A volunteer trip needs a little more groundwork than a vacation. As well as a flight and a bag, there are forms to send, a background check to request and a few practical things you’ll be glad you sorted at home rather than at the airport. Work through this checklist in roughly this order, and you’ll arrive in India with nothing left to chase.
1. Choose your program and dates
Decide what you would like to do and how long you can stay. Our Delhi programs run from one week to 18 weeks, starting on two Sundays a month, and our Jaipur programs from one week to 12 weeks, starting every Sunday. Most are open from 17; special needs care, the medical internship (for health and pre-med students, from two weeks) and teaching and childcare in Jaipur start at 18. If a school or university calendar fixes your dates, decide early: every start date is on our dates and prices page.
2. Apply and pay your booking deposit
Apply online and pay the booking deposit to hold your place. The deposit is part of your total price, not an extra charge. We confirm your place by email, usually within seven to 10 days, and ask for your documents. The balance is due 45 days before you start; if you book later than that, you pay it when we confirm your placement. Your pre-departure information follows once you have paid in full.
3. Apply for your visa
Most volunteers travel on an Indian e-Visa, which you apply for online before you fly. Your passport needs at least six months’ validity after your return and two blank pages. Visa rules change, so check the current requirements on the official Indian government e-Visa website, and make sure that is where you apply. We send visa guidance after you book, and can write a supporting letter if you need one.
4. Buy travel and medical insurance
Insurance is compulsory on every program, and we ask for your insurer’s name, policy number and emergency phone number with your documents. Check that your policy covers medical treatment in India, emergency evacuation and repatriation, your whole stay including weekend trips, and volunteering, since some policies exclude unpaid work abroad. Our travel insurance page has the full checklist.
5. Request your background check
If your program involves children or vulnerable adults, as most do, you need a clean criminal background check issued within 12 months of your start date. In some countries these take several weeks to arrive, so request yours as soon as you have booked. If you are 17, you also need a consent form signed by a parent, and medical interns send a CV, proof of enrollment and a copy of their passport.
6. See a travel clinic
Book an appointment six to eight weeks before you leave. A travel nurse or doctor can check that your routine vaccinations are up to date and tell you what else they recommend for North India, including how to avoid mosquito bites. If you take prescription medicine, bring enough for your whole stay in its original packaging, and tell us about any medical condition before you travel.
7. Book your flights
Book once we have confirmed your place. For Delhi, fly into Indira Gandhi International Airport and land on your start date: our team meets volunteers there between 8am and 8pm and takes them to the volunteer hostel in South Delhi. For Jaipur, fly into Jaipur International Airport, or come by train if you are already in India, and we will pick you up from the airport or the railway station. Send us your flight details as soon as you have them.
8. Sort out money and cards
Day-to-day costs in India are low, but some things are up to you, such as lunch on project days in Delhi, local transport, laundry and weekend trips. See what’s included for exactly what your price covers.
- Tell your bank you are traveling to India, so your card isn’t blocked the first time you use it.
- Bring two cards and keep them in different places. Where you can, use cash machines inside banks or shopping centers.
- Keep small notes handy. Markets, street stalls and auto-rickshaw drivers rarely take foreign cards.
- Change money only at banks or authorized exchange counters.
9. Plan for your phone
Check that your phone is unlocked, so it will work with an Indian SIM card. A local SIM is cheap and makes maps, messages and ride apps easy to use. You can buy one after you arrive, and your coordinator can help you set it up. Save your coordinator’s number, which comes with your pre-departure information, before you leave home.
10. Pack light and modest
You need less than you think. Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees are right for your project and for temples; light cotton suits most of the year, and from December to February you will want warm layers for cold mornings and nights. Laundry is easy and cheap, so a few days’ worth of outfits is plenty. Keep copies of your passport, visa and insurance, on paper and on your phone, apart from the originals. Our guides to what to wear, packing for summer and packing for winter have the details.
11. Learn a few words of Hindi
English is widely spoken at our projects and in both cities, but a little Hindi goes a long way, especially with children. Start with these:
- Namaste: hello, said with your palms together and a smile
- Dhanyavaad: thank you
- Haan and nahin: yes and no
- Theek hai: OK, fine
- Kitne ka hai?: how much is it?
- Paani: water
- Shabash: well done, which children love to hear
You will pick up more at orientation, or you can start with our Hindi and culture week. For extra credit, watch a Bollywood film and learn the basics of cricket before you go: both make instant conversation starters with the children you work with.
With the paperwork done, all that’s left is the exciting part. For the personal side of getting ready, read how to prepare yourself for volunteer work in India. And if anything on this list isn’t clear, email info@volunteeringindia.com; our team in New Delhi is happy to help.