India Employment Visa 2026: US$25,000 Floor, FRRO Registration & Timeline
India has no separate work permit — the visa is the authorisation, the FRRO registration is the compliance step, and the provident fund is the cost most employers forget
Short answer: a foreigner works in India on an Employment Visa issued by the Indian mission in the country of origin or domicile, sponsored by an entity registered in India that issues the appointment letter and undertakes responsibility for the person. The salary must exceed US$25,000 a year and the job must be skilled, not routine. After arrival the person registers with the FRRO within 14 days through e-FRRO and receives a Residential Permit, obtains a PAN before the first payroll, and — because the employer is covered by the EPF Act — contributes 12% of full salary to the provident fund as an "international worker" with no wage ceiling. The framework was rewritten by the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, in force 1 September 2025, with the Rules amended in June 2026 and the visa sub-categories re-labelled E-1, E-2 and E-3. The visa is employer-specific: changing employer means leaving and re-applying, except between a holding company and its subsidiary. Realistic time from signed offer to a registered, paid employee: 4–8 weeks. This page is written by the Aniday team that sponsors these applications through our partner entity in India. Verified 7 September 2026.
Which law governs foreigners working in India in 2026?
The Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, in force since 1 September 2025, replaced four statutes at once — the Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act 1939, the Foreigners Act 1946 and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 2000. The visa conditions themselves — salary floor, validity, change of employer — are not in the Act; they sit in the Ministry of Home Affairs' visa manual and its published employment-visa conditions, which the missions and the FRRO apply.
| Instrument | What it governs |
|---|---|
| Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 (in force 1 September 2025) | Entry, registration, reporting duties of employers, hotels, hospitals and institutions; penalties including imprisonment; the Bureau of Immigration's powers |
| Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025, as amended by the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules 2026 (notified June 2026) | Registration timelines, Form C reporting, the online appeal to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration within 30 days |
| MHA employment-visa conditions and Visa Manual (Employment, Business and Project visas) | US$25,000 floor, skilled-not-routine test, validity by sector, five-year cap, change of employer, X visa for dependants; E-1/E-2/E-3 sub-categories since June 2026 |
| Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952; EPF Scheme para 83; EPS para 43A | The "international worker" rules — 12% on full salary, no INR 15,000 ceiling |
| Income-tax Act 1961, s. 6 and s. 139A | 182-day residency test; PAN mandatory for anyone with taxable income or a TDS deduction |
Who you deal with. The Indian embassy, high commission or its outsourced visa centre issues the visa; the Bureau of Immigration under the MHA runs the FRRO offices (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Kochi and others) and the e-FRRO portal; the Income Tax Department issues PAN; the EPFO administers the provident fund. Governing instruments: Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025; Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025 as amended 2026.
Employment Visa, Business Visa or Project Visa — which one does the role need?
If the person is paid for work done in India, it is an Employment Visa. The Business Visa is for meetings and trade; the Project Visa is a narrow sub-type for power and steel projects. Sending an engineer to "monitor" a project on a Business Visa while they actually commission equipment is the commonest breach in this market.
| Employment Visa (E) | Business Visa (B) | Project Visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permits | Salaried employment with an Indian entity, or work on a contract a foreign company has been awarded by an Indian entity; intra-company transfers | Exploring opportunities, buying and selling, technical and business meetings, recruitment, board meetings, monitoring a project's progress | Execution of a project in the power or steel sector by a foreign company's staff |
| Does not permit | Working for any employer other than the sponsor; routine, clerical or secretarial jobs | Any salaried work or project execution; "no work of any kind" | Anything outside the named project |
| Validity | Up to 2 years or the contract term; up to 3 years for IT and software; up to 5 years under a bilateral or approved collaboration agreement. Missions commonly issue 1 year first | Up to 5 years multiple-entry, but stay per visit limited (180 days on most) | Project duration or 1 year, whichever is shorter; limited extension by the FRRO |
| Extension | At the FRRO, year by year, to a total of 5 years from first issue | Generally not extended in India | Once, tied to the project |
| Conversion inside India | — | Not convertible to an Employment Visa in India; the person must leave and apply from home | Not convertible |
| FRRO registration | Within 14 days of arrival (visa over 180 days) | Only if the stay exceeds 180 days | Within 14 days of arrival |
Two boundary cases. A foreign contractor's employee installing or commissioning under a contract awarded by an Indian company needs an Employment Visa, sponsored on the strength of the contract, not a Business Visa. And a foreign company with no Indian presence and no Indian contract cannot sponsor anyone — which is where an Employer of Record's Indian entity comes in. Governing instruments: MHA employment-visa and business-visa conditions (Visa Manual); Project Visa scheme for power and steel sectors.
