In an attempt to keep up with the ever-growing business needs and trends, the Government of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs has further liberalised and digitized its immigration policies and systems. One such liberalisation effect is evidenced in the changes surrounding visas granted to foreign nationals who wish to intern in India.
Foreign nationals intending to pursue an internship with a non-governmental organisation (NGO), company or educational institution in India are now granted a Student Visa (S-6 visa). India previously had a separate category of visas to allow foreign nationals wo intern in India – An Intern Visa, that has now been done away with.
The foreign intern must draw a minimum salary of US$12,000 a year during the internship. There are no minimum salary requirements for internships with Indian educational institutions or NGOs.
Graduates or post-graduates are eligible to intern in India under an S-6 visa. It is important to note that the internship start date in India must be within a period of one yearfromthe completion of graduation or post-graduation.
This visa will not be issued for internships in sectors such asdefence, telecom, space technologies, construction or strategic infrastructure projects, mining, civil aviation, petroleum and natural gas exploration, private security agencies, human rights, nuclear energy, environmental organisations and dam construction/management.
The visa will be granted to a maximum of fifty (50)applicants a year for each Indian mission or post. This limit will be one hundred (100) a year for countries where the population of people of Indian origin is more than one million.This visa is issue for a period of one year and cannot be extended.
–Ashwina Pinto
