E-1, E-2, E-3 Employment Visa India (2026): Which Category Do You Fall Under?
In June 2026 the Ministry of Home Affairs quietly reshuffled India's employment visa categories. If you were hired directly by an Indian company, transferred from a parent company abroad, or posted to India by an NGO or religious body, the letter on your visa sticker may no longer mean what it did last year. Here is what changed, who goes where, and what you and your employer need to do about it.
Key facts at a glance
- What changed
- Employment visa sub-categories collapsed from four (E-1 to E-4) to three (E-1, E-2, E-3)
- Effective from
- 1 June 2026, Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026
- E-1
- All standard employment, including direct hires, consultants and intra-company transferees
- E-2
- Personnel employed by registered NGOs
- E-3
- Missionaries, religious workers and approved organisations
- E-4 (old project visa)
- Removed as a separate category
- Salary floor
- Gross ₹16.25 lakh per year for most E-1 roles (exemptions exist)
- FRRO registration
- Must be completed before the 180th day of stay; the old 14-day grace window no longer exists
- Official source
- mha.gov.in · indianfrro.gov.in
What actually changed in June 2026?
For years India ran four employment visa sub-types. E-1 covered ordinary employment and consultants, E-2 was for intra-company transferees, E-3 was for NGO staff and E-4 was for project workers, mostly in power and steel. In practice the lines blurred. We regularly saw an engineer seconded from a Korean parent company arrive on an E-1 while his colleague on the same project held an E-2, and both of them needed the same documents at FRRO anyway.
The Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified in the Gazette on 1 June 2026 under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, simplified this. The E-4 category was dropped. Intra-company transferees moved into E-1 alongside everyone else in regular employment. E-2 was narrowed to NGO personnel, and E-3 to missionaries, religious workers and organisations the government has specifically approved.
The same amendment also removed the 14-day grace period for FRRO registration, which affects every employment visa holder regardless of category. We cover that below because in our experience it is the change most likely to catch people out.
E-1 vs E-2 vs E-3: side-by-side comparison
| Category | E-1 | E-2 | E-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Skilled professionals employed by an Indian company, consultants on contract, and staff transferred from a foreign parent, subsidiary or group company | Foreign nationals employed by a registered NGO in India | Missionaries, religious workers and personnel of organisations specifically approved by the Government of India |
| Sponsor in India | The Indian employer or host company | The registered NGO (FCRA compliance usually checked) | The religious body or approved organisation; often needs MHA clearance |
| Salary requirement | Gross ₹16.25 lakh/year, including quantified perquisites. Exemptions for ethnic cooks, language teachers (not English), embassy staff and some others | Lower threshold applies; verify the current figure with the mission at the time of application | Typically no commercial salary test, but proof of support and purpose is required |
| Validity | Up to the contract period, typically 1–2 years initially, extendable at FRRO to 5 years in total | Usually 1 year, extendable | Usually 1 year, extendable; missionary stays are closely monitored |
| FRRO registration | Mandatory. Complete before day 180 of stay (no grace period since June 2026) | Mandatory, same deadline | Mandatory, same deadline; some jurisdictions call applicants in person |
| Core documents | Appointment letter, employment contract, employer's undertaking, company incorporation/GST/PAN, proof of qualifications, salary proof | NGO registration, FCRA certificate, appointment letter, undertaking | Invitation from the religious body or approved organisation, purpose letter, MHA approval where required |
| Change of employer | Allowed within group companies in some cases; otherwise prior MHA approval | Prior approval needed | Prior approval needed |
| Dependents | Spouse and children on X-1 (Entry) visa, co-terminus with the principal | Same | Same |
Which category applies to me? Five real-world scenarios
These are drawn from the kind of cases we handle every week for corporate clients in Gurugram, Noida, Pune and Chennai. Names are changed; the situations are not.
I already have an E-2 or E-4 visa. What happens now?
Your visa stays valid until its printed expiry date. The Government has not asked anyone to reapply. Where the new categories bite is at the next touchpoint with the system:
- Visa extension at FRRO. When you extend, the extension will be recorded under the new scheme. An intra-company transferee on an old E-2 should expect the file to be treated as E-1. Make sure your employer's request and undertaking letters describe the role accurately so the officer does not have to guess.
- Fresh visa after a gap. If you leave India and apply again, apply under the new category from day one.
