Indian Employment Visa Information

Employment Visa (E)

This visa is for those who are living, working, and earning money in India

 

Approximate processing time:

One to three weeks

Difficulty to get:

Difficult

Maximum validity:

Usually one year, multiple entry, can be extended every year (in India) up to five years

Maximum continuous stay:

One year plus any extension

What you can do:

• Earn money from an Indian company, or the Indian branch of a foreign company
• Perform as an artist
• Coach or play for an official sports team
• Install equipment/machines/tools
• Do warranty or annual maintenance work
• Do training for an Indian company
• Consult with an Indian company
• Execute a project in India

What you cannot do:

• Work for any other company

Rules:

• You must be “highly skilled” in your industry. This is usually a senior level person or technical expert (no clerical roles). You must be doing a job that very few, if any, Indians can do.
• You will need to show an employment contract from an Indian employer that includes a salary of US $25,000 per year. This can include allowances paid in cash which are used to calculate your Indian Income tax (quantified and included in the contract). It does not include things paid in kind such as transportation and free housing. Exemptions are ethnic cooks, foreign language teachers (not English), and embassy staff. If you are going to be in India less than a year, the $25,000 can be prorated by months. Any money you earn is subject to tax liabilities
• There was a rule about companies only employing a certain number of foreign staff, but it has been removed.
• You must register with the FRRO within 14 days.
• Spouses and children will be on Entry visas.
• If you are doing NGO/Volunteering Work: You will get a special endorsement on your visa which reads “To work with NGO” and then gives the name of the NGO and the place of work. You will also need an invitation/contract letter from the NGO as well as proof that the NGO is registered in India. You will need to prove you can financially support yourself and also give your resume. You may receive a maximum of Rs. 10,000 per month.

 

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