Before you start

An employment visa sponsored by an Indian employer, or another long-stay category
A registered lease or other acceptable proof of address in Mumbai
Appointment letter and employment contract
Proof of annual income meeting the employment visa threshold

Step-by-step

1
Understand your visa category before you fly
The employment visa requires employer sponsorship and a minimum annual salary, with specific exemptions for certain roles. A business visa does not permit employment. Getting the category wrong is not fixable from inside India without leaving.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
2
Register on e-FRRO within 14 days of arrival
Employment visa holders with a visa valid over 180 days must register with the jurisdictional FRRO within 14 days. e-FRRO is fully online — application, document upload and delivery — with no agent needed and usually no office visit unless specifically called in.
OnlineWho: YouWithin 14 days of arrival
3
Get a registered lease first, because registration depends on it
The FRRO wants proof of address, and a registered leave-and-licence agreement is the cleanest form. This creates a sequencing problem: you need accommodation before you can register, inside 14 days. A company guest house or serviced apartment letter can bridge the gap.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
4
Apply for a PAN card in parallel
The Permanent Account Number gates banking, salary and almost every financial transaction. Foreign nationals can apply. Without one, tax may be deducted from your salary at a substantially higher rate.
OnlineWho: YouWeek 1
5
Tell e-FRRO when anything changes
Address changes, visa extensions, and exit permissions all run through the same portal. Update it when you move — an out-of-date registered address causes problems at renewal that are tedious to unwind.
OnlineWho: You
6
Consider Aadhaar once you pass 182 days
Foreign nationals who have stayed in India for 182 days or more in the preceding twelve months can enrol for Aadhaar. It is not mandatory but it makes a great many everyday services — telecom, banking, deliveries — considerably smoother.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport with a valid employment visa
Registered leave-and-licence agreement or other proof of address
Appointment letter and employment contract
Proof of annual income
Passport photographs to Indian specification

Things most newcomers don’t know

The 14-day registration clock starts on arrival, before you have anywhere to live.

Employment visa holders with a visa over 180 days must register within 14 days, and registration requires proof of address. Finding and registering a Mumbai flat inside two weeks is genuinely difficult. Ask your employer for a guest-house or serviced-apartment letter to register against, then update the address later through e-FRRO.

Source: Bureau of Immigration — registration requirements

e-FRRO is genuinely online, and agents are not required.

The system was rebuilt to be faceless, cashless and paperless — application, documents and delivery all online, with no appointment needed unless the FRRO calls you in. Agents still market themselves heavily to new arrivals. You do not need one, and the official portal says so explicitly.

Source: e-FRRO — about the service

No PAN card means a much higher rate of tax deducted at source.

Indian law allows a higher withholding rate where the recipient has not furnished a PAN. For a new arrival that can mean a materially reduced first few pay packets, recoverable only by filing. Apply in week one.

Source: Income Tax Department — PAN

Aadhaar becomes available at 182 days, and it changes daily life.

Foreign nationals resident for 182 days or more in the preceding twelve months may enrol. It is optional, but a great many services — new SIMs, some banking, delivery verification — are built around it, and having one removes friction you otherwise work around constantly.

Source: UIDAI — enrolment for foreign nationals

Common mistakes to avoid

Missing the 14-day registration window because you had no address yet.
Paying an agent for e-FRRO services that are free and fully online.
Entering on a business visa and then taking employment, which the category does not permit.
Delaying the PAN application and having tax withheld at the higher no-PAN rate.
Moving flat without updating your registered address on e-FRRO.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.