India introduces new e-business visa to facilitate easy travel for Chinese nationals

Beijing: India has introduced an e-Production Investment Business Visa called e-B-4 Visa that Chinese businessmen can apply for to travel to India for specific business activities, including installation and commissioning of equipment.

A latest advisory on the Indian Embassy website here said the e-B-4 Visa, which was introduced on January 1, can be applied for online without visiting the embassy or agents.

The new visa is introduced in view of the growing demand for business visas to travel to India. It will be issued in about 45 to 50 days, with permission to stay in India for up to six months.

The visa can be applied for installation and commissioning, quality check and essential maintenance, production, IT and ERP ramp-up, training, supply chain development for empanelling vendors, plant design and bring-up, senior management and executives, according to the advisory.

The Indian companies desirous of inviting Chinese nationals for activities on e-B-4 Visa can also apply by registering on DPIIT’s NSWS (National Single Window System) portal at https://www.nsws.gov.in/ under the tab ‘Login-Business User Login’.

Applicants can submit an application for an e-B-4 Visa online on the portal https://indianvisaonline.gov.in under the tab‘For e-Visa by Bureau of Immigration, apply along with mandatory supporting documents, it said.

India and China have, in recent months, agreed on several people-centric steps to reset their ties.