The following update has been received from corporate immigration specialist Magrath LLP.

The Indian government has issued guidance on further changes to obtaining Indian employment visas and the renewal of existing employment visas.

Employment visas

The Indian government recently issued guidance limiting the number of foreign workforce at an Indian entity to:

1. Maximum of 20 foreign workers; or
2. Maximum of 1% of the workforce

In an attempt to enforce the new guidelines, the Indian High Commission in the UK now requires the following additional documents in support of an application for an Indian employment visa:

1. Supplementary form detailing the applicant's academic and professional qualifications, employment history, and skills and experience
2. Written confirmation from the Indian host company regarding the number of employees and the number of foreign workers

The new requirements are causing delays to processing of employment visa applications. Applications are now taking up to ten working days to be processed. Before the latest change was implemented, the majority of employment visa applications were processed within four working days.

Extensions to employment visas

The Indian government has also amended its policy on the renewal of Indian employment visas. On previous occasions, foreign workers were permitted to return to their country of origin and obtain a new employment visa in place of an extension to their current employment visa.

The Indian government now requires all extensions to employment visas to be submitted at the Foreigner's Regional Registration Office in India.

Future changes

It is likely that we will see further changes to Indian immigration processes and procedures. It is of paramount importance that the correct visa is obtained before the individual travels to India.

For further information, visit www.magrath.co.uk