Working Spouses NOT Welcome

Nick-H · Aug 19th, 2009, 14:23

If you are travelling to India on an employment visa, with your family, looks like your spouse will have to be content with being an old-fashioned housewife (or husband). Even if both offered a job by the same company, employment visas are unlikely to be granted for both partners. This from The Economic Times is an excellent review of the situation:

Quote:

Visa norms crush Indian job dream for expat spouses

In August last year, when Miranda Green’s husband, Drew, got an offer from Shell to relocate to India on an intra-company transfer with full international terms, the Dutch couple was ecstatic. It helped that the energy company promoted dual-career ... ... ... Things seemed to be going according to plan for the couple until they applied for work visas (called employment, or ‘E’ category, visas) at the Indian embassy in the Netherlands in February this year. While Drew, 46, got his, Miranda’s was refused on the grounds that as an expatriate’s (expat’s) wife she is not eligible to work in India.

Please read the full article -->here

Haylo · Aug 19th, 2009, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Even if both offered a job by the same company, employment visas are unlikely to be granted for both partners.

From that article, it seems that the decision by the Netherlands was a bizarre one off, and that there is no actual rule that says that if someone happens to be married to a person already working in India, that they cannot apply in their own country for an Indian employment visa in their own right on the basis of their own specialist skills.

Of course, if the wife is a shop assistant for instance, she is unlikely to qualify for an employment visa in her own right, but that's nothing new.

Annoying of course that only spouses with particular skills get gain employment, I'm sure it puts a lot of people off working in India.

devdas · Aug 19th, 2009, 19:34

Isn't that true for most other spouse visas as well?

Nick-H · Aug 19th, 2009, 19:44

Quote:

if someone happens to be married to a person already working in India, that they cannot apply in their own country for an Indian employment visa in their own right on the basis of their own specialist skills.

I got the impression that, whilst that is the case, it was quite likely to be viewed less favourably than an individual application. Was I wrong?

Haylo · Aug 20th, 2009, 03:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

I got the impression that, whilst that is the case, it was quite likely to be viewed less favourably than an individual application. Was I wrong?

I got the impression that spouses were generally viewed less favourably because they were seeking more "ordinary" jobs.

I don't think either of us is wrong per se; the article is not entirely clear and the majority of the reports are hearsay, so interpretation plays a big part.

Certainly it is a concerning situation, and one that should be addressed. I doubt that many people would object to the implementation of reciprocal arrangements for family work visas.

HDBoy · Aug 20th, 2009, 03:40

Eyeball catching title, thats all. Quite common in most of the countries.
Even in US, the spouse of an nonimmigrant visa holder (eg. H1B) is not allowed to work. The spouse has to qualify by herself/himself to get another visa so that she/he work. It is common all around..

Nick-H · Aug 20th, 2009, 04:12

The point about USA is made in the article, or maybe it was in a box, and I'm not sure if that was with the online version. However "common all round" is moot. For some other countries, including UK, it claimed that it was easy for the spouse of a foreigner with a work permit to also get one, so, internationally, a mixed bag.

nycank · Aug 20th, 2009, 09:36

The Shell case is bizzare. Both qualified, both Shell employees. Shell should have intervened.

Nick-H · Aug 20th, 2009, 16:33

Bizzare thouhg it is, the point of the articel, and of the organisation which is trying to negotiate changes with the Indian government, it was represented as not being unusual

federica · Aug 20th, 2009, 18:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycank

The Shell case is bizzare. Both qualified, both Shell employees. Shell should have intervened.

Especially as they had an appropriate job vacancy for her.

namaste_cat · Aug 20th, 2009, 23:05

Interesting article. Pity spouses who qualify in their own right are being kept out due to visa issues

Sounds like a policy with no real winners whether it's the applicants/job seekers or the country involved (India in this case).

