As a British passport holder, you
have the option to apply for a
single-entry e-Tourist Visa or
a regular, six-month, multiple-
entry tourist visa for India. I’m
assuming you require the former.
The e-Tourist Visa (eTV) allows
a maximum of two visits in a
calendar year and is valid for 30
days from your date of arrival.
To apply, go to indianvisaonline.
gov.in/visa/tvoa.html
Be aware that a recent
front-facing photograph
with a white background
needs to be uploaded at
the end of the application
(JPEG format) along with a
scanned fi rst page of your
passport (PDF
format).Flight compensation within the
EU is relatively straightforward.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004,
passengers are entitled to
compensation for fl ights that are
cancelled or delayed for more
than three hours. For fl ights
within the EU (plus Switzerland,
Iceland and Norway) it’s €250
(£215) for distances of 1,500km or
less, and €400 (£344) for fl ights
longer than that.
From an EU state (or Switzerland,
Iceland or Norway) to a non-EU
state, it’s €250 (£215) for 1,500km
or less, €400 (£344) for 1,500km to
3,500km and €600 (£515) for more
than that. This applies irrespective
of which airline you’re fl ying on.
Where it gets tricky is return
legs. The EU doesn’t get to
legislate over delays on fl ights
coming into the EU — and
passenger rights vary wildly
from nation to nation. But theYou can see a total eclipse
— where the moon completely
obscures the sun — on 21 August
2017 at various locations in the US.
It’s the fi rst total solar eclipse in
the continental US since 1979
— although on that occasion it was
only visible in fi ve states and cloud
cover was an issue. Next year, you
can view it from west to east in
around 10 states, from Oregon
to South Carolina. Some of bestQ // What’s the best
and cheapest way to
get a visa to India,
bearing in mind the
change in visa rules?
Q // Can I claim
compensation if a
fl ight is more than
three hours delayed
when travelling
outside the EU?
Q // I’ve heard you can
see a total eclipse next
year — where’s the
best place to see it?
Deserts can be a challenge for
contact lens wearers. Blowing sand
means an increased risk of dry
eyes, abrasion and infection, which
can lead to ulceration and eventual
blindness. It’s advisable to:- Wear sunglasses and a hat
- Never sleep in your lenses
- Discard lenses at the fi rst sign of
infection and switch to glasses - Pack rewetting drops
- Use sanitising hand cleansers
- Use daily disposable lenses
- Never ignore a red or painful eye
- Beware of other symptoms of
infection including excessive
tearing or discharge, photophobia
(sensitivity to light) and foreign
body sensation - Consider carrying antibiotic
drops if far from medical care
DR PAT GARROD
Q // I’m o to tour the Namib
Desert. I don’t want to wear
my specs, so what precautions
should I take when wearing
contact lenses?health corner
MICHAEL PULLMAN
MARKETING MANAGER,
WILDFRONTIERSTRAVEL.COMSARAH BARRELL
ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLERSAM LEWIS
CONTRIBUTOR, NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLERVARUNA GANDHI
TOURS MANAGER,
GREAVES TRAVELDR PAT GARROD
TRAVEL AUTHOR
& ADVENTURERTHE EXPERTS
EU can force airlines based in
the EU (or Switzerland, Norway
or Iceland) to comply. So as long
as you’re coming back on an
EU-based airline, you can claim
the same amounts you would if
you were on the outbound leg.
So if fl ying back from the US with
Virgin Atlantic, British Airways
or Aer Lingus, you could claim
under the EU rules. If with Delta,
United or American Airlines,
you can’t. The same applies
to EasyJet and Ryanair fl ights
from outside the EU (ie from
Marrakech or Tel Aviv) — you
can claim. But you couldn’t
coming back from Dubai with
Emirates, for example. Full
information and template
claim forms are available from
europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/
travel/passenger-rights/air/
index_en.htm
SARAH BARRELLOnce the application is
completed, you’ll need to pay
a fee of $60 (£45) at least four
days before the expected date
of travel — the application takes
48-72 hours to process once
the fee is paid and you’ll receive
an email confi rming whether
the eTV is granted for that time
period. You should carry a copy
of your eTV when you travel.
If you need any assistance
in applying for the e-Tourist
Visa, operators can apply
on your behalf. For example,
Greaves Travel can process the
application for an administration
fee of £30 plus visa fees of £45,
payable to the High Commission
of India.
VARUNA GANDHIplaces to view it are Nashville,
Tennessee (on the tourism map
as the nation’s music capital),
and the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park — one of the most
scenic spots in the country. For
details about the duration in each
location, how to safely view the
eclipse, what to expect and why it
occurs, visit greatamericaneclipse.
com/best-places-to-view
SAM LEWISNovember 2016 157TRAVEL TALK