Before you start

A signed job offer or contract from a company, branch, liaison or project office registered and operating in India
Gross annual salary of at least ₹16.25 lakh (~US$25,000); reduced to ₹3.60 lakh for people of Indian origin and family members of Indian/OCI citizens
Specialised skills or qualifications not readily available in the local labour market (not for routine, clerical or unskilled roles)
Passport valid at least 6 months with two blank pages, applied for from your country of residence before travel

Step-by-step

1
Confirm an Employment Visa is the right route
There is no Indian digital-nomad visa, and working remotely or for a local client on a tourist/business visa is not permitted. The Employment Visa is the only lawful work route for salaried professionals. People of Indian origin should instead look at the OCI card, which gives lifelong stay and private-sector work rights with no FRRO registration.
Via employerWho: You + your Indian employer (the sponsor)Decide before applying
2
Apply for the Employment Visa from your home country
Apply online via the Indian Visa Online portal, then submit at the Indian mission / VFS centre in your country of residence. Your employer provides the appointment/employment letter, company registration proof and a salary commitment meeting the ₹16.25 lakh floor. The E-visa is usually granted for 1 year initially and is extendable in India up to 5 years.
OnlineWho: You (applicant), documents from employerApply 4-8 weeks before travelVisa fee varies by nationality (commonly US$120-160+)
3
Enter India and have your passport stamped
Arrive on the Employment Visa (do not travel in on a tourist visa intending to convert it). The immigration stamp at the airport sets the clock: your 14-day FRRO registration window starts from this arrival date, not from when you settle in.
In personWho: YouDay 0 (arrival)
4
Register with the Bengaluru FRRO on e-FRRO within 14 days
Create an account on the e-FRRO portal (indianfrro.gov.in), choose 'Registration', and submit online for the Bengaluru FRRO (jurisdiction: Karnataka). You upload passport, visa, photo, proof of Bengaluru address and employment letter. Note: the e-FRRO site is geo-blocked outside India, so do this once you've arrived. It's normally completed online; you only visit the FRRO office (K.H. Road, Shanthinagar) if specifically called.
OnlineWho: YouWithin 14 days of arrival (for stays over 180 days)Registration itself is free; late registration attracts a penalty
5
Receive your Residential Permit and keep details current
The FRRO issues a Registration Certificate / Residential Permit showing your Bengaluru address. If you change address or employer, or your visa is extended, update the FRRO promptly via e-FRRO. Before final departure, employment-visa holders should close out their registration; overstayers need an exit permit from the FRRO before they can leave.
OnlineWho: You (employer jointly responsible for compliance)Permit issued after registration; updates as changes occur

Documents you’ll need

Passport (6+ months validity) with the Employment Visa and arrival stamp
Employment contract / appointment letter and the Indian company's registration proof
Proof of Bengaluru residence: registered rent agreement, the landlord's C-Form, a utility bill and photo ID
Recent passport-size photographs and copies of passport bio-data and visa pages

Things most newcomers don’t know

India has no digital-nomad visa, and 'just moving' on a tourist visa to work remotely is not legal.

Tourist and business visas bar taking up employment with an Indian company or earning in INR from local clients. Bengaluru's tech scene attracts remote workers, but the only compliant salaried route is the employer-sponsored Employment Visa with the salary floor.

Source: India e-Visa / digital-nomad guidance

The salary floor drops dramatically if you're of Indian origin or married to an Indian/OCI holder.

The standard threshold is ₹16.25 lakh/year, but for PIOs and family members of Indian citizens/OCI cardholders it's only ₹3.60 lakh/year, which opens up far more roles. Many applicants don't realise they qualify for the lower bar.

Source: Consulate General of India, San Francisco

A new law (Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025) made registration enforcement and host reporting stricter.

Effective 1 Sept 2025, it lets officials audit employer offices, requires hotels and hosts to report foreign guests (C-Form), and raises penalties to up to 5 years' jail / ₹5 lakh. Skipping or being late on e-FRRO registration is a real risk, not a formality.

Source: Fragomen / India Code — Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025

The Employment Visa is the one document everything hangs on; PAN and Aadhaar are separate and come later.

Your right to live and work flows from the visa and FRRO registration. A PAN (for tax/salary) and an Aadhaar (for local services) are obtained separately after you arrive and are not substitutes for valid immigration status.

Common mistakes to avoid

Missing the 14-day FRRO window — the clock runs from your airport arrival stamp, not from when you find a flat, and late registration draws a penalty.
Trying to enter on a tourist/business visa and convert to employment inside India — the E-visa must generally be obtained from your home country before travel.
Assuming you can do e-FRRO before you land — the portal is geo-restricted to India, so you can't complete registration until you're physically there.
Overstaying or leaving without sorting status: fines escalate from nil (up to 15 days) to ₹50,000+ beyond 90 days, and overstayers need an FRRO exit permit before departure.