Mayer Brown (LexBlog India)

On September 21, 2023, the Indian government suspended the processing of visa applications in Canada. The Indian embassy in Ottawa and consulates in Toronto and Vancouver outsource visa operations to BLS International, a third-party provider of consular support services for diplomatic missions around the globe. According to a message posted on the BLS website, the...

India—the fifth largest economy in the world—just passed a comprehensive privacy law. On August 11, 2023, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (the “DPDP”) was approved by the president of India, adding India to the list of global powers with a comprehensive privacy law. The law is expected to come into force in June 2024. Guest...

Updated December 22, 2022: Effective December 20, 2022, the Indian government has resumed issuing e-Visas to Canadian nationals. Canadian nationals who wish to travel to India for tourism, business, medical, or conference reasons may once again apply for e-Visas online. The move follows the Indian government’s resumption of e-Visa services for UK nationals earlier this...

By the end of August, there were reports indicating that some Indian consulates and the local registration authorities in India started requiring foreign nationals seeking or holding Employment (E) visas to provide proof that their salaries were being paid or were paid in India. Most recently, it seems like the Indian government reversed this requirement....

On March 15, 2022, the Indian government announced a significant relaxation in COVID-19 travel restrictions. Under the terms of the announcement, tourists will be able to enter the country on either paper or e-Tourist visas for the first time since March 2020. All international flights to and from India will also resume as of March...

On January 21, 2022, the Indian government announced an extension of the filing deadline for reissuance of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards. Applicants may now file for reissuance of OCI cards through December 31, 2022. The government’s move to extend the deadline is a response to the ongoing disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic....

On May 10, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued a circular implementing new sustainability-related reporting requirements for the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalization. New disclosure will be made in the format of the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), which is a notable departure from SEBI’s existing Business Responsibility...

India has reported the highest number of COVID-positive cases in any single day, in any country, since the pandemic.  New strain variants first identified in India have also appeared in other countries.  In reaction, multiple countries across the globe have announced restrictions on travel from India, and more are likely to follow in quick succession,...

India has reported the highest number of COVID-positive cases in any single day, in any country, since the pandemic.  New strain variants first identified in India have also appeared in other countries.  In reaction, multiple countries across the globe have announced restrictions on travel from India, and more are likely to follow in quick succession,...

The Government of India has implemented a recent change concerning the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) scheme. A summary of the changes is provided below. OCI cardholders: Do not need a visa to visit, live or work in India.  However, they must now obtain a special permit to undertake: research related activities; missionary, journalistic, Tabligh...

The deadline for Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders to apply for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards at Indian Consulates around the world is now December 31, 2021, extending the previous deadline of September 30, 2020. Applications are typically processed within four to five business days. However, PIO cardholders are urged to register for...

The Government of India has not yet eased its ban on international flights or consular processing services.  The latest announcement from the Government confirms: All scheduled international commercial passenger services will remain closed until July 15, 2020, with exceptions for select routes for which international flights may be permitted made on a case-by-case basis. All...