India · Spouse visas
India Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 5 yrs
Miscellaneous Entry (X) Visa for the foreign spouse of an Indian citizen
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for India. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The visa is granted for 5 years at a time. After 5 years the Ministry of Home Affairs may extend it by one year, and later extensions of up to 5 years at a time can be granted by the FRRO or FRO.
CitizenshipAfter 7 years of residence
A person married to an Indian citizen can apply for citizenship by registration after being ordinarily resident in India for 7 years, meaning residence for the 12 months before applying and at least 6 of the 8 years before that.
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is the foreign spouse or child of an Indian citizen, Person of Indian Origin or OCI cardholder.
- The applicant is not registered as an OCI cardholder.
After you arrive3
- The visa is granted for five years at a time with multiple entry.
- After five years the FRRO or FRO refers any extension to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which grants one year; later extensions of up to five years at a time follow.
- If the Indian spouse dies or the couple divorces, the foreign spouse may keep extending only if the couple has a child and, after divorce, a court gave the foreign spouse custody.
When you become tax resident
How India decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
5 years at first, renewable
- 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
Entry (X) visa for the foreign spouse and children of an Indian citizen, Person of Indian Origin or OCI cardholder who are not themselves registered as OCI cardholders; granted for five years with multiple entry. 1 2
Requirements
- The applicant is the foreign spouse or child of an Indian citizen, Person of Indian Origin or OCI cardholder. 1 2
- The applicant is not registered as an OCI cardholder. 1 2
- The visa is granted for five years at a time with multiple entry. 1
- After five years the FRRO or FRO refers any extension to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which grants one year; later extensions of up to five years at a time follow. 1
- If the Indian spouse dies or the couple divorces, the foreign spouse may keep extending only if the couple has a child and, after divorce, a court gave the foreign spouse custody. 1
Stay
- Granted for five years at a time with multiple entry. After five years the Ministry of Home Affairs may grant one year more, then FRROs or FROs may extend for periods of up to five years.
- Initial permitted stay: 60 months.
- Visa validity: 60 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Family
The visa also covers the foreign children of an Indian citizen, Person of Indian Origin or OCI cardholder.
Official sources
- 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
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| OCI card for a citizen’s spouse | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Granted for five years at a time with multiple entry.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
The visa also covers the foreign children of an Indian citizen, Person of Indian Origin or OCI cardholder.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a citizen 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
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ 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 4 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.
- 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.