airtel, Dish TV and Tata Sky have the best English and international programming. They provide good reception all over India. The set up cost for a dish and box is around Rs 4000 or about $80. It will usually include some free months of service. There are no taxes for owning a TV. Televisions and videos run on the PAL standard. DVD players are organized by region codes. Make sure you buy the right DVDs for the right DVD player or, alternatively, a multi-system player.

Most connections are via dial up lines, with all the limitations that presents. However, the new trend is to wireless and newly expanding 3G cellular service is offering fast access, at least in the major cities. The Net is growing at a rapid pace here. There are new entrants all the time and they vary from city to city, or even within a city. The best bet is to ask friends or neighbors what they use. Many middle class urban homes now have some sort of net connection. The more you pay, the better the service. Ignore promises of high speed or connections in adverts. You are better to rely on word of mouth of people actually using a service. Unless you only use the net for email you should opt for an unlimited bandwidth connection, which are a bit pricier. It is easy to go over the bandwidth limits on cheaper programs and you pay a premium for extra usage.

There are a range of companies offering cellular connections, and lots of shops selling the latest in cell phones at very reasonable prices. You are best to ask the locals in the area you want to get coverage which company is currently offering the best service, as this can change from time to time. If you will regular be shuttling between a number of cities you might want to see which companies, or their affiliates, offer the best total coverage. There is also the question of what band your cell phone uses. Tri band phones work all over the country, and all over the world, but dual band or single band phones will not operate in all coverage areas. If you don't have a tri band phone you will have to check around. And even if a dual band phone works in one area of a company's coverage it may not work in a different state with the same company.

Water is a major concern, since city water in most cases is not safe. Water is supplied by the city but the supply is often inadequate. It may only come for an hour or two every day or even less frequently. Some houses may have a bore well with pump that supplies water but the quality could be questionable. Best not used for cooking. In other cases a water tanker may have to come occasionally and fill up a storage tank. The quality of this water is definitely suspect and should not be used for cooking. Drinking water is best purchased from one of the bottled water companies. They deliver to the house. The cost is several rupees per liter. You can use this for drinking, tea, cooking, etc. Do not drink from taps, and keep purified water in bathrooms for brushing teeth etc. Many homes now have filter systems set up. These are probably good if the filters are kept up and your water is pretty clean to start with. The problem comes when water tankers are needed and one never knows the quality of the water that was delivered. Bottled drinking water is the safest.

Electricity is unreliable in many areas, and voltage fluctuations are so common that voltage regulators are necessary for many appliances.  These, as well as transformers to convert American 110 current to Indian 220, are available locally.  If you have computer equipment you will also require an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), locally available, to protect your equipment.  Random black outs and brown outs are common, and during the dry summer months you can expect daily power cuts (up to 4 hours a day on an announced schedule) in many major cities. Electricity is provided by the state electricity board. There is a meter at the house and a monthly reading is taken. It is important to pay your bill promptly as they can be pretty quick to cut off delinquent account.

Gas is supplied in cylinders or bottles through a neighborhood dealer; it is advisable that you keep one extra cylinder on hand as backup. There will be a choice of gas suppliers. The government agencies are cheaper (subsidized) but harder to get a contract (known as a connection) from. There are market priced gas suppliers that can usually give you a connection right away. There is a deposit paid on cylinders and you usually get the gas regulator as well. Make sure that your gas hose that connects your stove to the cylinder is in good shape and change yearly regardless.

Utilities such as gas, water and especially electricity are expensive. Before moving into a new apartment, contact the utility companies' nearest offices in order to get the supply started on the day you move in. Your landlord may be able to help you with this.

As a foreigner you are not allowed to own land thus your only option is renting. In larger centers, you may have a choice between furnished and unfurnished places, and short or longer term rentals.  

If you are here with a company, they may make all the arrangements, or even have long term housing established for their personnel.  Otherwise, house hunting in India is remarkably similar to anywhere else, with some unique twists thrown in.  You can look for housing through a rental agency, or through "free" advertising papers, (daily newspapers rarely advertise rentals) or find people interested in renting through friends and associates.  In big cities these days, quite a few people moonlight as rental consultants and it is not unusual to have business cards thrust on you "just in case you need a place".