What are the eligibility rules, and who is exempt from the US$25,000 floor?
Three tests: the person is a highly skilled or qualified professional, the gross salary exceeds US$25,000 a year, and the sponsor is an entity registered in India that takes responsibility for them. There is no points system, no quota, no labour-market test and no statutory education or experience threshold — the mission judges "skilled" on the CV and the job description.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Salary | Gross salary in excess of US$25,000 per annum. The rupee equivalent quoted in older guides (around INR 16.25 lakh) is not the test; the dollar figure is |
| Exempt from the floor | Ethnic cooks; language teachers other than English, and translators; staff of foreign embassies and high commissions. NGO volunteers on an E-2 visa are assessed on a separate, lower stipend basis |
| Skill | "Highly skilled and/or qualified professional"; not granted for routine, ordinary, secretarial or clerical jobs, nor for jobs for which qualified Indians are available in large numbers |
| Sponsor | An entity registered in India: it issues the appointment letter or contract and an undertaking to be responsible for the person's conduct and tax liability. A foreign company with no Indian entity cannot sponsor unless it holds a contract awarded by an Indian entity |
| Where to apply | The Indian mission in the country of origin, or of domicile if the person has held permanent residence there for more than 2 years |
| Nationality | Some nationalities require prior reference to the MHA and longer processing; the mission advises at filing |
| Sub-category (from June 2026) | E-1: all employment including intra-company transfers; E-2: NGO and similar organisations; E-3: missionaries and religious workers of approved organisations. The old E1–E4 labels were retired; the MHA says there is no practical change to eligibility |
Read the floor as a floor, not a target. Missions routinely refuse applications at US$26,000 for a "consultant" with a thin CV, because the salary is evidence of skill as much as a condition in itself. Where the market rate for the role in India is well below US$25,000, that fact itself signals to the mission that qualified Indians are available. Governing instrument: MHA employment-visa conditions (Visa Manual), applied under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025.
How is the Employment Visa applied for, what documents are needed, and what does it cost?
The worker applies online at indianvisaonline.gov.in and then in person at the mission or visa centre in their home country, with a document pack the Indian sponsor prepares. The mission decides in a few working days for most nationalities once the file is complete; the document pack is what takes time.
