India (IN)

Valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay. Required for virtually everything in India — FRRO registration, bank account, SIM card, PAN card, property rental. Keep a scanned copy in DigiLocker or cloud storage. Multiple physical photocopies recommended.

Printed copy of your visa (e-Visa confirmation email). Required at immigration on arrival. Employers typically assist Employment Visa holders. FRRO registration ties directly to your visa category.

Mandatory for foreigners staying more than 180 days. Must be obtained within 14 days of arrival. Issued via the online FRRO portal (indianfrro.gov.in) or at the local FRRO office. Required for renewing Employment Visa, bank accounts, and local services. Keep the printed certificate with your passport.

India's 10-character alphanumeric tax identification number. Mandatory for income tax, banking above ₹50,000, property transactions, investments, and salary. Foreigners apply via Form 49AA (online at NSDL/Protean or UTI portal). Processing time: 15–20 working days. Physical card + e-PAN issued.

12-digit biometric national identity number issued by UIDAI. Foreigners residing in India for 182+ days are eligible to apply. Required for SIM card registration, some banking services, and government scheme access. Apply at Aadhaar enrolment centres with residence proof. Helpful but not mandatory for expats.

Your employment contract with the Indian company. Required for FRRO registration, PAN card application (as address/income proof), bank account opening (NRO account), and housing rental. Must show salary meeting Employment Visa minimums (USD $25,000+/year).

Required for Employment Visa application, some professional licence applications, and employer verification. Original degrees from foreign universities should ideally be apostilled. Certified English translations required if in other languages.

May be required for OCI application, children's school enrolment, and some family-related processes. Apostille strongly recommended for foreign-issued certificates. Official translation to English if not already in English.

Required for spousal Dependent Visa (X Visa) application, OCI card for spouse, and joint bank accounts. Foreign marriage certificates should be apostilled and translated into English.

Required from home country for Employment Visa applications and sometimes for FRRO registration (especially for longer stays). Apply at home police department or through embassy before travelling. Apostille recommended.

Some visa categories (Employment Visa for certain nationalities) and long-term stays require a medical certificate from a recognised doctor. Yellow fever vaccination certificate required if travelling from endemic countries.

Valid for 1 year from date of entry into India. Required to drive legally before converting to an Indian licence. Obtain from your home country automobile association before travel. Must carry alongside your home country driving licence.

Required if bringing pets: microchip certificate, vaccination records (rabies minimum), health certificate from accredited vet (issued within 10 days of travel), import permit from Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS), No Objection Certificate. India does not generally require quarantine if documentation is complete.

Required as proof of address for almost all Indian government services (FRRO, PAN, Aadhaar, bank). 11-month agreements are most common (to avoid mandatory stamp duty registration for 12+ months). Have landlord sign and stamp the agreement. Some FRRO offices require registered agreements.