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Help forfrom Britishthe citizensIndian government

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Visas

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Visasvisa andextensions residency

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SeeFor howmore toinformation:

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• read Foreignersguidance Regionalfrom Registrationthe Office),Consular, the BureauPassport ofand IndianVisa Immigration websiteDivision and of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs website.

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Registering youas enter India on a long-termresident

Once visayou thatarrive, allowsif you plan to stay morefor longer than 180 daysdays, at a time, you shouldwill checkneed withto theregister Foreigners’your Regionalresidency Registrationin OfficeIndia. aboutFor registeringmore withininformation, 14read daysour ofguidance arrival.

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Passports visa.and travel

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Returning recordsto checkthe (known as a DBS check).

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StudyingHealthcare in India

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YouThe mayHigh beCommission ableof toIndia payin NationalLondon Insuranceexplains whilethe abroad todifferent protectemployment yourvisas Stateand Pensionbusiness andvisas entitlementavailable to other benefits and allowances.you.

Benefits

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Recognition income-relatedof benefitsqualifications

If suchyou aswant Pensionto Creditwork andin HousingIndia, Benefit cannot be paid if you aremay abroadneed forto moreget thanyour 4foreign weeks.qualifications recognised.

PensionsDriving in India

Read StateRead Pensionour guidance ifon youmoving, haveliving lived in Australia, Canada or Newretiring Zealandabroad and. youThis arecovers claiminghow orto:

• drive waitingabroad tolegally
• take claim your UK Statevehicle Pension.
  abroad
• get driving licence letters

IfRead youabout retireroad travel in India, youin cansafety claimand yoursecurity UKin Statethe Pensiontravel or newadvice UKfor State PensionIndia. Contact. theThis Internationalincludes Pensioninformation Centreon fordriving furtherin information.

LifeIndia, certificatesincluding fordriving UKlicence State Pensions

rules.

IfThe youIndian getMinistry a ‘lifeof certificate’Road fromTransport theand UKHighways Pensionprovides Service,information youon mustdriving respondin asIndia, soonincluding ashow possible.to:

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Money

Disabled and banking

drivers

ThereIf areyou restrictionshave ona bringingUK IndianBlue rupeesBadge intoand India.live Visitors,in includingIndia, residentsyou andmust tourists,return should followit Reserveto Bankthe oforiginal IndiaUK guidelines.issuing authority.

Tax

IfRead youour areguidance visitingon India,moving, youliving canor bringretiring cash,abroad. travellers’This chequescovers (intax, poundsincluding sterlingpaying orUK anothertax foreignand currency)National orInsurance.

The UK has a bankdouble cardtaxation agreement with India so that you anddo exchangenot orpay withdrawtax rupeeson oncethe same income in India.both countries.

YouContact mustthe declareIndian Income Tax Department for any amountquestions aboveabout 5,000double UStaxation dollarsrelief.

Consider ingetting notes,professional oradvice 10,000on USpaying dollarstax in notesIndia. andTo travellers’do chequesthis, combined.

Foreignfind nationalsan livingEnglish-speaking lawyer in India.

Pensions

Claiming whoyour wishUK topension

Read openour aguidance bankon accountmoving, needliving aor long-termretiring Indianabroad. visa,This validcovers:

• how forto moreclaim thanyour 182UK days.State CheckPension
• where with the relevantUK bankgovernment forpays theiran fullannual requirements.

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Benefits

Claiming UK benefits

SeeRead buyingour aguidance propertyon moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to claim UK benefits abroad, including Child Benefit.

DrivingBuying and renting property in India

Read theour guidance on whatmoving, actionsliving youor mustretiring takeabroad. toThis drivecovers legallybuying inand India:renting Drivingproperty abroadabroad.

IfContact youan areEnglish-speaking askedlawyer forin aIndia letterif authenticating,you’re certifyingconsidering buying property or validatingland.

Voting yourin India

UK driver’selections

Read licence,our youguidance shouldon contactmoving, yourliving UKor issuingretiring officeabroad. (egThis thecovers DVLA).how to:

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• vote guidancein forUK travellingelections byfrom roadabroad
• register inas Indiaan seeoverseas https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/country/safety-and-security#road-travel.
  voter

Indian elections

IfYou cannot vote in Indian elections unless you wishhold toIndian takecitizenship. yourAn vehicleOverseas withCitizen you,of see https://www.gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk.India (OCI) card does not give you the right to vote.

IndiaFor drivesmore oninformation, visit the left.Indian Voters’ Service Portal.

