India sits in Southern Asia. Its immigration system runs 55 distinct routes — led by family, short stays and visits and medical treatment, each set out in official law. 54 of them cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
3 further routes are recorded for India but not shown here — their details are still under review.
All 55 routes, grouped by purpose — 54 of 55 cite an official government source directly. Any route below without one says so on the route.
Foreign national undertaking eligible remunerative employment, an intra-company transfer, qualifying honorary NGO work, or designated university employment under the applicable E sub-category.
Skilled or highly skilled foreign national engaged to execute an eligible project in the power or steel sector, subject to project-specific ceilings.
Foreign investor making the prescribed FDI investment and creating the prescribed employment within the official time windows.
Bona fide business activity under the applicable B sub-category, including business visits, investors, company partners or directors and other approved business purposes.
Eligible national undertaking a permitted electronic business-visa purpose and supplying the required business documentation.
Eligible applicant using the electronic film-production route.
Foreign national coming to shoot a feature film, reality programme or commercial television serial under the approved film process.
Intern sponsored by an eligible Indian company, educational institution, NGO or media organisation under the applicable I sub-category.
Accredited or visiting foreign journalist, media professional, or person undertaking the published documentary or advertising filming purpose.
Research scholar, visiting faculty, bilateral-exchange researcher or member of an approved scientific expedition under the applicable R stream.
Eligible national applying electronically for an approved study purpose and supplying the documentation required by the e-Visa portal.
Admission to an eligible Indian school, college, university, short course, exchange programme or other published S sub-category.
Dependent family member of an accredited foreign journalist.
Dependent family member of a Business Visa holder in an eligible B-X sub-category.
Dependent of diplomatic, official, UN diplomatic or UN official personnel assigned to or visiting India.
Dependent family member of an Employment Visa holder.
Dependent family member of a Missionary or Religious Worker Visa holder.
Dependent family member of a Project Visa holder.
Dependent family member of an eligible Research Visa holder.
Dependent family member of an eligible Student Visa holder.
Electronic dependent route linked to an e-Student Visa.
Foreign spouse or child of an Indian citizen, person of Indian origin or OCI cardholder who is not already registered as an OCI cardholder.
Eligible applicant using the electronic X-1 entry route.
Person of Indian origin who does not hold an OCI card.
Eligible person of Indian origin, or eligible spouse under the OCI rules, applying for OCI cardholder registration.
Person joining Auroville Foundation, Missionaries of Charity, Aurobindo Ashram or a similar approved organisation.
Missionary or religious worker of an approved organisation.
Bangladeshi national travelling to India to apply at a foreign mission accredited to both India and Bangladesh.
Participant in an eligible government or non-government conference in India.
Eligible conference participant with the organiser invitation and required event clearances.
Eligible national visiting for a permitted e-Tourist purpose.
Eligible national visiting for a permitted e-Tourist purpose.
Eligible national visiting for a permitted e-Tourist purpose.
Pakistani pilgrim travelling under the applicable religious protocol or group-pilgrim process.
Pakistani national assigned the country-specific Visitor Visa.
Eligible foreign national visiting for tourism under a regular paper visa.
National of Japan, South Korea, or an eligible UAE national meeting the published conditions and travelling for business, tourism, conference or medical purposes.
Person physically present in India who cannot return to the country of origin because of feared persecution and requests registration with UNHCR.
Eligible attendant linked to an e-Ayush Visa patient.
Eligible national receiving treatment under an Indian system of medicine at an eligible facility.
Eligible attendant linked to an e-Medical Visa patient.
Eligible national with an official Indian hospital letter seeking medical treatment.
Eligible attendant accompanying a Medical Visa patient.
Foreign national travelling for medical treatment in India.
Foreign sportsperson or coach under contract with remuneration for a commercial sports event in India.
Eligible applicant using the electronic mountaineering route.
Sports person assigned the X-SP Entry Visa stream.
Foreign national participating in an approved mountaineering expedition.
Eligible national using the electronic transit route with onward travel.
Traveller passing through India to a destination outside India and holding onward travel evidence.
Diplomat assigned to or officially visiting India on a diplomatic passport.
Diplomat or official travelling on a personal, non-official visit.
Non-diplomatic official assigned to or visiting India for an official purpose on an official, service or special passport.
UN diplomat assigned to or officially visiting India.
UN non-diplomatic official assigned to or officially visiting India.
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