Arriving

Visas & Arrival, Settling In, Flights & Connections. 9 min read.

Delhi Aerocity station on the Airport Express linePhoto: Wiki.cullin, CC BY-SA 4.0

01Visas & Arrival

Visas and registration

India's visa rules are the same whichever city you fly into. Landing at Terminal 3 of Delhi's IGI Airport puts you closest to FRRO Delhi, the country's main regional office for registering foreigners. Your employer and IKAN run the whole process for you, from the day you accept your offer.

Visa Types

Employment Visa

For foreign nationals employed by an Indian company or the Indian branch of a multinational. Requires an employment contract showing salary of approximately USD 25,000 per year equivalent in Indian rupees. Most expats to India arrive on this visa.approximately USD 25,000 per year

Business Visa

For board attendance, establishing operations, due diligence and short pre-relocation visits to scout schools and homes. Valid up to 180 days per visit.up to 180 days per visit

e-Tourist Visa

Available as 30-day (double entry), 1-year or 5-year (multiple entry) options for pre-move reconnaissance stays, ideal for school visits to AES or British School and neighbourhood exploration in Chanakyapuri, Vasant Vihar or Jor Bagh.

Dependent Visa

For accompanying spouses and children. Requires proof of relationship and the primary visa holder's employment documentation. Dependants generally cannot take up employment in India on a Dependent/Entry (X) Visa without first converting to their own Employment Visa.

Diplomatic / Official Visa

For accredited mission personnel and their dependents, issued by the Indian foreign mission abroad. Diplomatic Visas exempt from FRRO registration but require MEA accreditation in Delhi.

Nationality Rules

Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar and certain other nationalities face additional security clearance requirements and processing times of 4 to 6 weeks beyond standard. Your IKAN consultant will advise on country-specific requirements at your pre-arrival briefing.

Note: There are no Visa or FRRO requirements if you are a returning Indian national or an OCI card holder. Please consult your IKAN relocation advisor for country-specific guidance.

FRRO Registration · Delhi

FRRO Delhi

FRRO Deadlines are Non-Negotiable: Visas carrying a registration endorsement (employment, student, dependant, medical, research and missionary visas usually do) must register within 14 days of arrival; under the June 2026 amendment, other visa holders who stay longer must register before completing 180 days in India. When in doubt, treat 14 days as your deadline. Non-registration attracts financial penalties and can escalate to criminal penalties (up to 3 years' imprisonment and/or a ₹3 lakh fine). Do not prioritise property hunting or school visits over FRRO registration. IKAN coordinates the FRRO registration on your arrival, before everything else.

Location: East Block-VIII, Level-2, R.K. Puram, Sector 1. Portal: indianfrro.gov.in, most steps are now online through the e-FRRO portal, with in-person follow-up where required.East Block-VIII, Level-2, R.K. Puram, Sector 1

Arriving at IGI T3

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), Terminal 3 handles all international arrivals plus full-service domestic carriers
T3 consistently ranks among Skytrax's top 50 airports globally, fast wayfinding, English signage throughout
Immigration queues: 30 to 60 minutes peak; e-Visa and OCI lanes are faster
Travel time to Chanakyapuri: 25 to 40 min (off-peak) / 50 to 80 min (peak: 8-10am, 6-9pm)
Use the Airport Express (Orange Line) metro for a 22-minute, ₹60 ride to New Delhi Station, bypasses all traffic
Pre-book your transfer, Delhi's outer Ring Road and Mahipalpur stretch can gridlock at peak

Your Arrival Sequence

Embassy Visa Application

You

Apply at the Indian Embassy or High Commission in your home country. IKAN guides you through the documentation checklist. Processing: 3-10 working days for standard applications, longer for sensitive-nationality cases.

byDay 14

FRRO Registration · Within 14 Days

You

Complete the e-FRRO online application first at indianfrro.gov.in. Employment, student and dependant visas carry a registration endorsement, so the deadline is 14 days from arrival; other long-stay visas have until day 180, and when in doubt treat 14 days as yours. Bring passport, visa, rental agreement, and passport photos. IKAN helps negotiate and prepare your Leave & License (the standard Indian lease), so it meets FRRO rules.

