A comprehensive guide of Indian business visa

Are you looking for a business visa in order to set up a business in India? Or do you want to plan a business trip to India for employment? 

No worries. We are here to solve each and every doubt of yours regarding Indian visa application. Be it the process, be it the fees, be it the documents, be it the interview, or be it anything. 

Basically, the Indian business visa is an official document that permits an individual to enter as well as travel to India for specific business purposes. You as an individual will get the Indian business visa only in the following cases:

1. If an individual wants to set up a business venture or industry.
2. If an individual wants to do trade, sales, as well as purchase.
3. If someone wants to hire people for their own business.
4. If someone wants to participate in any kind of business event or business exhibition.
5. If a businessperson wanted to organize some business tours.
6. If someone wants to visit India with the purpose of attending some business meetings. 

If you are planning to apply for an Indian business visa to make a business trip then you will only be receiving the visa if you will be involving in some kind of business on behalf of your business that is set in your home country. Once a person gets the Indian business visa then it will be valid for 1 year after the issuance of the visa. However, the period of staying in India is only 6 months and not more than that in a normal case. 

Many people get confused with the validity of the Indian business visa. Basically, the validity of an Indian business visa gets started from day 1 when the visa is issued, and not from the day when you start traveling or something. Plus, an advice for you, if you are coming to India to work for an Indian company that you should and must apply for an Employment visa rather than an Indian business visa. 

Do not put yourself in any kind of fraud or scam while applying for an Indian business visa. Either go to an agent for it or if you want to apply for an Indian business visa by yourself then go to the official website only. Because there is only 1 authority in India that issues the Indian business visa or any other kind of visa. Plus, there is no system or rule here of refunding the money once received regarding an Indian visa. 

The following is the process of applying for an Indian business visa:

Step: 1 Apply online through an application form. 

Always make sure that all the fields in the application form are duly filled and that too correctly. No false answers should be there in the application form. So that your application for an Indian business visa should process smoothly through all the levels. 

Step: 2 Submit all the required documents.

The following are some major documents that should be submitted while applying for an Indian business visa:

1. A valid passport with an active validity of at least 180 days. 
2. A proper passport-sized photograph of the applicant. Indian authorities have specific photo specifications for the applicant. You have to check that and submit the photograph accordingly. 
3. A duly filled application form.
4. A copy of the business card or business details.
5. The details of your bank account. 

(all the documents should be in pdf format).

Step: 3 Pay the fees for the visa.

However, the fees for an Indian business visa is different for every country. It means the fees will depend on the country you live in. but to give you a broader view the fees range from 130 US dollars to around 250 US dollars. 

Step: 4 Give an interview to an Indian embassy.

Now you have to select one embassy of India in your country and go there to give an interview. Basically, in simpler terms, to give your biometrics. Biometrics is an important part of the whole Indian business visa process. It is mandatory to have a biometric enrollment in the Indian embassy. This is more important for the trips that are for more than 5 years. 

Step: 5 Receive your Indian business visa.

At the final step, if everything goes well in scrutiny of your application you will receive the Indian business visa. Otherwise, if in scrutiny Indian embassy found something odd or false they will suspend your visa application and will not give any Indian business visa. Therefore, it is always suggested that whenever you fill a form you should fill it properly and correctly. 

There are different types of processing for an Indian business visa as per the priority and importance. In this fees are different, which means the less the time the more the money involved. Some of the Indian business visa processing are mentioned below:

1. Standard processing for an Indian business visa.
2. Rush Processing for an Indian business visa.
3. Super Rush Processing for an Indian business visa.

The following are some of the points that should be mentioned with your application for an Indian business visa:

1. Purpose of the visit to India. If business then what type of business exactly.
2. Issued date of the passport.
3. The expiry date of the passport.
4. Passport number.
5. A letter signed on the company’s letterhead.
6. Duration of stay in India with tentative dates.

The following are some of the specifications of photographs required by India for an Indian business visa:

• There should be a colored photograph.
• The size of the photograph should be 2 x 2 inches
• The photograph should be of full face with eyes properly open.
• There should not be anything on the face.
• Background color should be white or light
• The expression of the face in a photograph should seem to be natural.
• The mouth should be properly closed in case of children.