Visa for performing arts group travelling to India to perform?
Couple of quick questions.
- What is the best visa for a performing arts group travelling to India to perform (as a group)?
- Does the Indian consulate (or their outsourced agency) allow for submission of a group application for all the performers?
UPDATE: All of us are US nationals.
UPDATE 2: I didn't get to answer the payment question in time. We aren't going to get paid (if they pay us, it'll be a nice bonus!) but we do expect to be reimbursed for most or all of our travel costs.
Best Answer
From Indian Embassy in Rome:
Those going to India for Charitable performances e.g an artist going for painting exhibition, musician for musical shows etc on charitable basis have to apply for Entry Visa.
Those going to India for short term paid performances e.g an artist going for painting exhibition, musician for musical shows etc have to apply for Business Visa.
Quite surely, the answer should be applicable for US as well. As the page doesn't mentions anything like applicable only for Italy and ultimately visa for all the nations is issued by Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India.
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How do artists get visas?
To obtain a US P1 artist visa or P1 entertainer visa, the US employer of the entertainment group or its US agent must file a P1 petition with the USCIS, along with a consultation from an appropriate labor organization regarding the nature of the performance, or a statement proving that the group has been established ...What visas are allowed to enter India?
The Government of India has decided to permit all OCI/PIO card holders regardless of which country passport they hold. (i) The Government of India has restored all existing visas, which had been suspended earlier, including electronic visa except e-Tourist Visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa.Can I enter India with a business visa?
Visitors applying for a Business eVisa can enter India for a maximum of 180 days in Total. All visits are valid for business or tourism purposes only, so you can NOT look for paid work or employment.Is eVisa available for India now?
India has reopened to holders of valid visas and eVisas who meet the COVID-19 entry requirements. Regular scheduled international flights have resumed after the suspension ended on March 27, 2022. Foreign tourists who meet all the current requirements can now travel to India with a valid eVisa.U.S. Visas for Artists and Entertainers
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Answer 2
These are the different visa types available:
- Business Visa
- Conference Visa
- Diplomatic Visa
- Employment Visa
- Emergency Visa
- Entry Visa
- Journalist Visa
- Medical Visa
- Missionaries Visa
- Permit to re-enter within 2 months
- Research Visa
- Student Visa
- Tourist Visa
- Transit Visa
- Foreigner of Indian Origin
For your purposes; you need a business visa; for which you will need a letter from your corresponding party (event management company, for example) in order to apply.
There are no group visas.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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