| # | Document | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online application form and photograph | Completed at indianvisaonline.gov.in; printed and signed; 2 recent photographs, 5 cm × 5 cm, white background |
| 2 | Passport | At least 6 months' validity and 2 blank pages; longer validity avoids a visa capped short |
| 3 | Appointment letter or employment contract from the Indian sponsor | On letterhead: position, duties, duration, gross salary in INR with the US$ equivalent above 25,000, place of work |
| 4 | Sponsor's undertaking | The registered Indian entity undertakes responsibility for the person's conduct during the stay and for their Indian tax liability |
| 5 | Sponsor's registration documents | Certificate of incorporation (CIN), GST or PAN of the entity; for a contract-based sponsor, the contract awarded by the Indian entity |
| 6 | Justification of skill | Degree and professional certificates, CV, and a letter explaining why the role needs a foreign national |
| 7 | Proof of income | Often the appointment letter suffices; some missions ask for a salary certificate or the previous year's tax return |
| 8 | Legalisation | India is a Hague Apostille Convention party (since 2005); missions ask for apostilled degrees only in some jurisdictions — no routine police certificate or medical for the E visa itself |
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Mission processing | Typically 3–10 working days after biometrics; 2–4 weeks where MHA clearance is required for the nationality; peaks longer |
| Visa fee | Set by nationality on a reciprocal basis and by visa duration, plus the visa centre's service fee; the official portal directs applicants to the mission's fee table rather than publishing one. Budget US$100–300 for most nationalities on a 1-year visa; confirm the current figure for the specific nationality with Aniday |
| FRRO registration | No material government fee at registration; the cost is in extension and late-registration penalties |
| Extension at the FRRO | Fee set by regulation and scaled to the duration granted; confirm current figure with Aniday |
| Realistic out-of-pocket per hire | US$300–800 covering the visa, service fees, apostilles and PAN, before any agency fee |
The dependency that trips timelines. The visa must be issued from the country of origin or domicile — an Indian mission in a third country where the person happens to be travelling will refuse. Plan the application around where the person actually lives. Governing instruments: MHA employment-visa conditions; Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025.
What is FRRO registration, and did the June 2026 rule change alter the 14-day deadline?
Every Employment Visa holder must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within 14 days of arrival, online through e-FRRO, and receive a Residential Permit. The June 2026 amendment changed the timing for short-stay visitors extending beyond 180 days; it did not change the 14-day rule for Employment Visa holders.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who must register | Any foreigner on a visa valid for more than 180 days — every Employment Visa holder — and every X-visa dependant aged 16 or over |
| Deadline | Within 14 days of arrival, or as endorsed on the visa. Under the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules 2026, a visitor on a visa of 180 days or less who wants to extend must now register before the 180 days expire, instead of in a 14-day grace period afterwards; late registration is allowed only in emergent circumstances |
| Where | Online at e-FRRO (indianfrro.gov.in); the FRRO for the city of residence decides; an in-person interview is called only where the file raises questions |
| Documents | Passport and visa, photograph, proof of address (lease, and the landlord's or hotel's Form C submission), the sponsor's undertaking, the appointment letter, and where asked the sponsor's registration documents |
| Output | A Residential Permit, valid to the visa expiry, delivered electronically; carry it and the passport |
| Processing | Typically 1–3 weeks; Mumbai and Kolkata run longer than Delhi and Bengaluru |
| Change of address or passport | Report to the FRRO through e-FRRO; a new passport requires the visa to be transferred |
| Employer duty | Under the 2025 Act the employer must ensure timely registration, keep records of foreign staff open to inspection, and report changes; hotels, hospitals and institutions report foreigners on Form C |
| Appeal | An adverse FRRO order can be appealed online to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration within 30 days, with a decision expected within 60 days (2026 amendment) |
The 14-day clock is calendar days and starts on the arrival date. The two documents that delay registration are the address proof — a signed lease on a flat the person has not yet found — and the Form C the landlord has to lodge. Book serviced accommodation for the first month so the hotel's Form C covers the registration. Governing instruments: Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025; Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025 as amended by the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules 2026.
When does the employee need a PAN, and when do they become tax-resident?
Before the first payroll, and after 182 days. Without a Permanent Account Number the employer must withhold tax at the higher default rate and the person cannot file a return, open most bank accounts or, later, get an FRRO extension — which asks for tax returns.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| PAN | Apply on arrival (Form 49AA for foreign nationals) with passport, visa and Indian address; issued in 1–3 weeks. Mandatory for anyone with taxable income or a TDS deduction (s. 139A) |
| Tax residency | Resident if present 182 days or more in the financial year (1 April – 31 March), or 60 days in the year plus 365 in the preceding four; "resident but not ordinarily resident" status usually shields foreign-source income for the first two years (s. 6) |
| Withholding | The Indian employer deducts tax at source monthly on salary; the employee files an annual return by 31 July |
| Aadhaar | Optional; available once the person has resided in India for 182 days in the preceding 12 months. Not needed for payroll |
| Bank account | Opened with passport, visa, FRRO Residential Permit and PAN — so the account, and therefore the first salary transfer, typically waits for registration |
Governing instruments: Income-tax Act 1961, ss. 6 and 139A; Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations 2016.
