Regular Business Visa

You should apply for a business visa if you want to explore business opportunities in India or build and maintain business relationships. The business visa is also the right choice for those who want to set up a business or partnership there, or buy or sell products. The same visa is also issued for your relatives.   

If your visit to India exceeds six months, you must register locally within 14 days after arrival (at the FRRO). Business visas are generally valid for a period of one year. However, the consulate is free to decide the period of the visa on a case-by-case basis. The Indian missions in Berlin and Munich also issue business visas to athletes and coaches. For example, to those who participate in commercial sporting events in India and are remunerated by contract. If you are coming to India to work, but receive your salary outside India, you also need to apply for a business visa.

Besides the completed application form, two photographs and your passport - you will need other documents for a business visa. They should all be in English: First, you need a formal letter from the company sending you. The letter should contain information about the duration of your stay, the purpose of your trip and whether the costs will be covered. Secondly, you need a formal invitation from the Indian company, which also states the duration and purpose of the trip. And lastly, you will need a copy of the Indian company's extract from the commercial register.

If you are granted a business visa that is valid for more than one year, you will need an additional letter with basic data about the company in question. You need to submit accounts for the turnover, profits and business with India. This must cover the period of the last three years.

If you are seeking a visa for five years, you will have to submit your fingerprint for biometric data.

If you are of Indian origin and want to apply for a business visa, you must prove that you have surrendered your Indian passport (Surrender Certificate). In any case, this regulation applies only to Frankfurt. If you are a non-German citizen, you must also submit an extended certificate of registration. This must state that you have been a resident in Germany for more than 24 months. You will also have to fill out an additional form for non-German citizens.

For Hamburg and Frankfurt, you can find more details at https://igcsvisa.de/geschaeftsvisum/. For Berlin and München, you can find more information at http://www.ivs-germany.com/BusinessVisa.aspx.  

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Last Update: 24.05.2021

Written by: Antje Stiebitz

Photo Credit: Ananya Singh

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