What is the limit on importing cigarettes into India?
The limit on import of tobacco products to India, subject to Baggage Rules, 2016 is 100 sticks of cigarettes or 25 cigars or tobacco not exceeding 125 grams.
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What is the limit on Indian currency that can be imported?
A person who has gone outside India on a temporary visit or a person resident outside India (except for citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh) may bring into India currency notes of the Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding INR 25,000 per person, subject to such conditions as notified by the Reserve Bank of India from time to time.
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What are the guidelines for bringing foreign currency to India?
Any person can bring foreign exchange into India without any limit in any form other than currency notes, bank notes and travellers cheques, subject to declaration to the Custom authorities in the prescribed Currency Declaration Form in following cases:
- Where the value of foreign currency notes exceeds $ 5,000 or equivalent
- Where the aggregate value of foreign exchange (in the form of currency notes, bank notes, traveller cheques etc.) exceeds $ 10,000 or its equivalent
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What goods are prohibited for import to India?
Some of the goods prohibited for import in India are:
- Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances.
- Pornographic material.
- Counterfeit and pirated goods and good infringing any of the legally enforceable intellectual property rights.
- Antiquities.
For more details, please refer to link.
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What is the limit on jewellery that can be brought to India?
As per the Baggage Rules 2016, a passenger who has been residing abroad for over one year is allowed to bring jewellery, free of duty in his bona fide baggage up-to an aggregate weight of 20grams with a cap value of INR 50,000/- (in the case of a gentleman passenger) or 40 grams with a cap value of INR.1,00,000/- (in the case of a lady passenger).
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What are the norms for the import of alcoholic drinks /cigarettes as baggage?
Following quantities of alcoholic drinks and tobacco products may be included for import within the duty free allowances admissible to various categories of incoming passengers:
-Alcoholic liquors or wines upto 2 litres
-100 Cigarettes or 25 Cigars or 125 gms. of Tobacco.The Customs Tariff Act 1975 enlists the rate of duty over and above the mentioned quantities. It can be accessed at the link.
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What is detained baggage?
A passenger may request the Customs to detain his baggage either for re-export at the time of his departure from India or for clearance subsequently on payment of duty. The detained baggage would be examined and full details will be inventoried. Such baggage is kept in the custody of the Customs and a Detention Receipt will be issued.
For more details, please refer to link for more information.
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For whom is it mandatory to register with FRRO?
All foreigners (including those of Indian origin) visiting India on long term (more than 180 days) Student Visa, Medical Visa, Research Visa and Employment Visa are required to get themselves registered with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the jurisdiction where the foreigner intends to stay, typically within 14 days of arrival.
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Who is exempted from FRRO registration ?
Foreign nationals visiting India are not required to register if their duration of stay in India is less than 180 days. Other than that, those foreigners will not be required to get themselves registered who have entered India on a long-term visa provided their continuous stay in India does not exceed 180 days.
For more details, please refer the link.
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Where can I raise my complaint regarding my visa application and FRRO registration?
For any queries related to visa matters and PIO , the VISA SUPPORT CENTRE may be contacted through below mentioned phones /e-mails.
Phone No.-91-11-22560198/22560199,
E-mail- visasupport@nic.in
For queries related to OCI:E-mail- helpdesk-oci@gov.inFRRO contact list can be accessed at the following link.
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Is registration with Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) / Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) mandatory for every foreign national arriving in India?
Registration with Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO)/ Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) is mandatory for foreign nationals within 14 days from their date of arrival in India if their visa is valid for longer than 180 days or if the visa stamp specifically requires this registration. Certain categories of visitors are also required to register with the police authorities. However, foreign nationals (except Pakistan nationals) are permitted to depart from India within 14 days of arrival without registering with the FRRO/ FRO.
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What is the usage of Foreigner Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) registration after departing from India?
Foreign nationals when leaving India shall surrender their Certificate of Registration either to the Registration Officer of the place where they were registered or to the Immigration Officer at the port/check post of exit at the time of departure from India.
It is not necessary for foreign nationals to seek departure clearance and they can straightaway depart from the Immigration Check Point, except citizen of Pakistan or Afghanistan.
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Is it possible to get a duplicate copy of the FRRO registration?
If any certificate of registration, issued under these rules is lost or destroyed, the foreigner to whom it was issued, shall make or send to the Registration Officer of the district a report on how was it lost or destroyed and a copy of police report to issue a duplicate copy of the certificate of registration.
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What should one do with the certificate of registration, when departing from India?
Foreign nationals when leaving India shall surrender his certificate of registration either to the registration office of the place where he/she is registered or the immigration office at the post/check exit at the time of final departure from India. Please refer to Link for more information.
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What if one cannot register within 14 days?
A penalty in Indian currency equivalent to $30 in case of late registration is charged. This fee may be revised from time to time. Please refer to Link for more information.
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What is FRRO registration?
The Foreigner Registration Office (FRO) is the primary agency to regulate the registration, movement, stay, departure and for recommending the extension of stay in India. Foreigner Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) are the regional FROs established across India.
Nodal Ministry for FRROs/ FROs is the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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Can an OCI holder undertake research work in India?
Yes, after getting prior approval/special permission from Ministry of Home Affairs, an OCI holder can undertake research work in India.
Please refer to Link for more information.
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What is the time taken for registration as OCI?
Within 30 days of the application, if there is no adverse information available against the applicant. If any adverse information is available, the decision to grant or otherwise is taken within 120 days.
For more details, please refer the following link.
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Can a person registered as an OCI be granted Indian citizenship?
