Retiring in India: the visa situation
As of our last check, India does not offer a dedicated retirement or passive-income visa. Retirees who settle there typically use other residence routes, so plan on more paperwork than in countries with a purpose-built visa.
Because there is no retirement route, most retirees rely on tourist entry, which is capped: total stay on an e-Tourist or regular tourist visa is limited to 180 days per calendar year. Longer stays generally require an Entry (X) visa (often via an Indian-origin spouse or family) or the OCI card for those of Indian heritage.
Verified against smartasset.com, last checked 2026-07-05.
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No dedicated retirement visa; long-stay foreigners use the Entry (X) visa, a long-duration (up to 10-year) regular tourist visa, or the e-Tourist visa, while people of Indian origin can use the lifelong OCI card.
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Because there is no retirement route, most retirees rely on tourist entry, which is capped: total stay on an e-Tourist or regular tourist visa is limited to 180 days per calendar year. Longer stays generally require an Entry (X) visa (often via an Indian-origin spouse or family) or the OCI card for those of Indian heritage.
Before you act on this
Visa rules, income thresholds and processing practice change, sometimes with little notice. This page reflects what we could verify on the dates shown, nothing more. Always confirm the current requirements with the official immigration authority or a licensed immigration adviser before making plans, and treat the linked source as the authority, not us.
See how India scores overall
The visa is one of six axes. RetireScore 60/100, ranked 47 of 55 countries on the default weights.