Studying in India

YouIf canyou driveplan withto astudy UKin licenceIndia, andyou anmust accompanyingmeet internationalall drivingvisa permitrequirements afterbefore you arrive,travel.

For butmore rulesinformation:

• read onabout howstudying longin youIndia canand drivetravel ongrants afor UKstudents licencestudying varyabroad fromor stateon toplacements state.(England)
• contact Toyour arrangehigher foreducation aprovider drivingin test,the youUK shouldor India
• contact theStudy trafficin policeIndia, officea inservice from the stateIndian whereMinistry youof live.
  Education

Disabled drivers

Children

IfRead youour haveguidance aon UKmoving, Blueliving Badgeor retiring abroad. andThis livecovers inmoving India,abroad youwith mustchildren, returnincluding:

• getting itpermission to thetake originalyour child abroad
• claiming UK issuingChild authority.

  TheBenefit drivingabroad

• child testmaintenance requirementspayments forif disableda driversparent arelives generallyabroad

Schools theand same.education

The DisabledIndian driversDepartment inof IndiaSchool requiringEducation vehicleand modificationsLiteracy shouldprovides contactinformation about the relevantschool Regionalsystem Transportin Office.India.

Voting

YouAll maychildren beaged able6 to vote14 inmust someattend UKschool elections.or Youhome can:school in India.

For more information:

• checkread ifabout youeducation arein ableIndia tofrom votethe Indian government
• registercontact asyour anlocal overseaseducation voterauthority

Births, deaths, marriagemarriages and civil partnershippartnerships

Births

If your child is born in IndiaIndia, you should register the birth with the the local authorities. authority You(authority, canmunicipality, thenpanchayat registeror withhospital) thewithin UK21 authoritiesdays andto applyobtain for a UKfree birth certificate.certificate. 

IfRead yourour childguidance hason Britishmoving, nationality, youliving door notretiring needabroad. toThis covers how to:

• register the birth with the UK authoritiesUK authorities to get a UK birth certificate
• apply for ayour child’s first British passport.

Deaths

 IfRead someoneour diesguidance inon Indiamoving, readliving ouror guidanceretiring on:abroad. This covers:

• Whatwhat to do ifafter someone dies abroad

• how to register the death with the UK authorities

BereavementIf someone dies in India, read guidance foron:

• what to do when someone dies in India

• English-speaking funeral directors in India

Marriage

Marriages and civil partnership

partnerships

FindRead outour howguidance youon canmoving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get married or getform a civil partnership abroad.abroad.

Pets

CheckFor theinformation guidanceabout forLGBT+ takingrights yourin petIndia, dog,read catguidance oron ferretsafety abroad.and Seesecurity India’sin Animalthe Quarantinetravel &advice Certificationfor ServicesIndia.

Divorce websiteand forseparation

Read our guidance on importingmoving, petsliving intoor Indiaretiring abroad.

Emergencies

The emergencyThis numberscovers inhow Indiato are:

• 100get –a police
• 101divorce –or fire
• 102end –a ambulance

civil partnership.

DialIf theyou childplan helplineto ondivorce 1098in whichIndia, helpsconsider childrentaking legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in distress.India.

IfYou youcan havealso beenread theguidance victimon ofchild acustody rapeand orfamily sexuallaw assault in India,our readguidance theon informationsafety forand survivorssecurity ofin rapethe andtravel sexualadvice assaultfor India.

Documents Seefor alsoBritish https://www.gov.uk/guidance/victim-of-rape-and-sexual-assault-abroadpeople in India

Read our guidance on documents for British people abroad. This covers: 

If

• legalising youand arecertifying theUK victimdocuments
• marriage ofand acivil crime,partnership havedocuments
• affirmations beenand arrested,affidavits
• witnessing signatures

Lawyers, translators and notaries

To find an English-speaking lawyer, translator or arenotary affectedin byIndia, aread crisis, contactguidance theon Britishprofessional Highservices Commissionif you’re abroad.

Pets

SpeakIf you want to abring localyour lawyerpet inwith India.

Readyou theto guidanceIndia, onread internationalguidance parentalon:

• importing childpets abductionto India
• taking if your childpet maydog, becat ator riskferret ofto this.
  a non-EU country

Returning to the UK

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanentlythe UK permanently which. This includes information on bringing family members,members back to the UK, tax and access to services.

Disclaimer

We provide this information as a guide only. For definitive information, contact the Indian authorities.

Read our consular information disclaimer.