Does the "international worker" provident fund rule apply, and what does it cost?
Yes, for any employer covered by the EPF Act — 20 or more staff — and it costs 12% of the full basic salary from each side with no wage ceiling, which on a US$60,000 salary is roughly US$7,000 a year of employer cost that an Indian hire at the same level would not trigger.
| Item | Indian employee | International Worker (para 83, EPF Scheme) |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Employee earning up to INR 15,000 basic must be enrolled; above that, optional at joining | Every foreign national working for a covered establishment, regardless of salary |
| Contribution base | Statutory wage ceiling of INR 15,000 per month | Full basic salary plus dearness allowance — no ceiling |
| Rate | 12% employee + 12% employer (8.33% of the employer's share to pension, capped) | 12% + 12%, with the employer's 8.33% pension share on the full salary |
| Withdrawal | On leaving service, after two months' unemployment | Only at age 58, or on retirement for permanent incapacity — unless the person is from a country with a Social Security Agreement with India or holds a certificate of coverage from home, in which case the SSA route applies |
| Excluded | — | A detached worker from an SSA country with a certificate of coverage; nationals of countries with a pre-October 2008 comprehensive economic agreement, on conditions |
| Litigation status | — | Karnataka High Court struck para 83 down as unconstitutional (2024). Delhi High Court upheld it in SpiceJet Ltd v Union of India (W.P. 2941/2012, late 2025). Employers outside Karnataka should contribute pending the Supreme Court |
Structure the package with this in mind. Because the base is basic salary plus DA, an offer with a lower basic and higher allowances reduces both sides' contribution; but the FRRO reads the gross, so the US$25,000 test is unaffected. India has SSAs in force with around 20 countries including Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Korea, Canada, Australia and Austria — check the current EPFO list for the specific nationality. Governing instruments: Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952; EPF Scheme 1952 para 83; Employees' Pension Scheme 1995 para 43A.
How long is the visa valid, can it be extended, can the employer change, and what about dependants?
One to two years at first issue (three for IT), extended year by year at the FRRO up to five years from the original issue, employer-locked with a single narrow exception, and dependants on an X visa with no work rights.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Initial validity | Up to 2 years or the contract term; up to 3 years for IT and software; up to 5 years under a bilateral or approved collaboration agreement. Most missions issue 1 year and leave the rest to the FRRO |
| Extension | At the FRRO through e-FRRO, year by year, to a total of 5 years from the date of first issue, on evidence of continued employment, filed tax returns, good conduct and security clearance. Apply at least 30–60 days before expiry |
| Beyond 5 years | Exit and apply for a fresh visa from the country of origin or domicile |
| Change of employer | Not permitted, except between a holding company and its subsidiary or the reverse, for a senior or skilled post, with prior MHA approval, once in the 5-year period. Every other change means exit and re-application |
| Change of role within the same employer | Report to the FRRO with an amended appointment letter; a substantial change may be treated as a new application |
| Dependants | Spouse and children on an X (Entry) visa co-terminous with the principal's visa; no employment; register with the FRRO within 14 days if over 16. A spouse who wants to work needs their own Employment Visa and sponsor |
| Multiple entry | Employment Visas are multiple-entry; no re-entry permit is needed, but the Residential Permit must be current |
Plan the five-year ceiling and the employer lock together. A client that hires through an EOR entity today and incorporates its own Indian subsidiary in year two cannot simply move the person across — the EOR entity and the new subsidiary are not holding and subsidiary of each other. The person exits, the new entity sponsors, and the five-year clock restarts. Governing instrument: MHA employment-visa conditions (Visa Manual), applied under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025.