The rental process is usually straightforward.  Houses are rented to companies or individuals on an 11 month basis (avoids legalities) with a lease agreement.  A rental deposit is standard and is unusually high by Western standards.  It varies with the city, the standard of housing, and the rental demand. Rents are usually paid up front. Expect to pay at least one year's rent in advance, plus a security deposit of one to three months. Sometimes, a landlord may charge a low rent but a very high security deposit. The quality of housing varies.  You can find old, traditional colonial houses, but these are rare and expensive.  They also require a lot of upkeep and staff.  Newly constructed units, either independent houses or apartments, in the upper income range vary from garish, Bollywood fantasies to elegant homes, appealing to western tastes.  Apartments, both low rise and high rise, are the most common and most economical Standard features in both apartments and detached homes usually include Western style toilets, showers (but not tubs), ceiling fans, and hot water heaters.  Bedrooms usually have a bathroom attached.  Lighting is usually fluorescent, and there may not be wall sockets where you expect them.  The floors are usually stone, often low-grade marble, or tile of some kind.   Windows will be barred, often with ornate grills, and there will be heavy bolts on the outside and inside of all the doors in the house.  There are often built-in cupboards or shelves (not necessarily useful ones, either).  There may be an anteroom, for receiving visitors, and possibly an Indian style toilet for servants. Many places are built with a small puja room (for worship) in an auspicious place.  It would not be disrespectful to turn it into a closet or study if you prefer.   Also, consider the water and electric supply.  (Best to ask another tenant about this.) In the dry, hot summer water is at a premium in many places.  Some low-lying areas get flooded during the monsoons.

The currency used in India is the Rupee.

• Notes (Rupee): 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000
• Coins (Rupee): 1, 2, and 5
• Coins (Paise): 5, 10, 25, and 50

The best way to exchange money is at a licensed money changer, at the bank or any large hotel. It is important to carry some cash with you as some places do not accept credit cards.

Typical banking hours are 9:30am to 5:30pm on weekdays, and 9:30am to 1:00pm on Saturday.

Indian banks offer 24 hour automatic teller machines (ATM).

Common forms of payment:

1.	Cash
2.	Checks - Debit card - Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club, American Express)

It is recommended that a foreigner open a QA22 account. Currently, the QA22 account allows the account holder to deposit local currency (INR) as well as in foreign currency, but withdrawals are only possible in local currency. Withdrawing funds (in foreign currency) at the time of closure may be limited (varies by bank), but withdrawal of all account funds in local currency (INR) can be done at any time.

The following is a list of documents required for a QA22 bank account application:

1. Form QA 22. Must also meet with a bank official for an interview before the application will be accepted.
2. Declaration of (overseas) sources of credit into account
3. Two recent passport-size photos
4. Letter of employment from the local office of your company
5. One US Dollar to open the account
6. Copy of valid passport and Employment visa (E-type)

Most banks insist on an average quarterly balance of INR 10,000.

Bills can be paid by check, or online (telephone, utilities). Credit cards are not yet widely accepted.

No tests are required to be taken prior to arrival but it is best to keep up with your regular vaccinations, especially ailments such as Typhoid, Gamma Globulin and Tetanus inoculations.

You may be required to take an HIV test in India before obtaining a residence permit.

Your primary concerns are with mosquitoes, water, and food, but you must also consider access to good medical care, provisions for a healthy amount of exercise and measures to deal with a new climate as well as with the stresses of living in an unfamiliar culture.

There is no National Health Insurance Scheme. Health Insurance is now available in India, but most expatriates choose to insure in their home country. Many large companies pay local insurance cover as a part of compensation.

Find a local doctor that you know and trust. Make this connection when you arrive, before you have a need. You can get recommendations from friends or colleagues. Identify a good hospital for emergency treatment as well. A number of hospital chains have been set up recently, offering better quality care. These are comparatively expensive by Indian standards and cater to the wealthy. If you do not have medical insurance from your home country, you can purchase it here from

If you do have a need for a hospital stay or an operation here, make sure someone is with the patient as much as possible.  Ward care may not be adequate.  In addition, during an operation someone will need to be available to run to a pharmacy outside the hospital to purchase supplies as needed by the surgeons! This may sound absurd to people used to the health care systems in the West, but it is routine practice here.

Pharmacies are called Medical Shops. They often sport a red cross. They are very easy to find and quite plentiful.

For further information about health concerns visit:
http://www.indax.com.

There are international schools where English is the main language for learning. Please see below for a list of schools (not exhaustive).

