Indian Work Visa For Us Citizens
Are you an American citizen looking to work in India? There is a special visa available just for you — under certain circumstances. Recently I received an email from a U.S. citizen interested in working in India. In the process of writing him back with information, I decided to create this blog post to save me some time and headache if anyone else has the same question.
The work visa that is offered to the citizens of US by the Indian government is the H1B Visa. This visa allows the skilled and talented professionals to get a job in India. The employee has to apply for an Indian work visa directly through the employers. The employer submits the application on behalf of the employee and has to pay the fees associated with it.
Indian Government has relaxed the norms for Visa rules for American citizens who are seeking employment in India. Prior to this, US citizens were required to obtain a Labour/Work Permit for working in India – a route that was not ideal for most job seekers due to the bureaucratic wall associated with it. Work permits, especially in cases where you need to work for a company you have never worked for earlier or when applying for multiple jobs, can involve a lot of paperwork and delay.
Indian Work Visa For Us Citizens
In the past few years, several Indians have become successful in the U.S. This is the result of the 2000 changes to H-1B laws and visa regulations.The demand of highly skilled workers was much higher than before and that’s why they were able to pursue higher education opportunities in the U.S. and get better jobs here after graduation with their eligibility for a green card or permanent resident status.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is offering an H-1B visa rule change that could help small businesses and entrepreneurs looking for workers with particular, in-demand skill sets. The agency is eliminating the rule that limits an H-1B visa to 65,000 visas issued per year – a cap that was exhausted for the first time during the first week or requests this year.
Is your company expanding or outsourcing operations to India? Like any other country, India has its own process for distributing visas that will allow employees to live and work in the country.
Types of Work Visas in India
In India, there are specific requirements for issuing visas and work permits to foreign staff. The main type of visa is simply called an Employment visa, or E visa. E visas are only available to employees of organizations registered in India. As a result, employees cannot begin the process of obtaining a permit until they have an employment contract. In addition, your company must have a legal entity registered in India, such as a PEO, to process the visa.
Requirements to Obtain India Work Visas
Individuals must meet one of several requirements to qualify for an Indian work visa. Qualifying individuals include, among others, those who are:
- Employed by either an Indian company or a company with multinational operation including and a branch office in India
- Employed by a foreign company in India as a specialist on a specific project
- Involved in a non-government organization (NGO)
- In a senior management role at an international company
This list includes circumstances that may be relevant to your company, but it’s by no means a comprehensive list.
Application Process
The documents your employees will need to obtain an Indian working visa may vary depending on their country of origin as well as the nature of the work they’ll be doing for your company in India. Generally required documents include:
- A passport that’s valid for at least a year and contains three or more blank pages
- Two passport-size identity photos
- A copy of the passport’s first pages
- An employment contract, written in English and containing the duration and conditions of the contract
- A copy of the company’s registration certificate
- A visa application form
- An extra work visa application form, found and downloaded on India Visa Online
- Tax liability details
- A resume that’s composed in English
- Copies of diplomas and any supporting documents related to professional competencies, such as a CV or letters of recommendation
To obtain an E Visa, employees must also submit facial biometrics and fingerprints.
The process for obtaining a work visa in India is outlined on the Government of India website. In order to get an Indian work visa, an employee will need to complete and submit an online visa application. They must also print out a physical copy of the completed application and bring it to their nearest Indian embassy along with the required documents for identification. After the application is approved, the visa can be picked up at the embassy or mailed to the applicant.
Processing takes a minimum of three business days from the receipt of the visa application, but it’s always a good idea for employees to obtain visas well in advance to avoid any problems for your company. Indian work visas are generally valid for one year, though they can be valid for up to five and are also eligible for extensions. Visas can be extended by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) of the employee’s state of residence in India.
Other Important Considerations
Some of your employees may be relocating to India along with family members and other dependents. Any spouses and dependent family members accompanying the applicant will need to apply for an entry visa, not just a tourist visa. The duration of their entry visa will be assessed according to the main applicant’s visa.
Employees should also be advised that the duration of their visa begins from the day it’s issued, not from the day they enter India.