Immigration to India

Bharat or India (Hindi: Bhārat Gaṇarājya) located in South Asia, surrounded by Indian Ocean, on the west by the Arabian Sea and the east by the Bay of Bengal. The southern part of India is a Peninsula that protrudes into the Indian Ocean, southeast by Bay of Bengal and southwest by the Arabian Sea. India has a coastline of 400 miles (7000 km) shares borders with two island nations Sri Lanka and Maldives. It shares land borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China.

New Delhi is the national capital of India and host all Government offices including the Rashtrapati Bhavan, home to the President of India. India is a Democratic Republic with a Parliamentary system of Government which is federal in structure. The President is the constitutional head of the country and the Prime Minister is the real heal of the government. India’s population is over 1.4 billion as of April’23 and is ranked the most populated country in the world. There are 29 states and 7 union territories in India.  India is a developing nation and considered as the world’s fifth largest economy as per GDP.  People are attracted to India for its varied culture, rituals and traditions. Majority of Indians treat guests and visitors as Gods as per their tradition thus foreigners are treated here with respect and dignity. Many international travelers have termed India as “Incredible India” after visiting India and experiencing the beauty of the land and people here. It is estimated that pre-covid-19, around 18 million international tourist visited India in 2019. 

Traveling information

International Passengers coming to India do not need to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test before travel. They will not require to fill the declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal as well.  However, the random COVID-19 testing of 2% of all international travelers over 12 years old upon arrival in India will continue. To enter into India visa is required, but it’s very easy to obtain a visa for India and multiple options. Indian government has made it very easy for citizens from almost 164 countries who can apply for an e-Visa online before traveling, so no need to visit embassies in person.  Please click on the following Government of India link to apply for an e-Visa. indianvisaonline.gov.in

The Indian Visa Policy allows that the citizens of Nepal and Bhutan can enter India without a passport or Visa unless they arrive from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Maldives and Pakistan.  They can stay and work in India indefinitely. Similarly, Indian citizens can travel to Nepal and Bhutan without passport and Visa and work there. The citizens of Maldives can visit, live and work in India for maximum 90 days without a Visa, except if they arrive from mainland China. If they wish to extend their stay than they have to apply for visa.

India can be conveniently reached by Air, Sea, Train and Road.

By Flights: 

India can be reached by all major International Airports of the world. India has 34 International Airports located conveniently in the east, west, north and south India. The top popular and busiest airports of India are:

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai
• Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
• Chennai International Airport
• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
• Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad

The Flag carrier of India is Air India, which has international connectivity to major cities in USA, Europe, Africa, United Kingdom, Asia, Australia and the Gulf Countries.

People 

The people of India are known as Indians or Bharatiya. India got its name from the civilization started near the river Indus around 3300 BCE. It is known as the Indus valley civilization and is one of the oldest civilization of the world. The country is also home to an indigenous tribe called Bharata, as therefore also known as Bharat. India has superseded China in Population and is now the most populated city in the world. Unique about India is its diversity that you will notice almost everywhere. For e.g in one area you will find people living and working from different states speaking different language. The people are also identified and separated by the state they belong to or the language they speak. For e.g. A person who is born and brought up in Kerala state is known as a “Keralite”. A person speaking Gujarati language from Gujarat state is known as a “Gujarati”. Indians are family oriented and still today two or up to four generations live under the same roof in most of the state. People are mostly religious in nature and are strong devotees to their respective Gods. Religious festivals and celebrations are observed whole year around and Indians in general are tolerant towards all religions. India is a dominated by Hinduism, followed by Muslims, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and Christianity. 

To know more about Indian People and Culture, please visit: theculturetrip.com

Job offers in India 

There are job opportunities in India for foreigners. The cost of living is reasonable in India except for few metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai & Kolkata. Still some areas in those cities may be cheaper to live. English is very widely spoken in India and used as communication languages especially in big private businesses and offices. Even government documents as printed in local language and English simultaneously. Many expats and foreigners visit India as a tourist before they decide to look for jobs and live here. There are well paid jobs as well as average salaried jobs depending on your skills and job requirements. There are opportunities for skilled jobs in the following sectors:

• Tourism
• Sales
• Pharmaceuticals
• IT
• Automotive
• Marketing
• Banking
• Engineering
• Financial services
• Manufacturing
• English Teaching

To get a good job in India, many people find the social media the best way. Known people or friends in India are a good source. Remote-worker jobs with an Indian company is perhaps a good way to try, especially in sales & marketing, financial services and banking. Initially you join the company from your home country, start work and prove your ability and skills for few months and then move over to India.

