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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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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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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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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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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If the Indian organization/entity sponsors an employment visa, does this mean that the Indian organization/entity has to necessarily be the legal employer of the person?
No, it is not necessary for Indian organization/entity sponsoring an employment visa to necessarily be the legal employer of the person.
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What is the Port of Arrival in India which is to be filled in the application frame?
The port of arrival (POA), commonly called the port of entry (POE), is the location - typically name of the city - from where on the visitor lawfully enters India.
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Can a foreign company/organization that does not have any project office/subsidiary/joint venture/branch office in India, sponsor a foreign national/employee of a foreign company for employment visa?
No, in case the foreign entity does not have any office in India, it cannot sponsor an employment visa. The visa can be sponsored by an Indian ‘host’ company,The visa can be sponsored by an Indian ‘host’ company subject to following conditions:
- Ensure good conduct of the foreigner during stay in India and inform Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or Foreigner’s Registration Officer’s (FRO) office in case of termination of business contract
- Produce the foreigner in person at FRRO/ FRO office within 24 hours in case of withdrawal of undertaking for the good conduct of the foreigner.
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What is an e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) in India?
e-Tourist Visa is a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary/agents, etc. However, its validity is for 30 days and it is only valid for single entry into India. The e-Tourist visa allows for visa on arrival issuance only for arrival and departure from the airports in Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum and Varanasi.
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Which type of visa would be granted to senior management personnel and/or specialists employed by foreign firms who are relocated to India to work on specific project/management assignment?
Senior management personnel and/or specialists employed by foreign firms, who are relocated to India to work on specific project/management assignment can apply for employment visa.
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Is it conceivable that the visa allowed to me is for a lesser span than I initially connected?
Visa issued by the Embassy or the Consulate is not a matter of right and is entirely up to the Competent Authority to decide on the issue of such visa. In some circumstances, visa may be issued for a period less than what was requested by the applicant.
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Can I undertake employment in India on a business visa?
No, a foreign citizen cannot undertake employment on the basis of a business visa. Only on an employment visa can a foreign citizen undertake employment in India
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What is the eligibility criteria for Entry (‘X’) Visa in India?
Entry (‘X’) Visa may be granted to a foreigner in the following cases :-
- A Person of Indian Origin, who do not possess an OCI card, and may be granted ‘X-1’ Visa for five years at a time, with multiple entry facility.
- Spouse and children of an Indian citizen/ Person of Indian Origin/ OCI cardholder (other than those who are registered as OCI cardholder) may be granted ‘X-2’ visa for five years at a time, with multiple entry facility.
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What does the salary threshold limit of US$ 25,000 per annum for employment visa include?
The salary threshold limit of $ 25,000 per annum includes salary and all other allowances paid to the foreign national in cash. Prerequisites like rent free accommodation, etc. which are included in ‘salary’ for the purpose of calculating the income tax may also be taken into account for this purpose. However, prerequisites which are not included for working out the income tax should not be taken into account for working out the salary threshold limit of $ 25,000 per annum.
The company / organisation concerned should clearly indicate in the employment contract:
i) the salary and allowances being paid in cash.
ii) all other prerequisites like rent free accommodation, which would be taken into account for the purpose of working out the income tax payable by the employee. Such prerequisites should also be quantified and indicated in the employment contract.
For more details, please refer the following link.
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Can a foreigner obtain additional short duration visa while holding an existing long duration visa?
Yes, a relaxation has been provided in this regard. Now, while having a long duration visa (say employment visa, business visa, etc.), a foreigner can also avail a short duration visa (conference visa, transit visa, e-visa and visa-on arrival). In such a scenario, unlike in the past, the long duration visas will not be cancelled but “kept on hold”.
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