India · Work
India Research visa
First stay: 3 yrs
Research Visa (S-4)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Research visa is a work route for India. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable, 5 years max
The FRRO or FRO can extend the visa up to the approved project duration or 5 years, whichever is less, plus a final extension of up to 6 months after the project ends.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 12 years of residence
Naturalization needs residence in India throughout the 12 months before applying and at least 11 years of residence in the 14 years before that, plus good character and knowledge of an Indian language.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 5 years in total
- Needs a job offer from an employer in India
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- A Student visa holder with a regular three-year degree can convert to a Research visa.
What you must show1
- Evidence of financial resources is required.
Documents2
- A letter of admission and a certificate of affiliation from a recognised Indian university or institution are required.
- The research topic and places to be visited are stated.
When you become tax resident
How India decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years in total
- Tax residence
- More than 729 days in a preceding seven tax yearsPresence above 729 days (together with residence in two of the ten preceding years) makes an individual ordinarily resident; 729 days or less gives RNOR status
- At least 182 days in a tax year (1 April to 31 March)Resident in India
- At least 60 days in a tax year, together with 365 days or more in the preceding four tax yearsAlternative resident test
- At least 120 days in a tax year, together with 365 days or more in the preceding four tax yearsAlternative test for citizens or persons of Indian origin with Indian income above INR 15 lakh (≈ $15,600)
- Foreign-source income
RNOR relief
A resident individual who is 'not ordinarily resident' in India is taxed on income received or accruing in India, and on foreign-source income only when it comes from a business controlled in or a profession set up in India.
- Special regime
Foreign-source income largely outside tax · Tax relief
All tax rules for India Tax records checked
Full official text
Visa for research scholars with admission and affiliation from a recognised Indian university or institution; issued for three years or the duration of the project. 1 2 3 4
Requirements
- A Student visa holder with a regular three-year degree can convert to a Research visa. 1
- Evidence of financial resources is required. 1
- A letter of admission and a certificate of affiliation from a recognised Indian university or institution are required. 1
- The research topic and places to be visited are stated. 1
Stay
- 3 years or the project duration, whichever is earlier; total limited to the approved project duration or 5 years, with one final extension of up to 6 months.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
- Visa validity: 36 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Research under the approved project.
Family
Spouse and minor children may be granted a dependent visa valid until the end of the Research visa.
Fine print
The Bureau of Immigration's current visa list places research scholars under the student category as S-4.
Official sources
- FAQ relating to Research Visa · Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigners Division · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa provision (period, entry, extension by visa type) · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
- Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual extract, Annex III) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2018-02-01
- List of Visas (B, E, F, S, X, T categories) · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual Annex III, 20 August 2020) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12
- The Citizenship Act, 1955 (sections 5, 6 and Third Schedule) · Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India · checked 2026-10-11
Research visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research visa | – | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Employment visa (E-1) | Needs income of ₹1.6M+ a year ≈ $17k | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Consultant visa (E-1) | Needs income of ₹1.6M+ a year ≈ $17k | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| NGO employment (E-2) | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Intern visa | Needs income of ₹780k+ a year ≈ $8,130 | 1 yr | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Research visa?
3 years or the project duration, whichever is earlier; total limited to the approved project duration or 5 years, with one final extension of up to 6 months.
Can I work on the Research visa?
Limited. Research under the approved project.
Can I bring my family on the Research visa?
Spouse and minor children may be granted a dependent visa valid until the end of the Research visa.
Is there a tax break for Research visa holders in India?
Not ordinarily resident (RNOR) status: foreign-source income largely outside tax: A resident individual who is 'not ordinarily resident' in India is taxed on income received or accruing in India, and on foreign-source income only when it comes from a business controlled in or a profession set up in India. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Not ordinarily resident (RNOR) status: foreign-source income largely outside tax
Tax relief
Details
- On: Income received or accruing in India
- Limit: ₹1.5M/yr ≈ $16k
A resident individual who is 'not ordinarily resident' in India is taxed on income received or accruing in India, and on foreign-source income only when it comes from a business controlled in or a profession set up in India.
Taxed on
Income received or accruing in India, plus foreign-source income derived from a business controlled in India or a profession set up in India.
Who it applies to
- Resident in India for the tax year but non-resident in nine of the ten preceding years, or present in India 729 days or less in the seven preceding years.
- Indian citizens or persons of Indian origin who visit India for 120 to 181 days with Indian-source income above INR 15 lakh (≈ $15,600) are treated as not ordinarily resident.
- Indian citizens deemed resident because Indian income exceeds INR 15 lakh (≈ $15,600) and they are liable to tax nowhere else are treated as not ordinarily resident.
- From tax years beginning on or after 1 April 2026 the rule is section 6(13) and section 5 of the Income-tax Act 2025; the criteria match the 1961 Act.
Exclusions
- Ordinarily resident individuals (more than 729 days in the preceding seven years and resident in at least two of the preceding ten years) are taxed on worldwide income.
Limits
- INR 1,500,000 a year (≈ $15,600) · Indian-source income (other than foreign-source) above which a citizen not taxed elsewhere is deemed resident, as RNOR
Days in the country
- More than 729 days in preceding seven tax years · Presence above 729 days (together with residence in two of the ten preceding years) makes an individual ordinarily resident; 729 days or less gives RNOR status
Tax residence
RNOR status is annual and tests look back to years governed by the 1961 Act.
Visas
Visa type is irrelevant; status depends on days of presence and past residence.
Other taxes
Goods and services tax, surcharge and cess apply separately.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in India
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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- FAQ relating to Research Visa · Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigners Division · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa provision (period, entry, extension by visa type) · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-12
- Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual extract, Annex III) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12
- List of Visas (B, E, F, S, X, T categories) · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual Annex III, 20 August 2020) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12
- The Citizenship Act, 1955 (sections 5, 6 and Third Schedule) · Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.