--- title: "India Spouse of a citizen requirements 2026: 5-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/spouse-of-citizen-x-visa/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- 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 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 5 yrs (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.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Tax angle:** Tax relief (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.) ## 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 **Renewal: Renewable** 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. [Ministry of Home Affairs, India](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/AnnexIIIDetailsofVisas_20082020.pdf) **Citizenship: After 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. [Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-09/TheCitizenshipAct1955_10092024.pdf) ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - 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 arrive - 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 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 - **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 years** Alternative resident test - **At least 120 days in a tax year, together with 365 days or more in the preceding four tax years** Alternative 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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/tax/) Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026 **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. (sources 1, 2) #### Requirements - The applicant is the foreign spouse or child of an Indian citizen, Person of Indian Origin or OCI cardholder. (sources 1, 2) - The applicant is not registered as an OCI cardholder. (sources 1, 2) - The visa is granted for five years at a time with multiple entry. (source 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. (source 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. (source 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. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual extract, Annex III)](https://www.mha.gov.in/PDF_Other/AnnexIII_01022018.pdf) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2018-02-01 2. [List of Visas (B, E, F, S, X, T categories)](https://boi.gov.in/boi/contents/visa-oci/apply-for-visa/list-of-visas) · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual Annex III, 20 August 2020)](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/AnnexIIIDetailsofVisas_20082020.pdf) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12 4. [The Citizenship Act, 1955 (sections 5, 6 and Third Schedule)](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-09/TheCitizenshipAct1955_10092024.pdf) · 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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/oci-spouse-of-citizen/) | – | – | – | | [Spouse of a permanent resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – | | [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/japan/spouse-of-citizen/) Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Spouse of a stay permit holder](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/indonesia/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) 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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/tax/#tax-in-rnor-status) Tax relief Foreign-source income: RNOR 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 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) [Full page →](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/tax/) ## More in India [PRS · Foreign investor](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/prs-foreign-investor/) [Employment visa (E-1)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/employment-visa/) [Consultant visa (E-1)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/employment-visa-consultant/) [NGO employment (E-2)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/employment-visa-ngo-e2/) [Intern visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/intern-visa/) [Research visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/research-visa/) [e-Student visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/e-student-visa/) [Student visa (S-1)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/india/student-visa-s1/) ## Spouse and partner visas elsewhere [🇲🇾 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malaysia/malaysian-spouse-ltsvp/) [🇰🇷 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇹🇼 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/taiwan/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇱🇰 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/sri-lanka/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇳🇵 Marriage visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nepal/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇨🇳 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/china/spouse-of-citizen/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## 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. 1. [Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual extract, Annex III)](https://www.mha.gov.in/PDF_Other/AnnexIII_01022018.pdf) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12 2. [List of Visas (B, E, F, S, X, T categories)](https://boi.gov.in/boi/contents/visa-oci/apply-for-visa/list-of-visas) · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Details of visas granted by India (Visa Manual Annex III, 20 August 2020)](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/AnnexIIIDetailsofVisas_20082020.pdf) · Ministry of Home Affairs, India · checked 2026-10-12 4. [The Citizenship Act, 1955 (sections 5, 6 and Third Schedule)](https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-09/TheCitizenshipAct1955_10092024.pdf) · 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](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.