What happens on exit, and what are the penalties for overstaying or working on the wrong visa?
While the visa and Residential Permit are valid, the person simply leaves; once expired, an Exit Permit from the FRRO is mandatory before departure and overstay penalties are charged. Since 1 September 2025 the criminal ceilings are in the Act itself.
| Situation | Rule or penalty |
|---|---|
| Leaving while the visa is valid | No exit clearance; the employer should report the end of employment to the FRRO so the Residential Permit is closed and the sponsor's undertaking is discharged |
| Visa or Residential Permit expired | Exit Permit via e-FRRO before travel, with the overstay penalty paid; airlines will not board without it |
| Overstay — administrative penalty | Charged by the FRRO on a duration-tiered scale set by the Bureau of Immigration; the tiers most often cited are US$300 for under 90 days, US$400 for 91 days to 2 years and US$500 beyond, but the schedule is set by regulation and revised — confirm the current figure with Aniday before advising an employee |
| Overstay or breach of visa conditions — criminal | Imprisonment up to 3 years and/or a fine up to INR 3 lakh (Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025) |
| Entry without a valid passport or visa | Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to INR 5 lakh |
| Forged or fraudulently obtained documents | Imprisonment 2–7 years and fine INR 1–10 lakh |
| Working on a Business or Tourist visa | Breach of visa conditions — the 3-year / INR 3 lakh ceiling above — plus blacklisting for 5 years or longer in serious cases; the sponsor's future applications are scrutinised |
| Employer failures | Abetment carries the same penalty as the principal offence; failure to keep records or to report under the Rules is an offence in its own right |
We do not cite section numbers for the 2025 Act's penalties: the numbering is not something we have verified against the gazetted text, so we cite the Act only.
Governing instruments: Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025; Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025 as amended 2026; Bureau of Immigration penalty schedule.
Is there a digital-nomad visa, and what about OCI cardholders?
No nomad visa exists, and remote work for a foreign employer on a tourist or business visa is not sanctioned. The one genuine shortcut is the Overseas Citizen of India card.
| Status | Permits | Does not permit |
|---|---|---|
| e-Tourist / Tourist visa | Tourism, visiting friends and family | Any work, including remote work for a foreign employer |
| Business visa | Meetings, trade, recruitment, board attendance, project monitoring | Salaried work or project execution; conversion to Employment Visa inside India |
| OCI cardholder (person of Indian origin) | Lifelong multiple entry; employment with any Indian employer without an Employment Visa and without FRRO registration; PAN and PF apply as for any employee | Government service, certain regulated professions without local licensing, and agricultural land purchase |
| Employment Visa | Employment by the sponsor in the stated role | Work for anyone else |
For returning-diaspora hires, check OCI status first: it removes the visa, the salary floor and the registration from the critical path entirely. Governing instruments: Citizenship Act 1955, s. 7A–7D (OCI); MHA visa conditions.
Can an Employer of Record sponsor an India Employment Visa?
Yes. The sponsor must be an entity registered in India that employs the person and signs the undertaking; an EOR's Indian entity meets that test, and there is no rule that the sponsor must be the company directing the work. The constraints are practical rather than legal.
| Question | How it plays out under EOR |
|---|---|
| Who is on the appointment letter and undertaking | The EOR's Indian entity — Aniday's partner entity in India — as employer; the client is described as the customer for whose project the person is engaged |
| Skill and salary test | Unchanged: skilled role, gross salary above US$25,000, paid through the EOR's Indian payroll in INR |
| PF and tax | The EOR entity is the covered establishment: 12% + 12% international-worker PF on full basic salary, TDS on salary, and the FRRO undertaking for tax |
| Moving to the client's own entity later | Not a permitted change of employer (no holding–subsidiary link). Exit, fresh visa sponsored by the new entity, new five-year clock — plan it into the entity-setup timeline |
| Contract-based alternative | Where the client already holds a contract awarded by an Indian entity, the foreign company can sponsor directly under that contract; the EOR route is for everyone who does not |
| Contractor instead | A foreign national cannot lawfully work in India as an independent contractor on a Business or Tourist visa; a Contractor of Record model works only for Indian-resident contractors |
Governing instruments: MHA employment-visa conditions (sponsor must be an entity registered in India); Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 (employer reporting duties).