Employment Visa and a work permit is a must to work in India. Work permit requirements are different for Business and Employment Visas. The Employment visa is issued for a year but can be extended on fulfillment of the conditions. It is only granted to senior management employees or highly skilled technical professionals who plan to migrate for work to India. It is not granted for routine jobs for which qualified personnel are available locally in India. Decision in this regard is made by High Commission of India. granted for routine jobs for which qualified personnel are available locally in India. Decision in this regard will be made by High Commission of India. The following documents are required by the High Commission/Embassy of India to issue an Employment Visa: 

• A passport with validity for one year
• Passport-size photographs, the background of which should be white
• Documentary proof of your employment in the company or NGO where you will work in India
• Documentary proof of your professional expertise and educational qualification
• Registration documents of the Company where the employee will be working

To get the detailed information on Work Permit, Employment & Business Visa and how to apply for, please visit: www.mha.gov.in

Education 

Education is cheaper in India as compared with other developing countries. According to the constitution of India education is free for all children in the age group of 6 o 14 years of age. There are many government and government aided schools in almost every town which comes under the local municipal who runs these schools which are either free or charges very nominal fees. However, the quality of education is better in private schools with qualified teachers. In some states there are private schools who have special seats for economically poor children and they are provided free education. The caste system in India still prevails, which helps provides free education to special category (backward class students). The education offered in India especially university degrees is recognized world over that means job opportunities internationally are opened for students graduated in India. International students also like to learn about India’s rich culture, varied cuisine and the languages of India. Many Indians migrate to other counties for work and desire that their children also work abroad so they educated them in international schools. There are many international non-resident and resident schools in India who provide education of international standards (world-class). Children of expats working in India prefer to enroll their children in these schools. Few popular international schools in India are:

• Kodaikanal International School – 1st international school in India
• Ecole Globale International School
• Dhirubhai Ambani International School
• Doon School
• Amity International School
• Bangalore International School
• Oberoi International School
• Woodstock School
• Indus International School
• Calcutta International School
• The British School
• The Orchids International School
• Victorious Kidss Educares
• The Lawrence School

You will also find the best universities for International students here. India has been receiving nearly 30000 international students annually and the number is increasing day by day.  India’s higher education system is the second largest in the world and can accommodate over 20 million students. Engineering, Medicine Business Management, Technical as well as Buddhism and Yoga are the few field that India excels in. For more details information on International studies and list of international universities, please visit: globalscholarships.com

Economy of India

India is among the top ten of the largest economies in the world. India’s GDP is estimated to be $3.5 Trillion in the year 2023-24. India accounts for almost 7.2% of the global economy in terms of PPP (purchasing power parity). India dreams to be among the top 3 economies in the next 10 years. It is evident that that since the pandemic the Indian Government is taking important measures to boost the economy. The Government is focusing on training people to agriculture and different ways of farming as lately the growth of Artificial Intelligence and Automation has resulted in a reduction of manual work and more people becoming jobless.

Renting and buying of real estate for foreigner’s         

It is not very easy for foreigners to buy land or property in India as there are some legal restrictions. To buy or invest in immovable property in India, non-Indians who belong to the following countries, need to get permission from Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

• Pakistan
• Nepal
• Bhutan
• Sri Lanka
• China
• Afghanistan
• Iran

The Property can only be leased out for not more than 5 years. Foreigners who are not residing in India are not permitted to acquire any immovable property in India, except by inheritance. Such property requires RBI’s approval for transfer or selling. Foreigners or expats of non-Indian origin, who are Indian residents are allowed to purchase property in India but have to obtain the approvals and fulfil the requirements if any, prescribed by the concerned State Government and local municipal authorities. They can purchase property under the following three categories:

• NRI (Non-Resident Indian)
• OCI (Overseas Citizen of India). The former POI status (Person of Indian Origin) has been merged with the OCI card scheme.
• Foreign Nationals (with or without residency)

No agricultural Land, Plantation Property or Farm House can be purchased or sold by foreigners in India. It is advisable to hire a legal real estate agent or lawyer as Indian laws are quite detailed and complicated in property matters. Secondly there has been lots of scam and illegal purchases done in India so it is mandatory to take help of reputed agencies only. Foreigners can buy property in India for Business purpose by filling a declaration form IPI with RBI to set up branch offices of a foreign company to carry out business as per applicable laws and regulations. Under the clearance of Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Foreign Consulates and Embassies can purchase or sell immovable property used for office purpose only. 