Yes, as per the provisions of section 5(1) (g) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, a person who is registered as an OCI for 5 years and is residing in India for 1 year out of the above 5 years, is eligible to apply for Indian Citizenship. For more details, please refer link.
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Will outside conceived offspring of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) be qualified to wind up an Overseas Citizen of India (OCIs)?
Yes, foreign-born children of PIOs are eligible to become OCIs provided one of the parents is eligible to become an OCI.
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Are foreign military personnel eligible for OCI grant?
No, foreign military personnel either in service or retired, are not entitled to receive the grant of OCI holder. Please refer to Link for more information.
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If a person is already holding more than one nationality, can he/she apply for OCI?
Yes, as long as the local laws of at least one of the countries allow dual citizenship in some form or other, he/ she can apply for OCI.
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Are there exemptions on income for Non-resident Indian (NRI)?
Following incomes are exempt from tax in the hands of a Non-resident Indian (NRI):-
- Interest on notified savings certificates issued before 01-06-2002 by the Central Government if it is subscribed in convertible foreign exchange remitted from a country outside India
- Interest on notified bonds (notified prior to 01-06-2002) purchased in foreign exchange (subject to certain conditions)
For more details, please refer to link
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Which Income of an international worker is subject to tax in India?
In general, all income received or accrued in India is subject to tax. Various types of income which are taxed are as follows:
- Income from salaries
- Self-employment and business income
- Capital gains income
- Income from house property
- Other incomes
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What are the capital instruments permitted for investment by Foreign corporation in an Indian subsidiary?
Capital instruments means equity shares, fully, compulsorily and mandatorily convertible debentures, fully compulsorily and mandatorily convertible preference shares and share warrants issued by the Indian company.
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How to inform the ITD regarding the change in my organisation’s name?
Forward a written request on the letterhead of your organization duly signed by authorized signatory mentioning your user ID to the ITD along with the requisite documentary proof showing change in the name of organisation.
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What is the monetary threshold for applicability of CbCR regulations for a CE?
The CbCR regulations would be applicable for every CE of an international group, where the consolidated group revenue for the reporting accounting year preceding such previous year exceeds INR 55 billion.
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Can the employer be changed post arrival in India in case of employment visa?
Yes, a foreign national is permitted to change employment between a registered holding company and its subsidiaries. Further, such a change is also permissible between joint ventures and Consortiums after obtaining prior approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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I committed an error while topping off the online application. Is it conceivable to make redresses on the web?
The online application form for e-visa cannot be edited once it has been submitted. The applicant must verify all the information entered before submitting the application and taking printout. In case of an error, the applicant must file a new form online.
For more information, click here
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Is it possible to apply for an Indian visa at the airport?
No, it is not possible to apply for an India visa at the airport. Eligible citizens traveling for leisure/tourism purposes have the option to apply for an Indian e-visa online, before they depart for India. Once the visa is granted, citizens will have to get biometric information taken at the airport and the visa stamped on the passport on arrival in India.
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Do I need a visa to change flights/airport terminals in India?
You need to apply for a Transit Visa if you are going to change from the International Terminal to the Domestic Terminal of any Indian Airport or if you are going to stay in an airport hotel even for a few hours. In case you remain within limits of the waiting area reserved for International Transit Passengers of the Indian Airport and are not going to cross Immigration Controls at any time, you do not need a transit visa.
Please note: the maximum period of stay in India permitted for a Transit Visa is 72 hours/3 days for each entry and is issued only when Transit/Travel is by Air. The Transit Visa is valid for 15 days only.
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Do I need a visa to go to India?
Yes, all foreigners except for nationals of Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, need a visa to enter India. With regard to Maldives' nationals, a visa is required if intended stay in India would be longer than 90 days. Nationals of Nepal would need a visa , if they enter India via China. A citizen of Bhutan entering India by land or air does not require passport or visa for entry into India, unless entering India from a place other than Bhutan. In that case, passport is must. However, he/she must have a passport and visa for India if he/she is entering in India from China. For diplomatic and official passport holders, many nationalities are exempted from the Indian Visa.
The detailed list can be accessed at link.
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How long will my application for Indian Visa be available online?
You can print your Visa Application Form within 30 calendar days of completing it online. To access your completed online application, you are required to note your Web Reference number before you exit. An Email with this information will also be sent to your valid email ID, if provided. . If your application is not submitted for processing within this time, the information will be purged out/deleted from the system and you will need to commence enter your details afresh.
Visa Fees will not be refunded in this situation.
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What is the processing time for Indian Visa?
If applying for Visa other than the tourist visa, it is recommended that you apply 3 to 4 weeks before your travel date.
For Tourist visa (eTA), upon receipt of the Visa Application through Indian Visa Application Center or directly, the Indian Mission/ Post requires a minimum of three working days to process the case and issue a visa depending upon the nationality and excluding special cases.
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What is the eligibility criteria for e-Visa in India?
e-Visa is granted to a foreigner whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight-seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine and business purpose and no other purpose/ activity.
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What activities are permissible under Tourist Visa?
Tourist Visa can be granted to a foreigner whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short-term yoga programme, etc. and no other purpose/ activity.
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What is the eligibility criteria to apply for an employment visa in India?
An Employment visa is granted to a foreigner who is a highly skilled and/or qualified professional. The foreign national being sponsored for an employment visa in any sector should draw a gross salary in excess of Rs. 16.25 lakhs per annum.
The salary threshold limit of Rs. 16.25 lakhs per annum will be worked out taking into account the salary and all other allowances paid to the foreign national in cash and also perquisites like rent free accommodation etc. which are included in the salary for the purpose of calculating income tax.
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