- Old E-4 project holders. Ask your Indian contractor to confirm which route the extension will take before the visa runs down. We have seen FRRO officers in different cities read this differently in the first few weeks after the change.
The FRRO deadline changed too, and it affects every category
Until May 2026 an employment visa holder had 14 days after arrival to register, and anyone whose stay crossed 180 days had a similar buffer to sort it out. The June amendment rewrote that rule. Registration must now be completed before the 180-day mark. Late registration is only permitted in what the rules call emergent circumstances, and the applicant has to justify the delay.
Our practical advice, which we now give to every corporate HR team we work with, is to open the e-FRRO file in month four. That leaves time for the portal to bounce a photograph, for a landlord to produce a proper lease as address proof, and for police verification if it is triggered.
Documents you will need, whichever category you are in
The visa category changes the sponsor documents, not the personal ones. For the visa application at the mission and again at FRRO, keep the following ready:
From the applicant
- Passport valid for at least six months with two blank pages
- Recent passport photograph, white background, 51 × 51 mm for the e-FRRO upload
- Degree certificates and professional qualifications, apostilled where the mission asks
- Proof of Indian address after arrival: registered lease, electricity bill, or Form C from the hotel
- PAN card copy once issued (see our guide to PAN cards for foreign nationals)
From the sponsor
- Appointment or secondment letter stating designation, duration and gross salary with perquisites quantified
- Employment contract
- Request letter and undertaking on letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory
- Certificate of incorporation, GST registration and company PAN
- For E-2: NGO registration and FCRA certificate. For E-3: the invitation from the religious body and any MHA approval
For the full step-by-step process, fees and timelines, see our FRRO registration and visa extension guide.
What employers and HR teams should do this quarter
- List every foreign employee, their visa category as printed, and their arrival date. Calculate day 180 for each.
- For anyone on an old E-2 or E-4, note that the next extension will be assessed under the new scheme and prepare the file accordingly.
- Update your standard request and undertaking letter templates so they name the role in a way that clearly fits E-1, E-2 or E-3.
- Check that offer letters quantify perquisites such as housing and car, because the ₹16.25 lakh test includes them.
- Remember that under the 2025 Act the duty to report a foreigner's stay also sits with the employer, landlord and hotel, not only the individual.
Not sure which category your case falls under?
Send us the offer letter or secondment letter and we will tell you the correct category, the documents the mission will ask for, and your FRRO deadline — usually within the same working day.
WhatsApp us Call +91 85954 31267Frequently asked questions
What is the E-1 visa in India?
Since June 2026 the E-1 is the general employment visa for skilled foreign nationals employed by an Indian company, including consultants on contract and staff transferred from a foreign group company. It is the category most corporate hires fall under.
What is the difference between E-1 and E-2 employment visas in India?
E-1 covers standard commercial employment, including intra-company transfers. E-2 is now limited to foreign nationals employed by registered NGOs in India. Before June 2026 the E-2 was the intra-company transfer category; that is no longer the case.
Who needs an E-3 visa in India?
Missionaries, religious workers and personnel of organisations specifically approved by the Government of India. These applications usually need MHA clearance and take longer.
Is the intra-company transfer visa for India E-1 or E-2?
E-1, under the 2026 rules. Existing E-2 visas issued for intra-company transfers remain valid until expiry, but extensions and fresh applications are processed as E-1.
What happened to the E-4 project visa?
The E-4 sub-category was removed. Project-based workers are now processed under E-1 through the Indian contracting entity, or under the separate Project Visa scheme where it applies. Check with the mission or a consultant before applying.
What is the minimum salary for an employment visa in India in 2026?
Indian missions currently require a gross salary above ₹16.25 lakh per year, including quantified perquisites such as accommodation. Exemptions exist for ethnic cooks, non-English language teachers and a few other roles.
Do I still have 14 days to register with FRRO after arrival?
No. From 1 June 2026, registration must be completed before your 180th day in India. There is no grace period after that. Late registration is only accepted in emergent circumstances.
Can my spouse and children come with me on an employment visa?
Yes. Dependents apply for an Entry (X-1) visa that runs alongside your employment visa. They must register with FRRO on the same timeline. See our Entry (X) visa guide.
Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026, Gazette of India, 1 June 2026 · Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 · Ministry of Home Affairs, mha.gov.in · Bureau of Immigration e-FRRO portal, indianfrro.gov.in · Employment visa requirements as published by Indian missions abroad (salary threshold).
