India has simplified its business visa regime to facilitate the entry of Chinese engineers and technicians, a move expected to aid domestic manufacturers who rely on overseas professionals for specialised services. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said it has launched a new digital platform enabling firms to generate sponsorship letters, simplified visa application forms, and removed the requirement for additional inter-ministerial recommendations.
Through this portal, Indian companies can generate sponsorship letters for inviting foreign professionals for production related activities under the e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4 Visa). The move comes under the business visa regime for improving the ease of doing business in India.
The move is set to ease hiring of foreign professionals, including engineers and technical experts, needed for production-linked activities such as machine installation, quality inspections, training and plant design. It is expected to particularly benefit Indian firms importing machinery from overseas—including from China—that have faced delays in obtaining visas for foreign specialists providing critical technical support.
As part of this reform, this Production Investment Visa will be issued as an e-visa and has to be applied for in the online Visa portal. Further, to facilitate the Visa application process for e-B-4 visa, Indian companies will generate sponsorship letters digitally.
“As part of this reform, this Production Investment Visa will be issued as an e-visa and has to be applied for in the online Visa portal. Further, to facilitate the Visa application process for e-B-4 visa, Indian companies shall generate sponsorship letters digitally,” said DPIIT in its release.
For enabling this facilitation digitally, DPIIT had launched the e-Production Investment Business registration module on the National Single Window System, which can be availed by PLI as well as non-PLI businesses.
Although not confirmed by the government, the move is expected to help companies that import machinery from countries such as China. Earlier, certain Indian firms had raised concerns that they were facing issues in getting visas for Chinese professionals whose expertise were needed.
The government had eased the Visa norms for Chinese technicians needed in PLI sectors. Last month, TNIE had reported that the government is open to all suggestions for increasing investment in India including easing restrictions on Chinese investments.