What paperwork do you need after moving to India in 2026?

Q: What paperwork do you need after moving to India in 2026?

After moving to India on a long-stay visa, lock an Indian mobile number first so e-FRRO OTPs work, then finish FRRO registration within 14 days when your category requires it. Next get a PAN for salary TDS, open a resident bank account for UPI and employer credits, and confirm private health insurance that names Apollo- or Fortis-class hospitals. Driving-licence steps and Aadhaar enrolment come later once address proof and residency days are stable.

Indian paperwork is a dependency chain, not a random checklist. An Indian SIM unlocks e-FRRO OTPs. FRRO and PAN unlock bank KYC. Keep one folder with matching passport spellings and the same Bangalore, Mumbai, or Delhi-NCR address on every form.

Which steps come first?

Confirm your visa category matches how you will work or study before you treat tourist stamps as settlement: Apply for a residence permit. Get an Indian mobile number early; e-FRRO registration expects one for OTPs.

If your visa is valid for more than 180 days in categories such as employment or student, register through e-FRRO within 14 days of arrival: FRRO registration. Secure a lease or company housing letter offices will accept as address proof: How to rent a home.

Residency pathway6.5/10

English speaking6.5/10

Infrastructure5.2/10

Which numbers unlock daily life?

Apply for a PAN so payroll TDS and fuller banking products work. Open an Indian bank account with passport, visa, FRRO certificate, and PAN so salary credits and UPI rents switch on in Indiranagar or Bandra.

Choose health insurance that names the private hospitals you will use, then price premiums against healthcare costs. Convert or obtain an Indian driving licence at your state RTO when short-stay IDP rules no longer fit: Convert a driving licence. Enrol for Aadhaar only after you meet the resident-foreigner day count and document list.

English helps at metro counters; Hindi or local scripts still appear on some forms: Hindi bureaucracy without Hindi.

Common misconceptions

Assuming FRRO can wait until a bank appointment fails. Incomplete registration stalls KYC and later extensions.

Assuming Aadhaar is a day-one card for every foreigner also fails. UIDAI residency-day rules decide eligibility.

Summary

Sequence SIM, FRRO, PAN, bank, and insurance first in Bangalore, Mumbai, or Delhi-NCR, then tackle licence and Aadhaar once address proof is stable. Treat the chain as compliance, not optional admin.

Sources

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What paperwork do you need after moving to India in 2026?

Which steps come first?

Which numbers unlock daily life?

Common misconceptions

Summary

Sources

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