Something like this would definitely have put us off too as I have a standing job offer at an Indian university and if my spouse couldn't work we'd say "buh bye & see ya, India" for sure. I'm so pleased hubby & I no longer have to worry about all that thanks to PIO & OCI but clearly not everyone has that option.

hikkaduwa · Aug 22nd, 2009, 00:53

From experience I can tell that it is very difficult to get an employment visa as a spouse in NL. Even if you are qualified and have a good profile for the job. It is some personal problem that the Indian embassy in NL has with the NL embassy in Delhi. It is not that difficult for most other countries.

Groovemeister · Sep 9th, 2009, 21:18

I circumvented this by not marrying my girlfriend. I can strongly recommend it.

Haylo · Sep 10th, 2009, 00:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groovemeister

I circumvented this by not marrying my girlfriend. I can strongly recommend it.

The downside to this approach is that if an unmarried partner does not manage to secure a job which entitles them to an employment visa in their own right, their only option is to travel to India on a tourist visa.

While that may well work for the short term, the authorities are clamping down on people using back to back Indian tourist visas as a back door way of living in India.

Groovemeister · Sep 10th, 2009, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haylo

The downside to this approach is that if an unmarried partner does not manage to secure a job which entitles them to an employment visa in their own right, their only option is to travel to India on a tourist visa.

While that may well work for the short term, the authorities are clamping down on people using back to back Indian tourist visas as a back door way of living in India.

Yeah - this could have been a problem - luckily she also found a job without too much bother. May not be the case for everyone though.

Aug 20th, 2009, 03:40	#6
HDBoy Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: America Posts: 40	Eyeball catching title, thats all. Quite common in most of the countries. Even in US, the spouse of an nonimmigrant visa holder (eg. H1B) is not allowed to work. The spouse has to qualify by herself/himself to get another visa so that she/he work. It is common all around.. Last edited by HDBoy : Aug 20th, 2009 at 03:41. Reason: typo

Aug 20th, 2009, 09:36	#8
nycank Clueless Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Homeless Posts: 1,323	The Shell case is bizzare. Both qualified, both Shell employees. Shell should have intervened. __________________ bade bhaisaheb is outsourced

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
GYM/working out	LBJ_KING	Delhi	10	Jul 8th, 2009 03:33
working	alopezg1	West Bengal	1	Apr 7th, 2009 03:04
What do spouses do all day?	mmmmdave	Moving to Delhi	6	Nov 16th, 2007 09:47
Working in India	Hindike	India Expat Area	13	Jan 18th, 2007 10:44
Working in India	Vicky	Chai and Chat	0	Nov 6th, 2005 23:17

Aug 19th, 2009, 19:34	#3
devdas Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 5	Isn't that true for most other spouse visas as well?

Aug 20th, 2009, 04:12	#7
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,231	The point about USA is made in the article, or maybe it was in a box, and I'm not sure if that was with the online version. However "common all round" is moot. For some other countries, including UK, it claimed that it was easy for the spouse of a foreigner with a work permit to also get one, so, internationally, a mixed bag.

Aug 20th, 2009, 16:33	#9
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,231	Bizzare thouhg it is, the point of the articel, and of the organisation which is trying to negotiate changes with the Indian government, it was represented as not being unusual

Aug 20th, 2009, 23:05	#11
namaste_cat Kashmiri-Punjabi Sherni Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amreeka Posts: 943	Interesting article. Pity spouses who qualify in their own right are being kept out due to visa issues Sounds like a policy with no real winners whether it's the applicants/job seekers or the country involved (India in this case). Something like this would definitely have put us off too as I have a standing job offer at an Indian university and if my spouse couldn't work we'd say "buh bye & see ya, India" for sure. I'm so pleased hubby & I no longer have to worry about all that thanks to PIO & OCI but clearly not everyone has that option.

Aug 22nd, 2009, 00:53	#12
hikkaduwa Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 56	From experience I can tell that it is very difficult to get an employment visa as a spouse in NL. Even if you are qualified and have a good profile for the job. It is some personal problem that the Indian embassy in NL has with the NL embassy in Delhi. It is not that difficult for most other countries.

Sep 9th, 2009, 21:18	#13
Groovemeister Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 47	I circumvented this by not marrying my girlfriend. I can strongly recommend it.