working while on tourist/student/PIO visa

wanderlustress · Aug 25th, 2005, 06:34

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has tried this or if it is absolutely not recommended...how feasible would it be to try to teach english/work at a bookstore/coffee shop or something, whatever it may be, earning some money basically, while visiting india on a tourist/student visa. Are people with 'Persion of Indian Origin' visas allowed to work in India without a work visa? My main concern is that I may not have a job in my hand when I go to India but I know that there are possibilities once I get there (particularly Delhi in mind)..so I was wondering how that would work.

Thanks in advance

Nick-H · Aug 25th, 2005, 06:47

PIOs are allowed to work.

icetea · Aug 25th, 2005, 19:34

yep, on a tourist or student visa it is illegal to find employment in India.
PIO alows it, but it takes a while and some effort to get a PIO card.

edwardseco · Aug 25th, 2005, 20:09

Working at a coffee shop will really get you a good wage in India..

rangers · Aug 25th, 2005, 20:21

few have worked with me in treks and my coffe house .its a nice way to travel i think.

anar · Aug 26th, 2005, 02:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardseco

Working at a coffee shop will really get you a good wage in India..

lol, that's hilarious!

edwardseco · Aug 26th, 2005, 04:11

Yeh, you caught that..

wanderlustress · Aug 26th, 2005, 10:03

hmm..well i guess it wasn't obvious from my post, but my reason for going to india is not to make it rich. I was thinking of some ways to not make it so hard on my parents who will be supporting much of my travel for the first couple months while I'm in India because my fellowship doesnt start until later in the year.

Thanks so much for your insightful advice...

GoanCanuck · Aug 26th, 2005, 10:15

The money that you will get working in a coffee shop is negligible. Look for other types of jobs.

icetea · Aug 26th, 2005, 11:42

did anyone notice that it's illegal to work while on a student visa?

and who would hire a foreigner anyway....why would anyone go trough that trouble when there are plenty of locals competing for the job and be more than happy about the pay? also, do you speak Hindi?

I really don't think you can get a job so easily in the first place..not in a coffee shop, at least..this is not USA. Teaching english might work out though...especially if you have the right contacts. Try to make some contacts for this even before you arrive in India...

Shaktipalooza · Aug 26th, 2005, 11:46

hmm... what would a coffee shop job pay? $100 a month?

Nick-H · Aug 26th, 2005, 17:00

$100? I would have thought half or even a quarter of that!

wanderlustress · Aug 26th, 2005, 19:44

thank you ice tea, that is the type of feedback I was trying to get. (Although again, I know very well that locals would be preferred to work in a coffeeshop) I know that in some other countries, it is easy for people to get away with working under a tourist/student visa but I wasn't sure about India and now you've made it clear.

and the point of my question wasn't to debate what is the best job in India, rather to get an idea of how plausible it would be to earning money under a non-work visa.

To answer your question, yes I speak Hindi..and I have heard about teaching english as a possibility and so that is why my question of "can I get away with earning money in India" is still relevant.

I didnt want this to be a debate about whether or not it is a good idea to work at a coffee shop or not. Although yes, I have heard of travelers doing that, regardless of whether or not you all think that is a bright idea.

Lovemax · Aug 26th, 2005, 20:02

Dont have any hands on experience but indeed if you want to work, there are plenty of job options... .even if you pick up a newspaper and head for a walk-in -interview I am sure you can get a better starter then a coffee shop or any other option...

I have seen some non-indians going through some walk-in interviews and scoring a better lively hood.....

Cheers
FreeBirD

goangoangone · Aug 26th, 2005, 20:30

If you're working illegally and get caught...........

Aug 25th, 2005, 06:34	#1
wanderlustress Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New York Posts: 33	working while on tourist/student/PIO visa Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has tried this or if it is absolutely not recommended...how feasible would it be to try to teach english/work at a bookstore/coffee shop or something, whatever it may be, earning some money basically, while visiting india on a tourist/student visa. Are people with 'Persion of Indian Origin' visas allowed to work in India without a work visa? My main concern is that I may not have a job in my hand when I go to India but I know that there are possibilities once I get there (particularly Delhi in mind)..so I was wondering how that would work. Thanks in advance

Aug 25th, 2005, 06:47	#2
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,811	PIOs are allowed to work. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Aug 26th, 2005, 11:46	#11
Shaktipalooza Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Portland Oregon USA Posts: 893	hmm... what would a coffee shop job pay? $100 a month? __________________ IndiaGroove - Train finder now in beta! Pics from India 2006 Traditional Indian Dance

Aug 26th, 2005, 20:30	#15
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,492	If you're working illegally and get caught........... __________________ GoanGoan......here

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Aug 25th, 2005, 19:34	#3
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	yep, on a tourist or student visa it is illegal to find employment in India. PIO alows it, but it takes a while and some effort to get a PIO card.

Aug 25th, 2005, 20:09	#4
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,777	Working at a coffee shop will really get you a good wage in India..

Aug 25th, 2005, 20:21	#5
rangers Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: India Posts: 450	few have worked with me in treks and my coffe house .its a nice way to travel i think.

Aug 26th, 2005, 04:11	#7
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,777	Yeh, you caught that..

Aug 26th, 2005, 10:03	#8
wanderlustress Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New York Posts: 33	hmm..well i guess it wasn't obvious from my post, but my reason for going to india is not to make it rich. I was thinking of some ways to not make it so hard on my parents who will be supporting much of my travel for the first couple months while I'm in India because my fellowship doesnt start until later in the year. Thanks so much for your insightful advice...

Aug 26th, 2005, 10:15	#9
GoanCanuck Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vancouver Posts: 2,914	The money that you will get working in a coffee shop is negligible. Look for other types of jobs.

Aug 26th, 2005, 11:42	#10
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	did anyone notice that it's illegal to work while on a student visa? and who would hire a foreigner anyway....why would anyone go trough that trouble when there are plenty of locals competing for the job and be more than happy about the pay? also, do you speak Hindi? I really don't think you can get a job so easily in the first place..not in a coffee shop, at least..this is not USA. Teaching english might work out though...especially if you have the right contacts. Try to make some contacts for this even before you arrive in India...

Aug 26th, 2005, 17:00	#12
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,811	$100? I would have thought half or even a quarter of that!

Aug 26th, 2005, 19:44	#13
wanderlustress Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New York Posts: 33	thank you ice tea, that is the type of feedback I was trying to get. (Although again, I know very well that locals would be preferred to work in a coffeeshop) I know that in some other countries, it is easy for people to get away with working under a tourist/student visa but I wasn't sure about India and now you've made it clear. and the point of my question wasn't to debate what is the best job in India, rather to get an idea of how plausible it would be to earning money under a non-work visa. To answer your question, yes I speak Hindi..and I have heard about teaching english as a possibility and so that is why my question of "can I get away with earning money in India" is still relevant. I didnt want this to be a debate about whether or not it is a good idea to work at a coffee shop or not. Although yes, I have heard of travelers doing that, regardless of whether or not you all think that is a bright idea.

Aug 26th, 2005, 20:02	#14
Lovemax -FreeBirD- Road Raker - Da Loner Join Date: May 2005 Location: Delhi\Ladakh Posts: 432	Dont have any hands on experience but indeed if you want to work, there are plenty of job options... .even if you pick up a newspaper and head for a walk-in -interview I am sure you can get a better starter then a coffee shop or any other option... I have seen some non-indians going through some walk-in interviews and scoring a better lively hood..... Cheers FreeBirD

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