Moving Services in India

There are legal requirements for moving to India. Any foreigner wishing to enter India must obtain a visa from a consulate, with the exception of nationals from Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan. Another exception exists for foreign persons who have a PIO card certifying that they are a Person of Indian Origin.

 

The process for getting the visa can take one month or longer. Tourist visas and Business visas are good in India for 6 months from the date of issue. Business visas require a company letter and a letter of invitation from an Indian company. Longer business visas can be valid for as long as 5 years. The length of visit allowed in India on a business visa is 180 days. Employment visas allowing work in India are harder to get and require a clean bill of health and police record, along with proof of job offer.

 

Student visas are available to those attending school in India. There are also special journalist visas allowing entry for journalist for up to 3 months. There are some regions within India that require additional extra permission to enter. This includes several states in the east near Bangladesh and Burma, in the northwest near Pakistan and the disputed area, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

See our guides

• Moving to India