US Bill Seeks Three-Year Pause on H-1B, $200k Salary Floor; Huge Implications for Indian Talent
Government Revises OCI Fees and Imposes Penalty for Late Passport Updates
India and EU Finalise Draft of Comprehensive Mobility Pact Covering Work and Study Routes
Latest News
India Adds 14 Seaports to e-Visa Scheme, Taking Total ICPs to 114
India has expanded its e-Visa programme to 14 more seaports, lifting the total number of authorised entry points to 114. The move gives cruise operators, shipping companies and business travellers far more coastal options for arrival without a traditional sticker visa, but processes and document checks remain unchanged. For corporates, the change means faster routing of personnel to Gujarat and Tamil Nadu ports and fewer costly detours via major airports.
France Scraps Airport Transit Visa for Indian Nationals
Effective 10 April 2026, Indian passport holders transiting French airports to a third country no longer need an Airport Transit Visa. The embassy confirmed the move on 23 April, aligning France with Germany’s earlier waiver and shaving both cost and lead time from India–Europe–third-country itineraries.
US Opens New H-1B and F-1 Interview Slots in India After Months-Long Freeze
US missions in India have restarted H-1B, H-4 and F-1 visa scheduling after months of postponements linked to new social-media vetting. Slots appear sporadically and fill in minutes, offering relief to stranded tech workers and students but leaving a sizeable backlog. Employers should maintain flexible travel and remote-work policies until appointment volumes stabilise.
OCI Overhaul: India Drops 6-Month Residency Rule and Revamps Fees
From April 2026, OCI applicants in India no longer need to prove a six-month stay, and a simplified fee chart reduces costs for routine card reissues while hiking charges for lost cards. Postal submissions are out; in-person biometrics at VFS centres are in. Companies can accelerate spouse and child applications but must plan around mandatory in-person visits and a new digital e-arrival card.
No, You Don’t Need an Income-Tax Clearance Certificate to Fly Abroad, Government Reassures Travellers
The Finance Ministry confirmed on 23 April that Income-Tax Clearance Certificates remain mandatory only for individuals under serious tax investigation or with large arrears. Social-media rumours of compulsory ITCCs for all outbound passengers are false, preserving the status quo for holiday-makers and business travellers.