Driving is on the left side of the road. Expatriates generally prefer to move around in chauffeur driven vehicles. However, having a vehicle at your disposal (whether self-driven or otherwise) is a must. To drive in India, one must either have an International or a locally approved license, which can be obtained from the local Road Transport Office (RTO). Further, third party insurance is mandatory. To obtain drivers license talk to your local RTO or consult a driving school.

An auto rickshaw is a three-wheeler vehicle for hire. They typically have no doors or seatbelts. They are generally black or green in color and have a yellow roof on the top. However the design normally depends on the location (state) of the patrol, and so does the color. For example the sides of an auto in Delhi are green, while in Bangalore they are yellow.

Local transportation is predominantly by road, with a small fraction (depending on the city) by trains. Most Indian cities are connected to surrounding towns by buses or trains. The roads in most cities are poorly maintained and full of potholes, while in villages they are frequently non-existent. Traffic generally moves slowly and erratically, and traffic jams and accidents are very common.

The use of buses is very popular for all classes of society. They are a cheap and easy mode of transport.

Mass rapid transit systems are operational in Mumbai, Kolkatta, Chennai and Delhi. The Mumbai Suburban Railway commutes 6.1 million passengers everyday and boasts to have the highest passenger density in the world. Delhi Metro Corporation transport just over one million passengers everyday in 2010

India's rail network is the longest of any country. Trains run at an average of around 50-60 km/hour, which means that it can take more than two days to get from one corner of the country to another. Rail operations throughout the country are run by the state-owned company, Indian Railways. You can book rail tickets on line and get scheduling information from their website at http://www.irctc.co.in/. You need to set up a username and log in (it is free) but the site itself can be very frustrating to use.

There are more than twenty international airports in India. The Indira Gandhi International Airport and the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport handle more than half of the air traffic in South Asia. Air India, India's flag carrier, plays a major role in connecting India with the rest of the world. Several other foreign airlines connect Indian cities with other major cities across the globe. There are also many domestic airlines to choose from. A useful website for booking air tickets is http://www.makemytrip.com/

Super markets have developed on a small scale in urban centers, selling the processed and packaged foods that are increasingly available.  There are still no national chains, but these super markets carry canned, packaged, and often frozen, foods.  They also sell dry goods and convenience items for the homemaker.  You can buy cosmetics, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, tissues, foil wrap, detergent, cleaners, bug sprays, etc.  A few stores in larger cities carry a limited range of imported goods.

Health foods are just beginning to be appreciated, and rarely have a separate section for them, much less a whole store selling only health food.  Frozen foods are also not too common, if only because of infrastructure to store and transport them.  Ice cream, though, is now widely available.

Local produce is still usually purchased in the local bazaars, which are full of vegetable and fruit dealers, fish mongers, meat sellers, and all manner of spices and other things.  These markets tend to be crowded, and are fascinating places - well worth visiting.  Since Indian homemakers prefer to shop daily, some suburbs have small vegetable and fruit stalls near the road side, and dry goods stores, etc.  As a rule, you'll have to bargain to get good deals.

There are not that many retail chains in India. There are local bazaars and small shops for clothes, groceries and the like. There days in large cities there are quite elaborate malls coming up offering a range of goods. Prices are higher but selection is greater. There are a range of stores selling appliances and the like. In upscale neighborhoods they will be quite prominent and easy to find.

For further information on what appliances are available in India, visit http://www.indax.com

In India, personal cleanliness is the most basic of virtues, and most people are fighting a daily battle to maintain whatever level of personal cleanliness and order that their socioeconomic situation allows.

Dressing to fit in is more important for women who want to avoid unnecessary hassles.  The standard advice is to cover your shoulders and your butt, and avoid showing cleavage.  Definitely avoid the solid colored drawstring skirts sold everywhere.  Those are petticoats to go under saris.  Similarly, wearing the tight sari blouse with a pair of pants would be terribly suggestive.  Wearing men's style Indian clothes will give a very confusing message as well.

Most Indian women wear some kind of traditional garment - the sari or the salwar kameez (baggy pants, long tunic top, and a scarf thrown over the shoulder).  Saris are extremely difficult for Westerners to adjust to, but salwars are easy to wear and available ready made everywhere.  They can be extremely cheap - as low as $5 for an outfit.  If you can't find your size, you can have them tailored by any small tailoring outfit.  Made of cotton, they are cool, flowing and elegant - suitable for any occasion, casual or formal.  You'll be advertising an awareness of Indian conditions and will attract much less negative attention. Salwars are particularly well suited for train travel.  If you have trouble with the scarf (which really should be worn) you can cheat by pinning it in place.  Many do.

