Being one of the most famous countries in the world of travel & tourism, India has a highly impressive visa policy. There are various kinds of Indian Visas, you need to learn about in order to know more about Indian Visa Policy. Indian visa types list: There are many different types of Indian Visas available all across the world. Let's talk about some really important visas based on Indian visa categories.
- Tourist Visa: To apply for Indian Tourist Visa, the applicant must not have any actual residence or occupation in India.
- Business Visa: Business Visa considered as a non-immigrant visa and strictly provided to only those who are interested in making a business-related trip to India, for making sales or establishing contact to any company or to the government on behalf of their own company in foreign. (Please link my previous second article here)
- Employment Visa: One must note that if you are coming to India for employment in any company or organization or any project, you need to apply for an employment visa and business visa won't work for that. In this case, you should know about a few things:
- The employing company or the organization must certify that the nature of the job is such that qualified Indian nationals are not sufficient for this job and only applicable by the foreigners.
- One must need to provide the documentary proof of his educational qualification and professional expertise and the acknowledgement letter from the Indian organization.
- Foreigners who are coming on an employment visa for a duration of less than one year, the minimum salary requirement will be worked out so no need to worry about.
- Student Visa: This visa is only granted to the foreigner students whose main motive is to pursue full-time on-campus courses on any stream or subject, provided by any governmental or private universities in India.
- It can not be issued for off-campus and short term courses (like 6 months/ 12 months).
- Basically the duration of student visa is around 3-5years or till the end of the course. Though it can be extended by one year if the student gets failed, by FRRO /FRO concerned.
- Students must need to provide an acknowledgement or approval letter, provided by the University or the Institution that they have applied for.
- Qualification in NEET must be required for applying for MBBS/ BDS courses.
- Students must need to provide educational certificates.
- Film Visa: Film Visa can be provided only to such foreigners who are coming in India just to shoot a feature related to any film or reality show or commercial TV serials and must have provided approval letter of the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- The visa would be filmed specific and not allowed to use for any other motives.
- The maximum validity of the Visa will be for one year and it comes with a facility of multiple entries.
- Must need to be approved by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- Conference Visa: The Conference Visa is granted for only those foreigners who are attending any conference or seminar or workshop related to business, sports, science or any other matter.
- The duration of the visa solely depends upon the duration of the conference with the time required for travelling
- This is also a work-specific visa and must not be obtained for any other purpose.
- The invitation letter from organizers of the conference in India must be required in this case.
- Journalist Visa: Journalist visa is only provided to the professional journalists and photographers from outside of India, who want to cover up for some important news in India.
- This visa has a validity of 3 months and comes with a single entry.
- You must note that only in case of the journalist visa, the duration starts to be counted from the date of visa issuance and NOT from the date of entry into India.
- You must apply for your visa at least 15 days before your arrival in India.
- Project Visa: Project visa is only provided to those foreigners who are coming in India for an excursion based on Indian projects like in case of power and steel sectors. You guys need to learn about few details, like;
- This visa is totally project-specific and it can't be used for any other purpose.
- Project visas will be provided only to highly skilled/skilled students or workers selected by the special qualification requirements.
- The person with a project visa can never get engaged in any other project either of the same company or of a different company.
- Employment or work of the Project visa holder would be restricted only to the location of the project and the person can never get attached permanently with any company.
- The validity of the visa would be until the duration of the project.
- Research Visa:
Research visas are only provided to the foreigners attending any research conferences, workshops or seminars or it can be provided to the professors and research scholars from outside of India.
- This visa comes with a duration of 3 years or for the duration until the end of the research project work, which one would be earlier.
- The subject, project or the university or the organization will strictly remain unchanged.
- Research Visa duration can only be extended by FRRO /FRO concerned. The total validity of the Visa must be restricted to the duration of the project as approved by the Institution or five years, which one would be less.
- This visa is totally research concerned and can't be used for any other purpose.
- Transit Visa: Transit visa is only provided to the foreigners who will just pass through India to reach their ultimate destination.
- Intern Visa: Intern Visas are only provided to the foreigners who are interested in pursuing any internship from any organisations of India, like colleges, universities, companies or NGOs etc. Those interns needs keep few things in mind, those are:
- The validity period of the visa solely depends on the duration of the internship or till one year.
- Each year, India grants visa permissions of 50-100 interns from outside of India.
- Foreign nationals with granted intern visas need to register themselves under the FRRO / FRO within 14 days of arriving in India, especially if their valid stay is going to be for more than 180 days.
- A national of Pakistan can never apply for an Indian intern visa
- The foreign nationals must exit the country before the expiry of their passports or the visa.
- And most importantly, the person can't get engaged permanently with any organisation.