How long does the whole process realistically take?
Four to eight weeks from a signed offer to a registered employee with a PAN and a bank account, with three weeks as a best case for a nationality that needs no MHA clearance. India is faster than most Asian markets on the visa and slower on what follows it.
| Step | Realistic duration |
|---|---|
| Sponsor pack: appointment letter, undertaking, entity documents, justification | 3–7 days |
| Online form, appointment and biometrics at the mission or visa centre | 1–2 weeks depending on appointment availability |
| Mission processing | 3–10 working days; 2–4 weeks with MHA clearance |
| Travel and accommodation with Form C | Same week |
| FRRO registration via e-FRRO | Statutory: file within 14 days of arrival; decision typically 1–3 weeks |
| PAN | 1–3 weeks, run in parallel with registration |
| Bank account and first payroll | 1 week after the Residential Permit and PAN are in hand |
| Total | 4–8 weeks typical; 3 weeks best case |
The employee can lawfully start work the day they arrive on the Employment Visa; what waits for the FRRO and PAN is the ability to pay them into an Indian account. Governing instruments: MHA employment-visa conditions; Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025.
Why do India Employment Visa applications get rejected or delayed?
The commonest single cause is a job description that reads as routine — "coordinator", "executive", "support" — for a salary only just above US$25,000. The mission is asked to believe the role could not be filled locally, and the file has to make that case.
| Cause | Prevention |
|---|---|
| Role reads as routine, ordinary or clerical | Title and duties that show specialist skill; degree and experience evidence; a justification letter explaining why a foreign national |
| Salary at or barely above US$25,000, or stated only in INR | State the gross in INR and US$; keep a margin; ensure allowances are in the gross |
| Applying from a third country | Apply in the country of origin or of domicile (permanent residence over 2 years) |
| Sponsor is a foreign company with no Indian entity or contract | Sponsor through an Indian-registered entity — the client's own or an EOR's |
| Person already in India on a Business Visa expecting conversion | Not possible in India; the person must exit and apply from home |
| FRRO registration after day 14 | Book a hotel or serviced apartment that files Form C; lodge e-FRRO in week one |
| Undertaking or appointment letter not on letterhead, unsigned, or naming the wrong entity | Freeze one entity name, one signatory and one job title across the visa and FRRO files |
| Extension refused for missing tax returns | Obtain the PAN early and file the return each July; the FRRO asks for it |
| Nationality requiring prior MHA clearance | Add 2–4 weeks and file the sponsor pack in full at the outset |
| Passport expiring within the requested visa term | Renew before applying; the visa is capped to passport validity |
How does Aniday handle India Employment Visas for clients?
Aniday sponsors through our partner entity in India as the registered Indian employer: it issues the appointment letter and undertaking, runs the e-FRRO registration, obtains the PAN, enrols the person in the provident fund as an international worker and pays them in INR — so a foreign company can place someone in India without incorporating.
- Route check first. OCI status, Business-Visa-versus-Employment-Visa, and whether a contract with an Indian entity already exists — each of these changes the sponsor and the timeline.
- The skill-and-salary file. We draft the job description, justification and appointment letter so the role clearly passes the "not routine" test with a gross comfortably above US$25,000.
- Country-of-origin filing. The application is lodged where the person actually lives, with the sponsor pack complete at the outset for nationalities that need MHA clearance.