Indian SIM

You

Bring passport and visa to any Jio or Airtel store, both offer eSIM in Delhi. Airtel's network is stronger in Lutyens and Chanakyapuri; Jio is better value for data. Activation takes 4 to 24 hours. A local number is required for OTPs on your PAN, bank and UPI applications, so set it up before the next steps.

PAN Card Application

You

Apply on the Protean (formerly NSDL) portal immediately after arrival. Required for banking, investments, and tax compliance. Takes 10-15 working days. Aadhaar is not required for foreign nationals, PAN is sufficient.

Resident Savings Account

You

02Settling In

Your first 30 days

Do these steps in this order. IKAN handles the ones with deadlines, so none of them is missed.

Your first 30 days

Six steps

byDay 14

FRRO Registration · Within 14 Days

IKAN

IKAN coordinates your FRRO registration within your legal window: 14 days from arrival on visas carrying a registration endorsement (employment and dependant visas usually do), and before day 180 on other long-stay visas. Complete e-FRRO online application at indianfrro.gov.in first. Bring passport, visa, rental agreement, and passport photos. This is the highest-priority item, do not let it slip behind property searches or school visits.

Done: FRRO Registration · Within 14 Days

Indian SIM

You

Bring passport and visa to any Jio or Airtel store. Both offer eSIM in Delhi. Airtel's network is stronger in Lutyens and Chanakyapuri; Jio is better value for data. Both offer international roaming add-ons. SIM activation takes 4 to 24 hours, register as soon as possible after landing.

Done: Indian SIM

PAN Card Application

You

Apply on the Protean (formerly NSDL) portal (onlineservices.proteantech.in) with Form 49AA soon after arrival; your passport serves as proof of identity and address, so you need not wait for FRRO registration. Required for banking, investments, salary credits, and tax compliance. Takes 10-15 working days. Aadhaar is not required for foreign nationals, PAN alone is your financial identity in India.

Done: PAN Card Application

Resident Savings Account

You

Open a resident savings account at HDFC, HSBC, or Axis Bank. Bring passport, visa, FRRO acknowledgment, PAN, employer letter, and rental agreement. Takes 3-5 working days. Essential for salary, UPI, and all local transactions. HSBC has an international client desk in Khan Market with dedicated relationship managers for expat accounts.

Done: Resident Savings Account

UPI & Digital Payments

Once your bank account is active, set up UPI on GPay, PhonePe, or Paytm. India's UPI is the world's best peer-to-peer payment system, usable at every street vendor and shop. UPI auto-payments for utilities, gym, and household staff make month-end painless.

Done: UPI & Digital Payments

Arrange Permanent Transport

You

Most senior expat households rent a car with an English-speaking chauffeur for safety and convenience.

Done: Arrange Permanent Transport

Transport Setup

Delhi Mobility

Self-driving is generally not recommended for expats in Delhi due to the local traffic conditions and driving practices. A chauffeur-driven vehicle is therefore recommended. IKAN can support with car lease arrangements for all kinds of vehicle requirements.

Air Quality Kit

Pollution Preparedness

HEPA air purifier in every bedroom (Dyson, Mi, Philips, ₹40,000 to 70,000 each) · N95 masks for outdoor commutes Oct to Feb · IQAir or AQI India app installed · Indoor plants (areca palm, snake plant) supplement purifiers · Negotiate purifier units into your relocation budget.

