Registration, banking and utilities in New Delhi

Visas

Employment visas are tied to a sponsoring company and to salary and role criteria; business visas cover a different set of activities and do not permit local employment; there are separate categories for research, journalism, students and people of Indian origin. The rules are applied strictly and change, so confirm the current criteria with an Indian mission or a licensed adviser before committing.

• The employment visa is sponsored and tied to the specific employer and role.
• A business visa is not a work permit; the distinction is enforced.
• OCI status is a separate and far simpler route for those eligible.
• Confirm with the mission — do not rely on a summary, including this one.

FRRO registration

Many long-stay categories require registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within a short window of arrival, done online and then in person. You will need the lease or a landlord's letter confirming your address, so it is worth having housing sorted quickly. Changes of address and exits are also reportable for some categories.

• Check whether your category and duration require registration, and within what window.
• You need proof of address, so the lease comes before the registration.
• Report address changes; keep the registration certificate with your passport.

PAN, Aadhaar and banking

A PAN is the tax identity number and is needed for a bank account, a salary and many contracts. Aadhaar, the biometric identity number, is available to residents meeting a residence condition and makes a great deal else easier. With a bank account, UPI becomes the payment method for essentially everything — it is hard to overstate how much of Indian daily life runs through it.

• PAN first — it gates the bank account and the salary.
• Aadhaar after the residence condition is met; it simplifies verification everywhere.
• UPI through a local account covers rent, shops, autos and bills.
• Banks vary in their appetite for foreign customers; ask colleagues which branch.

In order

1. 1Confirm the correct visa category with an Indian mission before travelling.
2. 2Have your employer complete its side of the sponsorship early.
3. 3Secure housing quickly — FRRO registration needs an address.
4. 4Register with the FRRO within the required window if your category requires it.
5. 5Apply for a PAN, then open a bank account.
6. 6Set up UPI; obtain Aadhaar once eligible.
7. 7Give the landlord what they need for tenant police verification.