IndiaBusiness visa

India business visa in India

India's business visa is intended for foreign nationals who conduct negotiations, purchases and sales, take part in exhibitions or sit on the management of a company in the country. The visa is not designed for permanent employment, money lending or petty trading — other categories exist for those.

Source: India's official online visa portal, “Visa Categories” section (indianvisaonline.gov.in)

Who can obtain a business visa

India's Ministry of Home Affairs allows the business visa for a wide range of business purposes.

Business and investment

Setting up or exploring a business venture in India — other than sole proprietorships and partnerships
Purchasing or selling industrial or consumer goods
Acting as a partner or a director of an Indian company
Recruiting staff for a company

Meetings and events

Technical negotiations and board meetings
Taking part in exhibitions, trade and business fairs
Pre-sales and after-sales support without performing the contract
Training at the regional office of an international company

Separate categories

Tour operators and travel agents on business trips
Flight crews of scheduled, charter and special flights
Participants in the GIAN academic networks programme
Contracted participants in commercial sporting tournaments (the B-Sports visa)

Documents to gather

The basic set of documents for filing the application.

Passport
A digital photograph meeting the portal's requirements (JPEG, 10 to 300 KB, full face, light background)
Documents confirming the business purpose of the trip — a company letter, for example
Proof of financial standing and of experience in the field of activity declared

How the process runs

The procedure through the indianvisaonline.gov.in portal and an Indian mission.

1
Completing the online application form
On indianvisaonline.gov.in — a separate form for each applicant, with a digital photograph meeting the portal's requirements.
2
Booking an appointment
The applicant chooses the date and time of the visit to the consular section or the visa centre; the system there also calculates the visa fee and any additional charges.
3
Paying the fee
Where electronic payment is available, the fee is paid online through a payment provider; otherwise it is paid on the spot when the documents are filed.
4
Filing the documents in person
The printed application form and the supporting documents — a company letter about the purpose of the visit, for example — are filed at the visa centre or at an Indian mission.
5
Awaiting the decision
at least 3 working days
The mission considers the application for at least 3 working days; the exact period depends on the applicant's citizenship. For an urgent business trip the visa may be issued within 48 hours.
6
Collecting the passport with the visa
The passport with the visa is collected in person or received by post — as the mission determines.

Timelines and rights

Work

Employment in India is not permitted.

Who you can bring with you

Conditions for the family members accompanying the holder of a business visa.

Spouse and minor children

They obtain a dependant visa of the appropriate sub-category; its validity matches that of the holder's business visa, or is shorter if the mission so decides.

Children of school and student age

Instead of a dependant visa they may obtain a student or research visa, if they themselves meet the requirements of that category.

Renewal and the grace period

If the mission has issued the visa for less than five years, the extension is granted by an FRRO/FRO office in India annually, but for no longer than five years from the date the visa was issued. Holders who have set up their own business in India need an annual turnover of at least 1 crore Indian rupees for the extension — that figure has to be reached within two years of the business being launched or of the visa being issued, whichever comes first. In other cases it is enough to confirm by documents that the business or the consultancy activity is continuing.

Frequently asked questions about India business visa

Who can obtain a business visa for India?

The visa is intended for foreign nationals who are setting up or exploring the possibility of a business venture in India (other than sole proprietorships and partnerships), who purchase or sell industrial and consumer goods, who take part in negotiations, board meetings, exhibitions and fairs, who sit on a company's management or recruit staff for it. It is also issued separately to flight crews, to tour operators on business trips and to contracted participants in commercial sporting tournaments.

For how long and with how many entries is the business visa issued?

Nationals of the USA, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and South Africa are issued a visa for 10 years with multiple entry. For most other countries the basic option is 5 years with multiple entry. For nationals of the 30 separately listed countries, including Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Saudi Arabia, the period is set by the mission — up to 5 years. In all these cases a continuous stay per visit must not exceed 180 days. For nationals of Bangladesh, China and Pakistan separate bilateral arrangements apply.

Is employment allowed on a business visa?

No. The mission checks the applicant's financial standing and their experience in the field declared closely, but the visa does not cover permanent employment, money lending or petty (retail) trading — an Employment Visa is issued for employment.

What happens to the family of a business visa holder?

The spouse and minor children obtain a dependant visa of the appropriate sub-category; its validity matches that of the holder's business visa, or is shorter if the mission so decides. Where they meet the conditions, family members may instead obtain a student or research visa.

How is a business visa extended if it was issued for less than 5 years?

The extension is granted by an FRRO/FRO office in India annually, but for no longer than five years from the date the visa was issued. Those who have set up their own business in India need an annual turnover of at least 1 crore rupees for the extension — that threshold has to be passed within two years of the business being launched or of the visa being issued, whichever comes first. In other cases it is enough to confirm by documents that the business or the consultancy activity is continuing.

How long does it take to obtain a business visa?

The mission or consular post considers the application for at least 3 working days from the date of filing through a visa centre or directly; the exact period depends on the applicant's citizenship.

Is registration required in India on a business visa?

Yes, if the aggregate stay in India on a business visa exceeds 180 days in a calendar year — registration with the local FRRO/FRO office is then required.

Other ways to move to India

Every route in one list — migration programmes: India.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.