India does not have a digital nomad visa, so most remote workers enter on the e-Tourist Visa. Below are the visa rules, monthly costs in Bengaluru and Goa, internet speeds, timezone fit, safety, and the best months to go. The visa details were checked on October 18, 2026 against the official e-Visa portal.
Visa Rules for Remote Workers in India
India has no remote work visa, and the official e-Visa portal lists no category for one. Most nomads use the e-Tourist Visa, which comes in three versions.
- Validity: 30 days, 1 year, or 5 years, all with multiple entries. The 30-day version cannot be extended or converted to another visa.
- Stay limit: The 1-year and 5-year versions allow up to 180 days in India per calendar year, according to the portal. Some third-party sites mention shorter per-visit limits for certain passports, so the conditions on the approved ETA settle the question.
- Fees: For most passports the 30-day visa costs $25 from July to March and $10 from April to June. The 1-year visa costs $40. The 5-year visa costs $200 for most passports, $160 for US passports, and $484 for UK passports. A 3% bank charge applies, and fees are not refunded. The official fee list dated September 8, 2026 is the source for these figures.
- Who can apply: Passport holders from the 175 countries and regions on the e-Visa list. Nigeria is not on that list, so Nigerian passport holders need a regular visa from an Indian mission.
- Timing and documents: Applications open up to 120 days before arrival and must be filed at least 4 days ahead. The passport needs six months of validity and two blank pages, and the portal asks for an onward ticket and enough funds. Foreigners also complete an online e-Arrival card within 72 hours before landing.
- Entry points: e-Visa holders must land at a designated airport, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa (Dabolim and Mopa).
The e-Tourist Visa covers sightseeing, visits to friends, short yoga programs, and short courses. Remote work for a foreign employer is not mentioned. The portal also says e-Visas are not allowed for employment, so work for an Indian company is off the table.
Sources disagree on the rest. One law firm’s remote work guide says business activity is prohibited on a tourist visa. The same guide says a business visa allows remote work for a foreign company. The 1-year e-Business Visa allows stays of up to 180 days per visit. Several nomad sites call remote work on a tourist visa a grey area. India publishes no rule written for this, so confirming with an Indian mission before arrival is a sensible step.
Countries such as Thailand issue a Destination Thailand Visa written for remote workers, and India has no equivalent. For a wider look at when a tourist stay is enough, see digital nomad visa vs tourist visa.
Tax residency in India is counted by days in the April-to-March tax year. According to PwC’s tax summary, a person becomes resident after 182 days, or after 60 days plus 365 days across the previous four years. Repeat long stays can add up, so a tax adviser can help with the count.
Cost of Living in India’s Main Nomad Cities
Rent is the largest difference between cities. The figures below come from Numbeo-based estimates and nomad cost guides published in 2026.
- Bengaluru: According to Wise, a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages about ₹30,900 ($325), and one outside the centre averages about ₹17,650 ($186). Other living costs for one person are about $346 a month. Nomada’s mid-tier estimate, with a $700 central rent, 12 meals out, and a $150 hot desk, comes to about $1,410.
- Goa: Freaking Nomads lists about $496 a month using Numbeo data. A 2026 Goa workation guide shows monthly stay costs of ₹22,000 to ₹45,000 in Vagator and Anjuna and ₹35,000 to ₹70,000 in Assagao and Siolim. A coworking seat costs about $50 to $100 a month, and Nomada puts a mid-tier month at about $1,270. Prices change with the season more than with anything else.
- Delhi: ExpatLife puts a single expat’s monthly budget at ₹30,000 to ₹70,000 ($360 to $840).
- Mumbai: Numbeo-based comparisons from March 2026 rank Mumbai highest among major Indian cities for both rent and living costs.
A lean month in Goa or Bengaluru can come in near $500 to $700. A comfortable month with a good neighbourhood and a coworking seat is closer to $1,200 to $1,400. The estimates differ because Numbeo averages cover whole cities, while nomad guides price the neighbourhoods nomads actually pick. Both ranges sit under the budget ceiling used in cheapest digital nomad cities under $1,500 a month.
Internet Speed and Mobile Data in India
Fixed broadband in the big cities is fast, and 5G covers most cities. Power cuts are the main risk.
- Bengaluru: Ookla data for the second half of 2024 showed Bengaluru with the fastest median fixed download speed among India’s most populous cities, at 90.2 Mbps. SpeedGeo lists average broadband at 102.8 Mbps down and 88.2 Mbps up for April 2025 to March 2026.
- Goa: Freaking Nomads, citing Ookla, lists 107 Mbps down and 92 Mbps up, and it marks the power grid as unreliable. Goa coworking spaces advertise power backup for that reason.