Expat Community

Build Your Network

American Embassy School parent network · British Council Delhi · India International Centre (IIC) membership · Your nationality's embassy / high commission social events · IKAN's quarterly expat dinners

Key Portals

Essential Links

FRRO: indianfrro.gov.in · PAN: onlineservices.proteantech.in · BSES Rajdhani: bsesdelhi.com · Tata Power-DDL: tatapower-ddl.com · Delhi Metro: delhimetrorail.com · IRCTC: irctc.co.in · CPCB AQI: cpcb.nic.in · Delhi government services: delhi.gov.in

Practical Essentials

Bringing Pets

Pet Import

Cats and dogs may usually be imported as accompanied baggage (typically up to two per passenger) with a microchip, up-to-date rabies and core vaccinations, an international veterinary health certificate, and an import permit from the Animal Quarantine & Certification Service (AQCS). Apply for the AQCS permit before you fly and confirm the current DGFT/AQCS rules.

Driving & IDP

Licence & Permits

You may drive on a valid foreign licence with an International Driving Permit (IDP) for a limited initial period; longer stays require converting to an Indian licence at the Delhi Transport Department (transport.delhi.gov.in). Most expat households still prefer a chauffeur given Delhi traffic.

Women's Safety

Staying Safe

Delhi rewards sensible caution, especially after dark. Use app-based cabs (Uber/Ola) or your building's trusted drivers rather than hailing on the street, share trip details, and save the helplines, 112 (all emergencies), 1091 (women) and 1098 (child). Many residents avoid isolated areas late at night.

Cooking Gas

Gas Connection

Homes use either piped natural gas (IGL, Indraprastha Gas, billed monthly) or LPG cylinders (Indane / HP / Bharat Gas, booked by app or phone and delivered). Confirm which your flat has before move-in; IKAN can help set up a new connection or transfer an existing one.

03Flights & Connections

Flights from Delhi

IGI T3 is India's busiest airport and a major hub for Star Alliance, oneworld and SkyTeam airlines. Direct long-haul flights go to London, Frankfurt, Singapore, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York and the Gulf cities. That makes Delhi one of the best-connected cities in Asia for people who move around the world for work.

Destination	Airlines	Frequency	Duration	Approx Fare (Economy)
London Heathrow	Air India, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic	Daily (multiple)	9h 00m	₹55,000 to 90,000
Frankfurt	Lufthansa, Air India	Daily	8h 45m	₹52,000 to 85,000
Singapore	Singapore Airlines, Air India, IndiGo	Multiple daily	5h 45m	₹25,000 to 48,000
Dubai	Emirates, Air India, IndiGo	Multiple daily	3h 30m	₹18,000 to 35,000
New York JFK / Newark	Air India (non-stop), United (Newark)	Daily	15h 30m	₹95,000 to 1,60,000
San Francisco	Air India (non-stop)	Daily	16h 00m	₹1,00,000 to 1,70,000
Tokyo Haneda / Narita	ANA, Japan Airlines	Daily	7h 30m	₹60,000 to 1,00,000
Sydney	Air India (non-stop)	Daily	12h 30m to 13h 00m	₹70,000 to 1,30,000

Domestic

Delhi → Mumbai

2h 10m

IndiGo, Air India · 30+ daily

Domestic

Delhi → Bangalore

2h 45m

IndiGo, Air India · 25+ daily

Domestic

Delhi → Hyderabad

2h 15m

IndiGo, Air India · 15+ daily

Domestic

Delhi → Goa

2h 30m

IndiGo, SpiceJet · multiple daily

IGI Terminal 3

About Your Airport

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), T3 is among the world's largest single-terminal buildings and consistently ranks in the Skytrax global top 50. Distance to Chanakyapuri: 12 km / 25 to 45 min. The Airport Express Metro (Orange Line) is the fastest option from the city to T3, 22 minutes from New Delhi Station for ₹60. Pre-immigration fast-track is available for Business Class on most major carriers. Arrive 3 hours early for international departures, CISF security is thorough. Mahipalpur road traffic can gridlock during peak, the Metro avoids this entirely.

Next chapter03Where to liveNeighbourhoods, Housing Market, The IKAN Method

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