Greater Flexibility Ahead for Foreign Spouses of Indian Nationals Seeking to Convert Visas
July 13, 2018

The situation
The Indian government announced that foreign spouses of Indian nationals married outside of India will soon be able to convert their tourist visas to dependent visas.
Background
Currently, foreign spouses of Indian nationals who are married abroad may face difficulty converting their tourist visas to dependent visas. The visa manual states that a tourist visa can only be converted to a dependent visa when the marriage takes place in India and when the marriage is registered with the validity of the tourist visa used to enter India for marriage.
A closer look
- New rule. The new rule will allow foreign spouses under tourist visas to convert to a dependent visa in India irrespective of the location of the wedding ceremony.
- Exceptions. Nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq, citizens of Pakistani origin and stateless persons will not be eligible for the visa conversion method and will remain subject to the current limiting conditions.
Impact
Foreign spouses of Indian nationals will find it easier to convert to dependent visa status and will not have to leave India to do so.
Looking ahead
It is currently not clear when the new law will go into effect or how it will be implemented. Fragomen will provide updates with additional details as they become available.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen

Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere and Associate Jamela Sharrock examine how employers in Germany can strengthen immigration compliance by embedding it into every stage of the employment lifecycle.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Blocker, Senior Counsel Mitchell Wexler and Associate Alex Kim discuss what prospective EB-5 applicants should know now, including source-of-funds documentation, project selection, concurrent filing, retrogression and upcoming program deadlines.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Jo Antoons and Senior Manager Marina Ocariz discuss the EU’s provisional agreement on revised social security coordination rules and what employers should know about the expected changes to A1 certificate requirements, posted worker rules and short-term cross-border work compliance.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.

Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere and Associate Jamela Sharrock examine how employers in Germany can strengthen immigration compliance by embedding it into every stage of the employment lifecycle.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Blocker, Senior Counsel Mitchell Wexler and Associate Alex Kim discuss what prospective EB-5 applicants should know now, including source-of-funds documentation, project selection, concurrent filing, retrogression and upcoming program deadlines.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Jo Antoons and Senior Manager Marina Ocariz discuss the EU’s provisional agreement on revised social security coordination rules and what employers should know about the expected changes to A1 certificate requirements, posted worker rules and short-term cross-border work compliance.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
