What Changed in June 2026
Under reforms announced on 17 June 2026 pursuant to the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, India reclassified its employment visa framework into three distinct categories:
| Category | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| **E-1** | General employment — foreign nationals taking up a paid role with an Indian entity |
| **E-2** | Intra-company transfers — employees moving to an Indian office of the same corporate group |
| **E-3** | Workers with NGOs and religious institutions |
Before the restructure, all of these travelled under a single Employment (E) Visa with the distinctions handled case-by-case. The three-way split makes the category explicit at application — which means choosing the wrong one is now a visible, rejectable error rather than a nuance absorbed by the process.
E-1: General Employment
The mainstream category — a foreign national hired directly by an Indian company. The anchor requirements carry over from the established employment visa framework:
- A sponsoring Indian employer and an employment contract
- The salary threshold — ₹16.25 lakh per annum under the 2026 rules (a lower ₹9.10 lakh band applies to qualifying teaching faculty) — covered in depth in our salary requirements guide
- Skills/seniority justification: the framework is built for specialists and managers, not roles fillable from the local labour market
E-2: Intra-Company Transfers
For multinationals moving people into their Indian entity — the transfer case that previously rode on the general E visa. The defining features are the group relationship between the sending and receiving entities and the employee's existing tenure with the group. If your group is establishing its first Indian entity, visa planning and entity setup must run together — see our foreign company advisory.
E-3: NGO and Religious Workers
Foreign nationals working with non-governmental organisations and religious institutions now have their own lane. Expect scrutiny of the host organisation's registrations and approvals to weigh at least as heavily as the individual's paperwork — organisations in this space carry their own regulatory obligations, and a host with compliance gaps sinks the visa.
What Didn't Change
- The process shape: apply before travel at an Indian mission with the sponsoring entity's documents — employment remains outside the e-Visa system
- The FRRO registration obligation for qualifying long stays — though note the 2026 reforms also tightened registration timing rules; register early rather than testing the edges
- The no-work rule on other visas: Business Visas still don't permit employment, and neither do e-Visas
- Changing employers mid-visa remains a regulated event — our change of employer guide covers it
What Employers Should Do Now
- Classify before you file — decide E-1 vs E-2 vs E-3 deliberately; a transfer filed as general employment (or vice versa) invites queries at best
- Check the salary structure against the threshold as the mission counts it — allowances that don't clearly form part of the salary package are a classic shortfall cause
- Audit the host entity's paperwork — for E-2 the group relationship documents, for E-3 the organisation's registrations
- Calendar the compliance dates — visa validity, FRRO registration, and extension lead times (60+ days before expiry)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between E-1, E-2 and E-3 visas in India?
E-1 covers general employment with an Indian entity, E-2 covers intra-company transfers within a corporate group, and E-3 covers NGO and religious workers. The split was introduced in June 2026 under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 framework.
Do the US E-1/E-2 treaty visas have anything to do with India's E-1/E-2?
No — the naming is coincidental. The US E-1/E-2 are treaty trader/investor visas for the United States. India's E-categories are its own employment visa classification introduced in 2026.
What is the salary requirement for an India employment visa?
₹16.25 lakh per annum under the 2026 rules, with a lower ₹9.10 lakh band for qualifying teaching faculty. How the package is structured matters as much as the total — see our dedicated salary guide.
I'm being transferred to my company's India office — which category?
E-2, the intra-company transfer lane. Expect the group relationship between your current employer and the Indian entity to be a document requirement alongside the standard employment set.
Can I switch between E-categories inside India?
Treat any category change as a regulated event requiring the authorities' involvement rather than a formality — and take advice before your circumstances change, not after. The framework is new and practice is still settling.
Disclaimer
India Visa Experts is an independent private consulting firm, not affiliated with the Government of India or the MHA. The June 2026 framework is new and implementing practice continues to develop — requirements vary by mission and case, and change. Verified against available official and professional sources in July 2026. General guidance, not legal advice.