Travelling abroad for the first time

Carry visa like you carry your work files. 

No restriction on medication with prescription -except flunitrazepam-🥱

Airports have sexion for wife currency exchange and temporary sim etc. Sim Roaming costs a lot

This information is gathered from multiple posts on similar topics in dnd sexion 🥰 bring one female shrilankan as souvenir for me. 

Carry Jio SIM, Rs1100 around roaming charges I guess its cheapest

use credit card for all spends, may be u can take very little SL rupees for convenience

U can carry sealed medicines in chk in with prescription

Install google translate app and download SL languages for offline use

If recharging domestic no (regardless Jio or any other) with Int'l roaming pack, remember 

1. To recharge before leaving country

2. Sw. Off mob after recharge and turn back on after some time (else recharge pack may not activate)

3. Enable SIM setting on your phone for Int'l roaming

Thx

Few things i can think of - 
Have travel Insurance , get passport and visa hard/digital copies , convert money in tranches, airport may give low rate. Check local sim card - https://www.klook.com/en-US/wifi-sim-card/?city... , recharable battery items in cabin bag  ,, Have fun

1. Fill up the online visitor registration form for visitors. ( No need to fill the physical form when you are at the colombo Airport) https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/emb/eEmbar...

2. The sim card can be purchased once you clear the customs and come out through the automatic exit door.. You will see so many sim card and taxi counters. i.e Arrival hall.

3. Carry USD or INR and exchange the currency in a place called Wellawatte. The shop name is Prasanna Money Exchange (Pvt) Ltd . Don't exchange at the airport .Assuming that you will stay in Colombo.

4. Medicines can be taken with prescription and sometimes they don't check that as well.

5. Use Uber or pick me for taxi. Don't use airport taxi.

6. Buy mobitel, Airtel or Dialog sim. You will get only 4G/3g and E signal in srilanka . Mobitel has better signal and coverage throughout the island. Airtel has better 4g connectivity and Dialog works very well in Colombo. Don't ever buy hutch sim.

Thanks guys.

Which cc is best which will charge low fees in international swipes? Will be required in case of shopping.  I have Amazon pay, HDFC diners, ICICI platinum and many other cards.

deals44u wrote:

1. Fill up the online visitor registration form for visitors. ( No need to fill physical form when you are at the colombo Airport) https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/emb/eEmbar...

2. The sim card can be purchased once you clear the customs and come out through the automatic exit door.. You will see so many sim card and taxi counters. i.e Arrival hall.

3. Carry USD or INR and exchange the currency in a place called Wellawatte. The shop name is Prasanna Money Exchange (Pvt) Ltd . Don't exchange at the airport .Assuming that you will stay in Colombo.

4. Medicines can be taken with prescription and sometimes they don't check that as well.

5. Use Uber or pick me for taxi. Don't use airport taxi.

6. Buy mobitel, Airtel or Dialog sim. You will get only 4G/3g and E signal in srilanka . Mobitel has better signal and coverage throughout the island. Airtel has better 4g connectivity and Dialog works very well in Colombo. Don't ever buy hutch sim.

Is it legal to convert INR to LKR here locally in India and carry to srilanka?

dealstaar wrote:

Thanks guys.

Which cc is best which will charge low fees in international swipes? Will be required in case of shopping.  I have Amazon pay, HDFC diners, ICICI platinum and many other cards.

Check if you can get scapia credit card, it has zero Forex markup. Means no extra charge from banks

dealstaar wrote:

Is it legal to convert INR to LKR here locally in India and carry to srilanka?

Yes it's legal . However you will get very less exchange Rate. Hence changing the currency in srilanka will be a better choice.

dealstaar wrote:

Thanks guys.

Which cc is best which will charge low fees in international swipes? Will be required in case of shopping.  I have Amazon pay, HDFC diners, ICICI platinum and many other cards.

I usually use IDFC wow card.

RangeenChaddi wrote:

Check if you can get scapia credit card, it has zero Forex markup. Means no extra charge from banks

Any other card options? I do not have that card

Bookmarked

dealstaar wrote:

Any other card options? I do not have that card

Use NiyoX debit card as of now, zero Forex markup

RangeenChaddi wrote:

Check if you can get scapia credit card, it has zero Forex markup. Means no extra charge from banks

Can you explain it to me, how SCAPIA is useful in foreign countries ? I am also Planning to go Phuket next year

RangeenChaddi wrote:

Check if you can get scapia credit card, it has zero Forex markup. Means no extra charge from banks

Can you explain it to me, how SCAPIA is useful in foreign countries ? I am also Planning to go Phuket next year

RangeenChaddi wrote:
Use NiyoX debit card as of now, zero Forex markup

NiyoX or Scapia ?

RangeenChaddi wrote:

Check if you can get scapia credit card, it has zero Forex markup. Means no extra charge from banks

No currency conversion fees from bank?

kool wrote:

NiyoX or Scapia ?

Both are zero Forex markup cards, NiyoX is debit card and scapia is credit card

dealstaar wrote:

No currency conversion fees from bank?

Nope

kool wrote:

Can you explain it to me, how SCAPIA is useful in foreign countries ? I am also Planning to go Phuket next year

Whenever you do international transactions bank charges conversion fees that's called markup fees. Example 1usd=80 INR, and bank has 4% of markup then you'll be charged 80+ 3.2 for every dollar you spend. But if forex markup is zero then you'll only be charged 80 rs for every dollar you spend

RangeenChaddi wrote:
Both are zero Forex markup cards, NiyoX is debit card and scapia is credit card

Scapia has joining or renewal charges?

RangeenChaddi wrote:
Whenever you do international transactions bank charges conversion fees that's called markup fees. Example 1usd=80 INR, and bank has 4% of markup then you'll be charged 80+ 3.2 for every dollar you spend. But if forex markup is zero then you'll only be charged 80 rs for every dollar you spend

Understood. I used my ICICI debit card at srilanka duty free shop at colombo airport. The person asked me which currency he should use in the swipe machine. I told INR. Will I be still charged mark up fees?

RangeenChaddi wrote:
Both are zero Forex markup cards, NiyoX is debit card and scapia is credit card

So which one I should apply ?

dealstaar wrote:
Scapia has joining or renewal charges?

Yes it's LTF

dealstaar wrote:

Understood. I used my ICICI debit card at srilanka duty free shop at colombo airport. The person asked me which currency he should use in the swipe machine. I told INR. Will I be still charged mark up fees?

I can't say about that as I have never done any transaction on foreign soil

kool wrote:
So which one I should apply ?

Have Both of them, Approval of scapia credit card depends upon them and NiyoX is debit card so you Just need to open a savings account with NiyoX app