Renting: 

To rent a property in India must also be done through a real estate agent to avoid unnecessary hassles. The agent commission is almost equivalent to one month’s rent and other document charges. It is also necessary to hire an agent as you may not be able to understand the local language of the landlord. There are loads of options available in India for rents in all prices range and facilities. Popular websites and English Newspaper specially published on properties are easily available. Single persons especially women will not be welcomed to rent a flat or a house alone, you may have to share accommodations. For buying and renting an agreement is compulsory which is notarized by the local court and is usually made for 12 months and later renewed if required.

For more detailed information on buying or renting property in India, please visit: expatfocus.com

Climate 

India’s climate varies from region to region due to its geographical diversity, however most of its region experiences hot tropical climate. Some regions experience dry and wet tropical weather. The Northern region which is the Himalayan snowy region has cooler climate. The Southern part of India has tropical humid and dry weather. The coastal regions experiences frequent rainfall and high humidity. There are drastic variations in temperatures, amount of rainfall, precipitation and its amount at the same time is different regions of India. India experiences two climatic conditions namely the tropical and subtropical because the Tropic of Cancer divides India into two regions and it cuts through 8 states. It is good to check the climate of the state you are planning to visit in advance because the climate is India is almost unpredictable.

Languages 

India ranks 4th in the list of number of living languages spoken. It is estimated that there are more than 400 languages spoken by Indians and immigrants in the country. Hindi is most spoken languages around India is one of the main official language with approximately 52.83 crore speakers. The constitution of India has given official status to 22 other languages. The constitution or Government of India has awarded the distinction of classical language to Malayalam, Kannada, Odia, Tamil, Sanskrit and Telugu. Each state in India has its own language and as mentioned earlier people are often known by the language they speak. English is spoken and understood by almost all educated Indians across India. It is a subject taught in schools and colleges along with Hindi. Each state language is the primary language taught in Schools and is a must to learn. However, English and Hind is common all around India and is used in official business including Government and legal documents. Therefore, Hindi and English are official languages of India and each state has its own official language. 

To get the list of official languages of Indian states and union territories, please visit: jagranjosh.com

Traffic 

Indian has the second largest road networks in the world. The metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi have good roads, flyovers and underpass still they experience traffic congestions at peak hours. Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi has always been among the top 10 congested cities of the world.  One of the most prominent reasons for traffic jams in India is the number of vehicles running on the roads. It is estimated that on an average 51,000 new vehicles are added each day. According to one source it is estimated that there are 22 cars for every 1000 persons. Road accidents are very common in India and therefore lots of precautions need to be taken if you want to drive in India. Stray Dogs, cats, domestic animals like cows are few unexpected commuters that you may come across almost on any roads in India. Some basic traffic rules are:

• Must have a driver’s License and insurance policy
• Do not drink and drive
• Wear seatbelt while driving car and Helmet while riding a two-wheeler
• Do not use mobile phones while driving
• Do not over speed, follow the speed guidelines indicated on the roads
• Do not jump the red light

Currency 

The official currency in the Republic of India is the Indian rupee (symbol: ₹, code: INR). The symbol is an amalgam of Devanagari “Ra” and the Roman Capital “R” with two parallel horizontal stripes running at the top representing the national flag and also the “equal to” sign. The rupee is subdivided into 100 paise (singular: paisa). The Reserve Bank of India issues and manages currency in India and derives its role in currency management on the basis of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

The Indian Rupee in Banknote is available and circulated in the following denominations:
Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500

The Indian currency in Coins is available and circulated in the following denominations:
1 rupee, 2 rupees, 5 rupee, 10 rupee, 20 rupee

The rupee is known by different names depending on the area of the country: we can hear people calling it upaya, roopayi, rubai or ropa.