Doing Business in India

Business Visa and Employment Visa sound similar but authorize very different things. Confusing the two is one of the most consequential visa mistakes a foreign professional can make in India.

NOTE

General information only, not legal advice. Confirm your specific category at indianvisaonline.gov.in. See our full disclaimer on the hub page.

3Employment visa sub-categories (2026)

180 daysMax continuous stay on Business e-Visa

Not the sameBusiness Visa ≠ work authorization

₹16.25L+Typical salary threshold for skilled employment visas

The distinction that matters most

Business Visa

Covers meetings, trade fairs, exploring a venture, client visits, industrial visits. Does not authorize being paid by an Indian entity or taking up a role within an Indian company. Continuous stay capped at 180 days per visit; register with FRRO if you intend to exceed that (see FRRO Registration).

Employment Visa

Required if you’ll be paid, employed, or contracted by an Indian organisation, including intra-company transfers. Applying for this after arriving on a Business Visa isn’t how it works — the correct category has to be sought from the start, from outside India.

Employment Visa: the 2026 categories

India restructured Employment Visa sub-categories in 2026, replacing the older four-tier system.

CategoryCoversNotes

E-1General employmentDirect hires, consultants, most intra-company transferees not covered by E-2

E-2Specific intra-company transfersA refined, narrower scope than before

E-3NGOs, missionaries, religious workersApproved organisations only

A salary threshold (commonly cited around ₹16.25 lakh/year, inclusive of allowances and taxable perquisites) applies to most skilled Employment Visa categories, with exceptions for specific roles like teaching faculty at premier institutions (IITs, NITs, Central Universities) and a few other notified categories. This threshold and its exceptions are reviewed periodically — confirm the current figure before relying on it.

FRRO registration for business & employment

IMPORTANT

Employment Visa holders must register with FRRO within 14 days of arrival if the visa exceeds 180 days — this applies regardless of intended duration. Business Visa holders only register if they cross the 180-day continuous-stay mark, and — per the June 2026 rule change — before reaching that mark, not after. Full detail on FRRO Registration.

Official sources

indianvisaonline.gov.in

e-Business Visa applications.

indianfrro.gov.in

Employment visa registration and category guidance.