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Most foreign citizens are allowed to enter India only if they have a visa, which can be obtained in a traditional paper or electronic version. In addition to tourist trips, the number of business trips to one of the most exotic countries in the world is growing.
You can get a visa to India for a period of one month to 5 years, with double or multiple entry into the country allowed (multivisa). If the visa is issued for a period of more than a year, it is possible to stay in the country for a maximum of 180 days during a calendar year.
Freelancer Visa
One of the most popular queries among fans of traveling the world is whether the program for "digital nomads" or Digital Nomad Visa works in the country of interest? India does not yet offer a special visa for freelancers who will be able to live in its territory and work remotely for an employer in another country. Among the closest neighbors, Malaysia, Thailand and, starting in 2024– the Philippines offer such an opportunity.
It is expected that a program to support digital nomads will be introduced in the near future for the state of Goa, which is actively promoting it in the Indian government. This region of India is the most popular vacation destination for foreign tourists, and the fast Internet attracts freelancers from all over the country. Goa's Minister of Tourism, Rohan Khounte, is actively implementing a program to build coworking spaces and attract nomads, hoping to stimulate the local economy. Since December 2023, the concept of the digital nomad visa has been developed and coordinated with the central Government of India. The information can be tracked on the website of the international Nomad community nomads.com.
How much does a visa cost?
When applying for a visa to India, a visa fee is provided, the amount of which depends on the multiplicity of entry into the country (single, double, multiple entry visa). An additional service fee (ICWF) of $2.9 is paid, and the fee for registration services is $2.5 if the applicant applies through the visa application center. For a visa with one entry to India, the total fee will be $44, with one exit and re–entry – $93, with multiple crossings - $122. The fee can be paid in cash, debit card, bank transfer.
The fee for obtaining an electronic tourist visa to India is $75 or the equivalent in rupees at the exchange rate at the time of visa processing, plus a transaction fee of 2.5% per person, including children. For other types of entry documents (business, medical, conference visa), the fee is US$100.
Types of visas
Permits to enter India are classified according to the purpose of arrival, depending on which the package of required documents is formed. With regard to the length of stay, a visa of any chosen type can be issued for 30, 60, 180, 365 days, 5 years, with a permit for one, two and an unlimited number of entries. The country's visa legislation provides for the following types of visas, depending on the purpose.
- Tourist – rest, visiting friends and relatives.
- Business – commercial activity, contract work.
- The working one is for highly qualified specialists.
- Entrance ("X") – sports, yoga studies, Vedic culture.
- Student – study at accredited educational institutions.
- Internship program – obtaining postgraduate education.
- Conference visa – participation in events of government agencies, the United Nations.
- Project – implementation of projects in the field of energy and metallurgy.
- Journalistic – issued to professional journalists and photographers.
- Research – participation in scientific conferences, meetings, seminars.
- Medical – undergoing treatment according to a special list of diseases.
- Medical support – issued to the blood relatives of the patient.
- Transit – for connecting flights in the period up to 72 hours.
Student's
Category "A" student visas are issued to students to study at government educational institutions and accredited by the Ministry of Education of India. The permit is usually issued with multiple entry for the entire period of study provided by the university or university (counted from the date of issue).
It is necessary to have an invitation from an Indian educational institution in English with a signature and seal. A student visa must also be issued by persons intending to visit India for an international internship at AIESEC.
Tourist
It is issued to foreigners in the mandatory absence of registration and place of work in India. The duration of stay in an organized group usually does not exceed 30 days. You can individually request permission to stay in India for 1 year or 5 years, but you can stay in the country for no more than 90 consecutive days.
Persons who have entered the country on a tourist visa do not have the right to work and engage in entrepreneurial activity. This would be a violation of the migration regime. To obtain a visa, you need to have medical insurance for the entire period of stay.
Business
Business objectives include the purchase/sale of goods and services, participation in trade events (exhibitions, fairs, presentations), conducting any operations related to foreign trade activities. This type of visa must also be issued by foreign specialists coming to India for industrial training, in order to carry out commissioning and other work under the contract.
Working
A work visa is issued to highly qualified foreigners employed in India with a salary of at least $25,000 per year. As a rule, these are executives, top managers of large companies. They will not give you a work visa to apply for an ordinary ordinary vacancy, since there are enough workers in the country.
The visa applicant will need to submit documents on education, qualifications, a contract or an employment contract with an Indian employer. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the tax legislation of India in advance, as taxes will have to be paid in this country.
Required documents
The list of documents differs for each type of visa requested, but some of them are present in each package. The general requirement for a national (foreign) passport is that it is valid for at least 6 months from the date of crossing the Indian border and has at least 2 blank pages for visa stamps. In the standard case, the list includes the following documents.
- A completed and printed visa application form on the website.
- The passport and its photocopy (plus the old one, if available).
- A document confirming a hotel reservation for a period of 10 days or more.
- One color photo in size 3.5*4.5 cm.
- An air ticket or other return ticket for departure from India.
- A medical insurance policy.
- Information about the balance of funds in the bank account.
The visa processing period is 3-5 days, in difficult cases it may take 10 days. Usually, the delay is due to the presence of dual citizenship or the need for additional verification of documents. The visa may be issued by a representative under a notarized power of attorney.
Recent changes in the visa issue with India
In April 2024, differentiated amounts of the visa fee were introduced when issuing an electronic entry document. In the unpopular period, from April to June, a single 30-day visa will cost only $ 10, the rest of the year they will charge $25 for registration. Due to the introduction of a 5-year visa ($80), the annual cost has decreased to $40.
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