- Day-one registration plan. Serviced accommodation with Form C, e-FRRO lodged in the first week, PAN application in parallel, bank account as soon as the Residential Permit lands.
- Payroll that matches the visa. TDS, international-worker PF on full basic salary, and the annual return the FRRO will ask for at extension.
- Extension and exit calendar. Year-by-year extensions filed 30–60 days ahead inside the five-year cap, and a planned exit-and-reapply where a client is setting up its own Indian entity.
Aniday is trusted by 5,000+ companies and works with a network of 50,000+ headhunters, combining EOR, payroll and hiring in one place. Read more about Employer of Record in India, payroll outsourcing in India, Contractor of Record in India for local contractors, or our executive search practice in India.
Legal sources
- Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, in force 1 September 2025 — repealing the Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920, Registration of Foreigners Act 1939, Foreigners Act 1946 and Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 2000
- Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025; Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules 2026, notified June 2026 (Press Information Bureau / Akashvani, 2 June 2026)
- Ministry of Home Affairs, Employment Visa and Business Visa conditions and FAQ — mha.gov.in (ForeigD-work_visa_faq.pdf): US$25,000 floor (Q.5), validity by sector and 5-year cap (Q.7), registration within 14 days (Q.7.v), X visa for dependants (Q.11), project execution (Q.14), no conversion in India (Q.16), sponsor must be an Indian entity (Q.17–18), change of employer (Q.23)
- Bureau of Immigration — boi.gov.in; e-FRRO portal — indianfrro.gov.in/eservices; visa applications — indianvisaonline.gov.in
- Fragomen, "India: Visa Registration Rules and Employment Visa Categories Revised" (16 June 2026); Fragomen, "India: New Law Simplifies Immigration Law and Creates Stricter Registration and Reporting Rules" (18 September 2025)
- Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952; EPF Scheme 1952 para 83; EPS 1995 para 43A; KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2025-257 on SpiceJet Ltd v Union of India (Delhi High Court, 8 December 2025); EPFO international-worker FAQs — epfindia.gov.in
- Income-tax Act 1961, ss. 6 and 139A
- Aniday — Work Visas hub; Aniday — Employer of Record India
Last verified 2026-09.
India Employment Visas — frequently asked questions
Does India have a separate work permit?
No. The Employment Visa is the work authorisation. After arrival the holder registers with the FRRO within 14 days through e-FRRO and receives a Residential Permit.
What is the minimum salary?
Gross salary in excess of US$25,000 a year, except for ethnic cooks, non-English language teachers and translators, and embassy staff. The role must also be skilled, not routine or clerical.
Did the June 2026 rule change alter the FRRO deadline?
Not for Employment Visa holders — still within 14 days of arrival. The change requires short-stay visitors who want to extend beyond 180 days to register before the 180 days run out.
Business Visa, Employment Visa or Project Visa?
Paid work in India is an Employment Visa. The Business Visa covers meetings, trade and monitoring only and cannot be converted in India. The Project Visa is limited to power and steel projects.
Can the employee change employer?
Only between a holding company and its subsidiary, for a senior or skilled post, with prior MHA approval, once in five years. Otherwise exit and re-apply.
Does the provident fund apply?
Yes — 12% employee and 12% employer on the full basic salary with no INR 15,000 ceiling, withdrawable at 58 unless an SSA applies. The Delhi High Court upheld the rule in late 2025; Karnataka struck it down in 2024.
Is there a digital-nomad visa?
No. Remote work on a tourist or business visa is not sanctioned. OCI cardholders are the exception — they need no Employment Visa and no FRRO registration.
Can an EOR sponsor?
Yes — any entity registered in India that employs the person and signs the undertaking. Aniday sponsors through our partner entity in India. Moving the person later to the client's own entity means exit and re-application.
How much does it cost?
The visa fee depends on nationality and duration; budget US$100–300 for most on a 1-year visa, plus visa centre fees. Registration carries no material fee. The real cost is the 12% employer PF contribution on the full salary.
