Located in Gurgaon, our Newland Chase India office provides corporations and individuals operating in India with complete support for all their immigration and visa needs – inbound to India and outbound to more than 190 countries around the world. Our full spectrum of services allows us to manage all of your business visa and employee immigration needs.
India is a complex geographic, cultural, and governmental environment where rules and regulations can change quickly. There are a number of regulations for which compliance is required when an expatriate enters India – which can be daunting for those who are unfamiliar with the system. Our team is able to work one-to-one with our clients – providing them not only with the hows and whys, but the whats and whens – to help them comply with these often confusing and changing requirements.
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India Immigration Management
We provide support in all areas of India immigration for corporations and individuals – from short-term work authorization and temporary residency to long-term work authorization, permanent residency, and citizenship, including both company employees and accompanying family members. Our approach covers you from comprehensive guidance and pre-planning of new assignments and immigration options to completion of all in-country requirements to ongoing compliance monitoring.
For up-to-date information on the most common work authorization routes in India, see Employment Immigration below.
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Comprehensive Global Immigration Management
For corporations and individuals located in India, we also provide support in all areas of immigration to more than 190 countries around the world. Our India team is part of the larger Newland Chase global team of 1,700+ expert immigration and visa professionals – specializing in everything from short-term work assignments and temporary residency to long-term work assignments, permanent residency, and citizenship throughout the world.
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Business Traveler Management
Business visas are a key component of a globally mobile workforce – allowing individuals to enter India and other countries for non-work business activities. Business visas typically apply to business meetings, seminars, conferences, trade shows, limited sales activities, contract negotiations, and some supervisory activities. Newland Chase India offers comprehensive services for business travelers both inbound to India and outbound to more than 190 countries.
Our services include everything from personalized assessment of the activities and destination for visa compliance, to obtaining the proper visas, to tracking of the number and length of stays of your business travelers for legal compliance.
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Immigration Policy and Compliance
Our India immigration experts offer an extensive suite of advisory services and immigration compliance strategies to ensure that your organization and employees remain compliant with all India immigration and visa requirements. Our services include strategic guidance on immigration plans, development and implementation of immigration policies, sponsor compliance, education and training, audit support (including mock audits), and immigration compliance technology solutions.
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Consulting and Advisory Services
Our India immigration experts act as trusted business advisors – supporting you in virtually any unique or complex immigration-related matter. Our India team is able to manage the scope of immigration in large-scale projects and employee moves, as well as guide you through the immigration complexities involved in corporate restructuring and mergers and acquisitions.
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Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRRO/FRO)
One of the more confusing aspects of Indian immigration for expatriates is the post-landing registration process through the Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRRO/FRO) in the various jurisdictions. Holders of visas valid for 180 days or longer must register within 14 days of arrival at the FRRO or FRO applicable for their residence in India. Exact processes, required documents, and timing vary depending on the consulate and FRRO/FRO office of application.
Our immigration specialists are able to provide clients with full guidance and support for all FRRO and FRO registrations throughout India.
Immigration Summary
The consular Employment Visa is the correct category for foreign nationals working in India; either with local contract, or on assignment, or as a consultant with fixed remuneration (even if not in the form of salary), or as a self-employed consultant, or as a technician or engineer providing after-sales installation or service pursuant to a contract, or deputed for providing technical support/services, transfer of know-how/services for which the Indian company pays fees/royalty to the foreign company.
If the intention is for the assignee to remain on home contract, then the applicant must also have an assignment contract with the Indian entity, stating terms of assignment and also tax liability.
Note that applications for nationals of Pakistan will face significant scrutiny and are unlikely to be approved.
Applications for nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, and Sri Lanka are subject to additional security processes and can take up to six months to be processed. Approval may not be granted at all.
Nationals of Bhutan and Nepal may travel to India and take up employment without restriction and without the need for a visa. They must simply be in possession of a valid identity document to prove their citizenship.
Holders of visas valid for 180 days or longer must register within 14 days of arrival at the Foreigners' (Regional) Registration Office (FRRO).
Exact processes, required documents and timing vary depending on the consulate and FRRO office of application.
Our India team members are highly qualified and dedicated professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of India immigration. They come from the best of legal, consulting, in-house corporate and government backgrounds and bring a breadth of experience and insight both in immigration and a multitude of industry sectors. With a dedication to service and a consultative approach, our people act as your trusted advisors and partners in achieving your business goals in India.
Nethi Thayyil
Immigration Director, Singapore & APAC Hub
[email protected]
Gurgaon, India
