Travel

(Page last updated on 5 Nov, 2022)

This page contains information to help you plan your travel to Bengaluru, India to attend ISMIR 2022. We will periodically update the information on travel and visas as it becomes available. Please watch this space for additional information.

Airport Transfers

https://www.bengaluruairport.com/travellers/transport-parking

The Kempegowda International Airport that serves Bengaluru city is situated 35 km from the city centre and IISc. It is safe to arrive in the city at night and several International flights arrive in Bengaluru in the middle of the night. Passengers can take a bus or taxi to the city from the airport. The airport has metered taxis operated by KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Department), Meru or EasyCabs. These Airport Taxis are available 24/7 on all days – just outside the arrival gate. A special pink taxi service driven by women is also available exclusively for women. The airport also has a dedicated zone to take ridesharing taxis by Ola and Uber.

There are private taxi providers also available with whom a cab can be booked inside the airport, which will be slightly more expensive as compared to the radio/metered taxies. In addition, you could also arrange for airport transfers through your hotel, though it might be more expensive.

How to reach IISc: https://iisc.ac.in/about/general-information/how-to-reach-iisc/

Local Transport

Bengaluru is supported by a system of metro, buses, taxis and autos for public transport.

Bangalore Metro (Namma Metro) is, clearly, the quickest, affordable and one of the best ways to get around Bengaluru. However, kindly confirm if the metro covers the place you want to visit. The nearest metro station to the venue (NSSC, IISc) is Sandal Soap Factory on the Green Line (2 km).

The buses in Bengaluru are run by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) with a fleet of ordinary buses (blue in color) and “Vajra”/”Vayu-Vajra'' air-conditioned buses. The buses have specific routes and no clear timetables are available. The bus fare is paid to the conductor upon boarding the bus and a ticket is collected. A day-pass that allows unlimited rides on the bus is available.

Taxis are easily available in Bangalore with ride sharing apps Ola & Uber being the leading players.

Auto-rickshaws (called autos or 3-wheelers in local lingo) are a common mode of transport and are readily available at every corner of the city. Please fix a fare before you start the ride when riding on autos. Autos are also available through the Ola ride sharing app.

IISc is known as the “Tata Institute” among the common populace of the city, and could be used to refer to the institute when taking a taxi/auto/bus. Within IISc, most of the places could be reached on foot.

COVID-19 related travel guidelines

We request you to periodically check COVID-19 related travel guidelines, restrictions and rules for your travel to India and to Bengaluru. There might be COVID-19 testing, vaccination and self-registration requirements for your travel. We request you to refer to latest guidelines for International and Domestic travellers at https://www.newdelhiairport.in/covid19 and register before traveling on the Air Suvidha portal. As per the latest "Guidelines for International Arrivals" issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Govt. of India on 21st November, 2022, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has issuedofficial communication that self-registration on the Air Suvidha portal is no longer necessary before traveling to India. The testing and vaccination requirements have also been relaxed - we request you to kindly refer to the official communication from MoHFW and MoCA, Govt. of India.

Visa Guidelines

The information on this page is provided as general guidance for securing a visa to travel to India to attend the ISMIR 2022 conference. The information provided cannot be constituted as legal advice. While the ISMIR 2022 organizers make every effort to keep the information up to date, we cannot make any guarantees about the accuracy or validity of the information.

General Information

Visitors entering India must possess a passport valid for at least 6 months after their date of entry into India. There should be at least two blank pages in the passport. An entry visa is essential for all those visiting India. There are several types of visas, including Conference, Tourist and Business Visas. Those traveling specifically for ISMIR 2022 are required to apply for a Conference Visa.

When to Apply

For most countries, the time taken by embassies to issue a Conference Visa is normally 14 days, and the visa is valid for three months from the date of issue by the embassy (not from the date of entry into India). For applications from citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Foreigners of Pakistani Origin and Stateless persons, the time taken is 60 days and the visa is valid for one month.

Share your Passport Details

All participants who are non-Indian nationals will need to share their passport details so the ISMIR 2022 team can apply for necessary permissions from the concerned ministry. Visa Applicants from (1) Afghanistan, (2) Iraq, (3) Pakistan (4) Sudan (5) Foreigners of Pakistani Origin and (6) Stateless persons will need a special political clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India.

