India
Living, work, immigration, education & business — official links and practical guides
Key Facts
Basics
Currency
INR
Region
South Asia
Local time
UTC+5:30
Asia/Kolkata
Economy
Population
1.45B
GDP (current US$)
$3.91T
GDP per capita
$2,695
Source: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0) · 2024 · Last checked: 2026-07-06
Tax snapshot
GST
28% / 18% / 12% / 5% / 0.25%
by supply
Source: National tax authority · Cross-check: OECD · PwC · KPMG · Last checked: 2026-07-16 · ✓ Figures verified 2026-07-16
Headline national rates only — surcharges, local taxes and reliefs are excluded. Verify the current rate with the authority before relying on it.
At a glance
A very large domestic market entered mainly through an employer — the work visa is tied to a named job, and a company setup turns on a resident-director rule and, for investors from neighbouring countries, a separate approval track. Compliance is federal and state at once, so where you operate matters as much as what you do.
Best for
Professionals with an employer sponsor, companies establishing an Indian subsidiary or capability centre, and investors outside the land-border approval track.
Who this may not suit
People hoping to arrive and then look for work — the employment visa is granted against a named employer and role, not to a jobseeker.
Main routes in
Employment visa Tied to a named employer and role; a minimum salary condition applies with defined exemptions. Set up an Indian company Needs a director resident in India for much of the year; land-border investors follow a separate approval route. Study at an Indian university Admission is per institution; confirm the student-visa route with the mission that serves you.
Key trade-offs
- Labour compliance is federal and state at once: the four Labour Codes commenced in November 2025, but state rules have been notified unevenly, so obligations differ by where you employ.
- The data-protection regime is enacted but phased — the Board exists already, while the core obligations on businesses take effect on 13 May 2027.
- Investors from countries sharing a land border with India face an extra approval step above a small non-controlling stake.
First steps
- 1 Secure the offer first: the employment visa is applied for against a named employer and role, not in advance of one.
- 2 If incorporating, line up the resident director and check whether the land-border approval route applies to your shareholders.
- 3 Identify the state you will employ or operate in, because much of the labour rulebook is set there.
What changes often
- · Which states have notified final rules under the Labour Codes
- · The commencement phases of the data-protection regime
- · The threshold and scope of the land-border investment approval route
Visa categories, salary conditions and registration steps are revised — confirm the current position with the Bureau of Immigration before applying. Bureau of Immigration — Indian Visa Online ↗
Major cities
All cities (1) →Living
Housing
Renting and buying property in India — typical rents, deposits, contracts, and official tenancy rules.
Healthcare
How the India healthcare system works — public vs private care, eligibility, and costs for residents and visitors.
Insurance
Insurance in India — health, travel, and digital-nomad cover, what is mandatory, and how to choose a plan.
Work
Jobs
Where to find jobs in India — major job boards, in-demand sectors, and how to apply.
Employers
Major employers hiring in India, with links to their official careers pages.
Government Jobs
Public-sector and civil-service hiring in India — the official government job portal.
Salaries
Typical salaries by role in India — pay ranges, taxes, and cost-of-living context.
Immigration & Mobility
Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Startup Visa
Entrepreneur and startup visa programs, investment thresholds, and application criteria.
Student Visa
Student visa categories, eligibility, required documents, work rights, and application steps.
Tourist Visa
Tourist and visitor visa requirements, visa-free entry, duration, and application steps.
Permanent Residency
Permanent-residence routes: eligibility, required years of residence, and the official application steps — including any investment routes where a country offers them.
Citizenship
Naturalization rules: required residence years, language and civics requirements, and each country's dual-citizenship policy.
Employment & Labor
Hiring rules, employment contracts, payroll, social insurance, and EOR options.
Digital Nomad Visa
Remote-work visa programs, income requirements, duration, taxes, and application steps.
Education
Universities
Top universities in India, admissions, tuition, and international-student support.
Online Courses
Online learning relevant to India — accredited platforms, local MOOCs, and language courses.
Scholarships
Scholarships and financial aid for studying in India — government, university, and international programs.
Study Abroad
How to study in India as an international student — application steps, student visas, and living costs.
Business
Company Registration
Entity types, registration process, required documents, costs, and official registries.
Business Banking
Opening business and personal bank accounts, remote options, required documents, and fees.
Investment
Foreign investment rules, incentives, investment promotion agencies, and restricted sectors.
Tax System
Corporate tax, VAT/GST, personal income tax, capital gains, and filing obligations.
Import & Export
Customs procedures, duties, de minimis thresholds, EORI/registration, and restricted goods.
Trademark & IP
Trademark registration, patents, copyright, official IP offices, and filing costs.
Compliance
Corporate, tax, employment, data-protection, AML/KYC, trade and AI compliance — official regulators and registries.
Corporate Compliance
Annual filings, registered-agent and beneficial-ownership obligations, and the official company registry.
Tax Compliance
Filing calendars, registration thresholds and the official tax authority.
Employment Compliance
Mandatory contracts, payroll and social-insurance registration, and the official labor authority.
Privacy & Data Protection
The country's own data-protection regime, registration duties, and its official supervisory authority.
AML & KYC
Anti-money-laundering and customer-due-diligence obligations, regulated activities, and the official financial regulator.
Import & Export Compliance
Customs registration, controlled/restricted goods, sanctions screening, and the official customs authority.
AI Regulations
The country's own AI governance approach, risk tiers, transparency duties, and its official authority.