Quick Answer
India has no dedicated digital nomad visa as of 2026. Remote workers use the e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) for stays up to 90 days, the e-Business Visa for certain work-related activities, or the 1-year/5-year multiple-entry tourist visas for longer stays. Working for a foreign employer while on a tourist visa is a legal grey area — technically not permitted, widely practiced, and rarely enforced. This guide explains your real options and how to stay on the right side of the line.
---
The Honest Visa Situation
India has been discussing a digital nomad visa for years. It has not happened yet. As of early 2026, no official remote work visa category exists. What remote workers actually use falls into three buckets.
e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) is the default for most nationalities. You apply online, pay $25–80 depending on your country, and receive approval by email within 72 hours in most cases. The e-TV allows stays of 30, 90, or 180 days depending on the variant you apply for. Double and triple-entry options exist. The 90-day e-TV is the most commonly used by nomads — it gets you in, it is easy to obtain, and it is renewable by leaving and re-entering (though India has recently tightened scrutiny on frequent visa runs, so do not assume this is indefinitely repeatable).
e-Business Visa allows you to attend business meetings, conferences, and engage in certain commercial activities. It does not permit you to earn income from Indian sources or take up employment, but it is more defensible than a tourist visa if your work involves client meetings or industry events in India. Costs slightly more than the e-TV.
Long-term tourist visas (1 year, 5 year, 10 year) are available to citizens of certain countries, notably including citizens of the US, UK, Canada, and others. These are multiple-entry but typically restrict continuous stay to 180 days per visit. Useful for people who want to base in India across multiple extended trips.
---
What Is and Is Not Legal
This is where people get confused. Working remotely for a foreign company while in India on a tourist visa is not explicitly authorized. India's visa rules do not include a "remote work" category, and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) has implications for receiving foreign income while resident in India for extended periods.
In practice, enforcement against individual remote workers is essentially zero. Immigration officials at Indian airports are not checking your laptop or asking about your employment status. Thousands of remote workers live and work from India on tourist visas without incident.
The risk rises if you stay long enough to trigger tax residency (182 days or more in a financial year, which runs April to March), if you start receiving income into an Indian bank account, or if you are working for an Indian company without the proper work visa.
The sensible approach: use the e-TV, keep your income going into a foreign account (a [Wise account](https://wise.com) works well for this), stay under 182 days in a financial year if you want to avoid Indian tax residency, and do not try to contract locally or bill Indian clients without proper setup.
---
Entry Requirements by Nationality
Most nationalities can obtain an Indian e-Visa. Notable exceptions include Pakistani nationals and citizens of a handful of other countries who must apply through Indian embassies or consulates. Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan do not require a visa at all.
The application is at [indianvisaonline.gov.in](https://indianvisaonline.gov.in). Apply at least 4–5 days before travel, though processing is usually 24–72 hours. You will need a scan of your passport bio page, a recent passport photo in JPEG format (the size and background requirements are strict — read them carefully), and a return or onward ticket in many cases.
---
Costs and Fees
| Visa Type | Duration | Cost (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| e-Tourist Visa (30 day) | 30 days, single entry | $10–25 |
| e-Tourist Visa (90 day) | 90 days, double entry | $25–40 |
| e-Tourist Visa (1 year) | 1 year, multiple entry | $40–80 |
| e-Business Visa | 1 year, multiple entry | $80–100 |
Fees vary by nationality. US, UK, and Canadian passport holders pay higher fees than many other nationalities. There is also a service fee added at checkout on the official portal.
---
Tax Residency: The 182-Day Rule
If you spend 182 days or more in India in a single financial year (April 1 to March 31), you become a tax resident of India. This means your global income is theoretically taxable in India. For most nomads doing shorter stints this is irrelevant, but if you are planning a 6-month-plus stay, talk to a cross-border tax professional before you go.
India has Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with most countries, which means you will not necessarily pay tax twice — but you may need to file in India and claim treaty relief. It is not a reason to avoid India, but it is a reason to plan ahead.
---
Will India Get a Digital Nomad Visa?
Possibly. India's tourism ministry has discussed creating a specific visa category for remote workers, and a few Indian states (Goa in particular) have lobbied for it. The bureaucratic machinery moves slowly. The most likely near-term development is a formal clarification of what tourist visa holders can and cannot do regarding remote work — rather than a new visa category — but nothing is confirmed.
If a digital nomad visa launches, it will likely be announced on the Ministry of Home Affairs website and covered immediately here.
---
Practical Setup for Remote Workers
Once you are in India, here is what actually matters operationally:
Banking: Keep your income flowing to a foreign account. [Wise](https://wise.com) works in India — you can use the card for daily spending and receive money in your home currency. Indian banks require an Indian address, phone number, and often a local income source to open accounts, making them impractical for short-stay nomads.
SIM card: Pick up an Airtel or Jio SIM at the airport or any mobile store. You will need your passport and visa as ID. Both networks offer prepaid plans with 1.5–2GB data per day for around ₹300–600/month ($3.60–7.20). [Airalo](https://airalo.com) eSIMs work before you arrive if you want data from the moment you land.
Health insurance: [SafetyWing](https://safetywing.com) covers India and is the simplest option for nomads. Note that some private hospitals in India require upfront payment and reimbursement claims, so carry a card with a reasonable limit.
VPN: [NordVPN](https://nordvpn.com) is recommended. Some content services geo-restrict India, and public WiFi in cafes and coworking spaces benefits from the added security.
---
Bottom Line
India does not have a digital nomad visa, and one is not imminent. The e-Tourist Visa is what most remote workers use, it works fine for stays under 90 days, and the practical risk of working remotely on it is low. Stay under 182 days to avoid tax residency complications, keep your income offshore, and enjoy one of the most affordable and stimulating places to work remotely in the world.
Next steps: [Best SIM Cards in India for Remote Workers](/blog/best-sim-cards-india-remote-workers-2026) | [Cost of Living in Bangalore](/blog/bangalore-cost-of-living-remote-workers) | [Health Insurance for Remote Workers in India](/blog/health-insurance-india-remote-workers)
---
*Last updated: April 2026*