For participants from Pakistan: The port of entry into India should be Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai only. Hyderabad is not an allowed point of entry for Pakistani citizens. Pakistani citizens holding two passports should apply for a visa on their Pakistan passport.

Fill the Visa Application Form

Indian Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions now require visa applications to be made online from the Indian Government website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/. Please note that this website is operated by the Indian Government and not by the ISMIR 2022 organisers. Here are some tips on using that website:

• Make a note of your temporary reference number. If the website gives error messages or freezes, you can try later using your temporary reference number to retrieve your partially filled form.
• A visa application form will be generated with the High Commission Logo at the top. Print 2 copies (and another one for yourself) and sign. Save the document in case you need to reprint.

Get your Supporting Documents

The supporting documents required for a visa application are:

• Two passport-size photographs
• Letter of identification from your institution or employer
• Confirmed onward & return tickets (if applicable)
• Letter of Invitation from the conference organisers (will be provided by ISMIR 2022 organizers). If you have provided your passport details during registration for ISMIR 2022, you can obtain your invitation letter using this portal https://ismir2022.virtualmnc.com/ by entering your passport number. Please contact us if you have difficulty obtaining the invitation letter.

Letters of permission from Indian Government Ministries for holding the conference (will be provided by ISMIR 2022 organizers). These letters will include:

• Approval letter from Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, which is the nodal ministry for the conference: Download MoE approval letter PDF
• Approval and political clearance letter from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, which is needed for all non-Indian nationals to travel to the conference: Download MEA clearance letter PDF

Please note that an approval letter from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India is not necessary for the conference. If your visa application requires it and asks for it, please submit this circular from the ministry (that explains the conditions in which MHA approval is needed) along with your application: Download MHA circular PDF

Photographs

You will need to provide two 50 mm x 50 mm photos. Please ensure they are of your entire face from the top of your head to your chin, and that this distance measures between 25mm and 35mm. If this is not followed your application will be rejected.

Letter from your Institution

This letter from the institution you are associated with should identify you and their relationship with you, and confirm that they understand that you intend to visit India for the Conference duration (plus any extra days for tourism).

Invitation letter for the Conference

The ISMIR 2022 secretariat can provide an invitation letter for VISA purposes, if required. However, it does not guarantee you a visa OR might not be required by the consulate to process the VISA too. Hence kindly reconfirm before applying for the VISA with the consulate or your travel agent. The invitation letter will be issued ONLY after you have registered and full payment has been received. To obtain an invitation letter, please write to us with the following details (these details are also collected while registering to the conference);

• Full Name (as mentioned on the Passport)
• Passport Number
• Place of Issue (Passport)
• Date of Issue (Passport)
• Affiliation with city and country
• Nationality

The above listed details should be exactly as it appears on your passport. Any differences could lead to a delay and/or denial of your visa.

Local Contact Details

If you need to enter the details of a local contact in your visa application, please add the contact details of the general chairs Prof. Preeti Rao, IIT Bombay (Homepage) or Prof. Hema Murthy, IIT Madras (Homepage). You can find the address, telephone number and e-mail from their homepages if needed.

Any Other documents required by Indian Embassies for Conference Visa

In addition to the documents described above, some embassies may require additional information. Please check the website of the Indian Embassy in your country under the heading ‘Conference Visa’. The list of Indian diplomatic missions overseas can be consulted at: http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/mission/mission.

Accompanying Persons

Accompanying Persons are not entitled to attend the conference technical sessions and should apply for a Tourist Visa. They can of course benefit from the events open to them and participate in the social events of the Conference. The application process for Tourist Visa is much simpler than Conference Visa. No letter of invitation is required. Accompanying persons can use the e-Tourist visa facility at the website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be sent to the conference secretariat at ismir2022-registration@ismir.net. We can help with information, but the organisers cannot influence the embassies in any way. It is the responsibility of the participant to get his/her visa.

Important Note

Please note that the ISMIR 2022 oraganizing team is not authorized to assist or have any control over the VISA process beyond providing an Invitation Letter, that too post completion of the online registration process. Should your application be denied, the ISMIR 2022 team cannot change the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nor will any member from the committee be able to engage in discussion or correspondence with the visa issuing authorities on behalf of the applicant.

The registration fee cannot be refunded for the reason of VISA being denied – cancellation policy mentioned on the website will be followed. We request you to please register and apply for VISA as early as you can to make sure you have enough time to plan your trip.