- Local SIM cards: Foreigners need KYC to buy one, with a passport, visa, photos, and a local address. Airtel counters at major airports sell tourist SIMs, and a 28-day pack typically costs ₹1,000 to ₹2,500.
- eSIMs: Local eSIMs need the same KYC. A travel eSIM bought before landing avoids the paperwork.
A mobile hotspot makes a useful backup during outages. eSIM vs local SIM vs portable wifi hotspot covers the trade-offs. Testing the speed on arrival also helps, and how to find reliable wifi speed before booking a stay lists the tools.
Timezone Fit
India Standard Time is UTC+5:30 and does not change for daylight saving. The offsets below shift by one hour when the other region changes its clocks.
- US Eastern: 9.5 hours ahead in daylight time and 10.5 hours ahead in winter.
- US Pacific: 12.5 hours ahead in daylight time and 13.5 hours ahead in winter.
- UK: 4.5 hours ahead in summer and 5.5 hours ahead in winter.
- Central Europe: 3.5 hours ahead in summer and 4.5 hours ahead in winter.
In winter, a 9am to 5pm UK day runs from 2:30pm to 10:30pm in India. A Central European day runs from 1:30pm to 9:30pm. A US East Coast morning, 9am to 1pm, falls between 7:30pm and 11:30pm. The US West Coast only overlaps late at night.
India suits clients in Europe, the UK, the Middle East, and Asia. US East Coast clients are workable with evening calls. How to manage client meetings across multiple time zones has scheduling tips for the harder overlaps.
Coworking and Community
Bengaluru and Goa have the most developed options.
- Bengaluru: Freaking Nomads lists 55 coworking spaces, including BHIVE in HSR Layout, Indiranagar, and Koramangala, plus CoWrks in Koramangala and several WeWork locations. Nomada names Indiranagar, Koramangala, and HSR Layout as the usual nomad neighbourhoods.
- Goa: NomadGao in Anjuna sells both coworking and coliving, and TimeBox Goa operates in Panaji. North Goa holds most of the nomad scene, with Anjuna, Assagao, and Vagator as the main bases. Palolem in South Goa is quieter.
Bengaluru is the startup capital of India and suits a work-first stay. Goa suits people who want community, cafes, and a beach nearby, and a backup connection matters more there.
Safety in India for Remote Workers
The US State Department rates India Level 2, which means exercise increased caution, because of crime and terrorism.
- Crime: OSAC’s February 2026 report says the advisory carries a crime indicator. Violent crime may be widespread, and local police may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes. The report assesses Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai as medium-threat locations for crime. The emergency number is 112.
- Restricted areas: The advisory says to avoid Jammu and Kashmir, apart from Leh and eastern Ladakh, and the India-Pakistan border area. The e-Visa is not valid for protected, restricted, and cantonment areas without prior permission.
- Air quality: Delhi government data cited by Reuters shows an average AQI of 312 to 342 from November 1 to February 15 over the last three winters. Peaks reached between 461 and 494, and a reading of 0 to 50 counts as good.
- Health entry rule: Travellers arriving within six days of leaving a yellow fever endemic country must carry the original vaccination certificate.
Insurance that covers stays of several months is worth checking. Best travel insurance for digital nomads with remote work coverage explains what to look for.
Best Time to Go
- Goa: In Nomada’s climate table, January is dry at about 26°C and April is hotter at 30°C. July brings about 30 mm of rain a day, and the monsoon runs from June to September.
- Bengaluru: The city sits at about 920 metres, and Nomada’s table shows monthly temperatures between 21°C and 27°C across the year.
- Delhi: November to February brings the worst air, so other months suit a stay better.
- Visa fee: The 30-day e-Tourist Visa costs $10 from April to June and $25 for the rest of the year.
Who India Suits and Who Should Skip It
India suits remote workers with clients in Europe, the UK, the Middle East, or Asia. The country also suits people who want a monthly budget near $500 to $1,400 and stays of one to five months.
- Good fit: Work-first travellers who want a startup city can choose Bengaluru, and travellers who want community and a slower pace can choose Goa.
- Consider elsewhere: People who need a visa written for remote work, people on US West Coast hours, and people who need guaranteed power may prefer another base. Readers who want a smaller South Asia base can compare Sri Lanka’s nomad bases.
- Delhi in winter: Anyone sensitive to air pollution may want to avoid the capital from November to February.
Plan Your Trip to India
India works well for remote workers who want low monthly costs, strong mobile data, and clients in Europe, the UK, or Asia. Bengaluru suits a work-first stay, and Goa suits a longer stay built around community. Once the e-Visa conditions and a base are settled, search flights to Bengaluru, Goa, or Delhi on FlyBibe and start planning the first month.