Taking the trouble to dress appropriately will be wasted if you're putting on wrinkled or grimy clothes.  Indians are quite fastidious about their apparel.  All but the very poorest wear freshly washed and ironed clothes.  This jars with Westerner's casual, easy-care approach to clothing, but it's worth the effort to be clean and neat.  Street side ironing booths will iron anything for a couple of rupees.  Even the cheapest hotel will offer some kind of laundry and ironing service.  Or you can wash things yourself.  Most anything dries overnight.  If you can't find the time to care for your clothes you're moving too fast.

As a general rule, urban Indian men wear western dress - some variation of long pants and a shirt.  Western men wearing traditional Indian dress are quickly slotted into the "hippie" category.  Look for comfortable cotton shirts, and loose, cotton or cotton blend trousers.  Pure cotton shirts make a huge difference when it's hot.  When the temperature approaches 35 Celsius you'll feel the difference of even a small amount of synthetic blend.

Long gone are the days of employing a huge retinue of servants to maintain one's station and quality of life in India.  In the old days, high ranking British officials might have had domestic staff numbering in the hundreds and the retinue of Indian nobility sometimes reached the thousands.

Today, the number of staff is reduced, but the practice of hiring domestic help is still strong in India.  Moreover, it is not limited to the upper economic classes.  Probably the majority of Indian homes employ some kind of hired help for cleaning, washing, or cooking.

Salaries are dependent on many factors - where you live, what previous experience people have, and what functions are required. Domestic's salaries are pathetically low. However, a worker with a decent amount of English, who is used to the different ways of foreigners, will expect considerably more. Ask friends or neighbors, and find out the expectations of the workers before deciding. Though sometimes reticent at first, prospective employees will give you a pretty good idea of what they would be happy with. In a hold over from feudal days, workers traditionally expect an annual gift of some new clothing - a sari or pieces of fabric for sewing.

You should also make provisions for daily food, or at least cups of tea and bread.

The equivalent of a maid. Full or half days, or any schedule you set up. Clean, wash floors, sweep, etc. Often will cook Indian style food for lunch or dinner, if required. (If you are patient, you may be able to get the spiciness toned down).

Someone to look after kids.  Indian women are usually very good with children, but may not be aware of importance of clean water, etc.  Guidance required, at least at first).

Western style cooks are very rare. A few may have worked with foreigners before. They may be good, especially in some areas, but may need guidance in others.

Very useful to have. They know the area and city, and are used to the roads. Parking in cities is often a problem, and driving is tricky. If you drive yourself, be aware that there could be risk of involvement in a court case if you have an accident. Many people find that hiring a car with a driver on contract is the best arrangement. It would be cheaper to find someone with their own car, rather than go through a car rental agency. Ideally, look for an older driver who is more experienced and less likely to be reckless.

May be necessary where you live. In fact, they may be included with the house you rent.

Only if you have a large garden to keep up. If you find yourself in one of the old colonial bungalows, you'll find there is an awful lot of grounds work necessary. Manual workers - may be needed occasionally, but best let a contractor handle those arrangements.

Spouses are not allowed to find gainful employment while on a dependant visa. If they are interested in working, they will need an employment visa of their own. Volunteer work may be possible but you should ask around with other foreigners.

The Indian entertainment industry is one of the world's largest and most innovative, and despite the culture and language barrier, various forms of Indian entertainment have become internationally popular. Bollywood produces thousands of movies a year. http://www.apunkachoice.com/

The Indians love to practice sports. Common sports in India include cricket (by far the most popular), soccer, field hockey, lawn tennis, chess, etc. Although hockey is the official sport of India, cricket has become much more popular. http://sports.Indiapress.org/

Climate in India varies from tropical in the south to more temperate in the Himalayan north, with elevated regions in the north receiving sustained snowfall in winters. India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. The Himalayas, along with the Hindu Kush mountains in Pakistan, provide a barrier to the cold winds from Central Asia. This keeps most of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations in similar latitudes. The Thar Desert is responsible for attracting the moisture laden southwest monsoon winds that provide most of India's rainfall between June and September.