India introduces new e-B-4 visa to ease entry of foreign technical experts in domestic firms
The changes are expected to particularly benefit domestic firms that import specialised equipment from overseas and rely on foreign experts to set up and maintain those systems
- Dec 18, 2025,
- Updated Dec 18, 2025 8:19 AM IST
India has moved to ease a long-standing operational bottleneck for manufacturers by rolling out a simplified visa framework that allows companies to more easily recruit foreign engineers and technical specialists required for critical production work, including machinery installation, commissioning, training and plant design.
The changes are expected to particularly benefit domestic firms that import specialised equipment from overseas and rely on foreign experts to set up and maintain those systems. In recent months, several manufacturers have raised concerns over delays in obtaining visas for Chinese professionals whose technical support was essential to running and scaling projects, PTI reported.
As part of the overhaul, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has introduced a new digital facility that enables Indian companies to generate sponsorship letters online for inviting foreign professionals under the e-Production Investment Business Visa, known as the e-B-4 Visa.
Online module launched on NSWS
The digital module went live on November 29 on the National Single Window System (NSWS). DPIIT said the initiative is part of a wider push to simplify business visa procedures and improve India’s ease-of-doing-business environment.
Officials acknowledged that the earlier visa approval process was slow and layered, often delaying projects that depended on foreign technical expertise. The new system, they said, is designed to cut turnaround time sharply.
“The time taken to grant visas will be significantly shorter now,” an official said.
So far, 129 sponsorship letters have already been generated by Indian companies through the platform. These letters will be used by foreign professionals to apply for visas and travel to Indian manufacturing units to carry out assigned work.
Officials stressed that foreign business visitors had always been coming to India, but the revised framework brings greater clarity and consistency.
“Business visitors were coming to India earlier also but now the visa process has been streamlined and simplified. It is much structured now,” the official said.
The facility is open not only to companies covered under production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes but also to firms that are not part of any PLI programme.
Policy shift under MHA circular
The visa reforms follow a Ministry of Home Affairs circular issued in August 2025, which addressed ambiguities around employment visas, business visas and the earlier e-PLI business visa category.
Under the revised approach, two activities that were earlier treated as employment visas—foreign nationals visiting India for installation and commissioning of equipment under supply contracts, and those receiving fees or royalties from Indian companies—have now been brought under the business visa framework.
“Further, a new sub-category of Production Investment Visa has been created under the Business Visa regime and called the B-4 Visa for enabling foreign subject matter specialists/ engineers/ technical people being engaged by Indian companies,” DPIIT said.
Scope of the B-4 visa
According to DPIIT, professionals entering India under the B-4 Visa can be engaged across a wide range of production-linked activities. These include equipment installation and commissioning, quality inspections, essential maintenance, production support, IT ramp-up, workforce training, vendor development for supply chains, plant design and commissioning, as well as visits by senior executives for production investment purposes.
The department also confirmed that the earlier e-PLI business visa category has been scrapped.
Under the updated system, the Production Investment Visa will be issued as an e-visa through the central visa portal. Indian companies must first generate sponsorship letters digitally via the NSWS module to support applications.
DPIIT said the entire process has been simplified through shorter application forms and the removal of mandatory recommendations from line ministries.
(With inputs from agencies)
India has moved to ease a long-standing operational bottleneck for manufacturers by rolling out a simplified visa framework that allows companies to more easily recruit foreign engineers and technical specialists required for critical production work, including machinery installation, commissioning, training and plant design.
The changes are expected to particularly benefit domestic firms that import specialised equipment from overseas and rely on foreign experts to set up and maintain those systems. In recent months, several manufacturers have raised concerns over delays in obtaining visas for Chinese professionals whose technical support was essential to running and scaling projects, PTI reported.
As part of the overhaul, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has introduced a new digital facility that enables Indian companies to generate sponsorship letters online for inviting foreign professionals under the e-Production Investment Business Visa, known as the e-B-4 Visa.
Online module launched on NSWS
The digital module went live on November 29 on the National Single Window System (NSWS). DPIIT said the initiative is part of a wider push to simplify business visa procedures and improve India’s ease-of-doing-business environment.
Officials acknowledged that the earlier visa approval process was slow and layered, often delaying projects that depended on foreign technical expertise. The new system, they said, is designed to cut turnaround time sharply.
“The time taken to grant visas will be significantly shorter now,” an official said.
So far, 129 sponsorship letters have already been generated by Indian companies through the platform. These letters will be used by foreign professionals to apply for visas and travel to Indian manufacturing units to carry out assigned work.
Officials stressed that foreign business visitors had always been coming to India, but the revised framework brings greater clarity and consistency.
“Business visitors were coming to India earlier also but now the visa process has been streamlined and simplified. It is much structured now,” the official said.
The facility is open not only to companies covered under production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes but also to firms that are not part of any PLI programme.
Policy shift under MHA circular
The visa reforms follow a Ministry of Home Affairs circular issued in August 2025, which addressed ambiguities around employment visas, business visas and the earlier e-PLI business visa category.
Under the revised approach, two activities that were earlier treated as employment visas—foreign nationals visiting India for installation and commissioning of equipment under supply contracts, and those receiving fees or royalties from Indian companies—have now been brought under the business visa framework.
“Further, a new sub-category of Production Investment Visa has been created under the Business Visa regime and called the B-4 Visa for enabling foreign subject matter specialists/ engineers/ technical people being engaged by Indian companies,” DPIIT said.
Scope of the B-4 visa
According to DPIIT, professionals entering India under the B-4 Visa can be engaged across a wide range of production-linked activities. These include equipment installation and commissioning, quality inspections, essential maintenance, production support, IT ramp-up, workforce training, vendor development for supply chains, plant design and commissioning, as well as visits by senior executives for production investment purposes.
The department also confirmed that the earlier e-PLI business visa category has been scrapped.
Under the updated system, the Production Investment Visa will be issued as an e-visa through the central visa portal. Indian companies must first generate sponsorship letters digitally via the NSWS module to support applications.
DPIIT said the entire process has been simplified through shorter application forms and the removal of mandatory recommendations from line ministries.
(With inputs from agencies)