Immigration & Visas for India — Assignments That Start On Schedule
An assignment to India fails at the paperwork long before it fails at the job: a visa category chosen wrongly, an FRRO registration missed, a salary threshold misread. Each error costs weeks — and sometimes the assignment itself.
A2 Consultants manages immigration for foreign personnel as an employer obligation, not a personal errand: correct categories, complete files, and every registration and renewal tracked to deadline.
Indian immigration rewards employers who read the rules literally. Employment visas carry a minimum salary threshold, must match the sponsoring entity precisely, and draw a hard line against work that could be done by local hires. Business visas permit meetings and negotiations — not project execution, a distinction enforced at renewal and exit. Assignees who cross these lines discover it at the airport or the FRRO counter, at maximum cost to the assignment.
The corporate stakes are larger than individual inconvenience. Visa category determines tax residence trajectories, social security obligations, and even permanent establishment optics. A mobility program that treats Indian immigration as a travel-desk task will eventually produce a compliance incident; one that treats it as a regulatory process will not.
Who we serve
Multinationals posting executives and specialists to Indian subsidiaries; foreign companies deploying engineers for installations and projects; GCCs rotating global staff through India; and HR teams building a compliant mobility program for a growing India footprint.
The outcomes we deliver
- Employment and business visas approved first time, with salary thresholds and documentation validated upfront.
- FRRO registrations, extensions, and exit formalities completed without assignee downtime.
- Families settled: dependent visas, local registrations, and practical onboarding handled together.
- The employer protected: immigration compliance mapped to tax and social-security obligations.
- A mobility playbook your HR team can operate: category matrices, document checklists, and timelines that make each subsequent assignment routine.
How we work
- Assess. Assignment structure, visa category, and eligibility reviewed before any application.
- Prepare. Document packs assembled to consular and FRRO standards — complete on first submission.
- Register. Post-arrival FRRO registration and local formalities completed inside statutory windows.
- Maintain. Renewals, extensions, conversions, and exits tracked on a compliance calendar.
Why A2 Consultants
Because we also advise on payroll, tax, and labour compliance, we see the whole assignment — visa decisions never create tax or PF surprises downstream. We track FRRO practice as it shifts — office by office — so applications reflect this month's requirements, not last year's checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements for an India employment visa?
The applicant must be a skilled professional employed by, or contracted to, the Indian host entity, earning above the prescribed salary floor (currently US$25,000 annually, with limited exemptions), in a role not readily filled locally. Applications need employment contracts, sponsor documentation, and qualification proof, filed at the consulate holding jurisdiction over the applicant's residence. Category discipline matters: work performed on a business visa is a violation, however common the practice once was.
Who must register with the FRRO, and when?
Foreign nationals on employment, student, research, and most long-term visas exceeding 180 days must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within 14 days of arrival. Registration is online but evidence-heavy — residence proof, sponsor letters, visa particulars — and errors surface as rejected extensions later. Changes of address, employer, or passport must also be reported. We manage the full cycle so assignees never queue, and never lapse.
Do foreign employees in India pay Indian tax and social security?
Generally yes, subject to treaties and totalization agreements. Tax residence follows day-count rules, and employment income for India work is taxable from day one in most cases. Provident fund poses a particular trap: 'international workers' face PF contributions on full salary unless a social security agreement between India and their home country provides exemption with a certificate of coverage. We coordinate visa, payroll, and PF positions so the assignment's cost is known before it starts.
Can our foreign employees work in India on business visas while their employment visas are processed?
No — and this shortcut is the most common violation we are asked to unwind. Business visas permit meetings, negotiations, and exploratory visits; productive work, project execution, and anything resembling employment require an employment or project visa before the work begins. Violations surface at extension, exit, or a co-worker's grievance, and they contaminate both the individual's future applications and the sponsor's credibility. Plan the visa lead time into the assignment; there is no compliant workaround.
Moving personnel to India this year? Get an assignment compliance plan per role before offers go out.