India's investor residency is for people building a company there
PRS asks for ₹10 crore (about $1.04 million in September 2026) and 20 Indian jobs a year. In return you get 10 years of multiple-entry residence, renewable once.
This isn't a passive golden visa. There's no real estate route, it won't lead to a second passport, and for Americans with Indian roots there's usually an easier door. If you're already planning to hire in India, read on.
PRS for Investors
For foreign investors making significant financial investments in India. Permits spouses and dependents to work and study in India.
- Government cost
- $10,000,000
- Processing time
- ~60 days
- Timeline
- 10 years (renewable for another 10 years)
- Difficulty
- Hard
About that data card
Our listing for this visa says "₹10 crore (approx. $1.5M) in 18 months or ₹25 crore (approx. $3.8M) in 36 months." The rupee amounts are right, but those dollar figures come from 2016 exchange rates. At ₹96.22 per dollar (September 28, 2026), the two thresholds work out to about $1.04 million and $2.6 million. We've hidden the requirements list until it's fixed.
The four numbers PRS runs on
₹10 crore
Invested within 18 months
about $1.04M, Sept 2026
₹25 crore
Or invested within 36 months
about $2.6M, Sept 2026
20
Resident Indians employed
every financial year
10 + 10
Years of residence
renewable once
How it works
The money goes into a business, not a condo
The investment comes in as foreign direct investment, and the Home Ministry's visa guide describes a B-4 investor visa that covers your 18- or 36-month window with no stay limit.
The second 10 years isn't automatic. Renewal depends on no adverse finding against you, so the hiring has to keep happening.
What PRS gives you and your family
Come and go freely
It works as a multiple-entry visa with no rule on how long each stay lasts.
No FRRO registration
PRS holders are exempt from the foreigner registration other long-stay visas require.
One home of your own
You can buy one residential property to live in.
Family can work and study
Your spouse and dependents can take private-sector jobs and study in India.
Other doors
When a different route makes more sense
PRS fits someone who's already planning to build and staff a company in India. Most Americans are better served elsewhere.
Indian parents, grandparents or great-grandparents? The OCI card gives a lifelong, multiple-entry visa for any purpose, and foreign spouses qualify after two years of registered marriage.
Investing without moving full time? Americans can get Indian business visas valid for up to 10 years, with each stay capped at 180 days.
Hoping for a second passport? PRS won't get you there. Naturalizing takes 11 of the previous 14 years plus the 12 months before you apply, and India generally doesn't allow adult dual citizenship.
What we couldn't pin down
The scheme dates from August 2016, and no government page we found publishes a PRS fee or processing time. India also replaced its foreigners laws on September 1, 2025; the new Act keeps earlier orders in force where they don't conflict with it. Before you move money, have an Indian immigration lawyer confirm the current process in writing.
Help with the money, taxes and health side
Beacon Global Advisors
Financial Planning
A U.S.-based financial planning firm. Useful for working out how a seven-figure investment abroad fits the rest of your plan.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
A tax service that prepares U.S. returns for Americans living abroad.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
A currency exchange and international payments company for moving dollars into other currencies.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you build a care plan for the country you're moving to.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
An international health insurance provider that matches plans to your age, health and where you'll live.
Questions Americans ask about India's PRS
Do I have to live in India a minimum number of days to keep PRS?
No. PRS works as a multiple-entry visa with no rule on how long you stay or how often you visit. It's granted for 10 years and can be renewed for another 10 if no adverse finding is made against you, which in practice means keeping the investment and the 20 jobs in place.
Can a foreigner buy a home in India without PRS?
A foreign national of non-Indian origin who lives outside India can't buy property there, though they can lease a home for up to five years. Someone who has lived in India more than 182 days in the preceding financial year and intends to stay can buy, subject to other approvals. OCI holders can buy homes but not farmland.
Will I owe Indian income tax as a PRS holder?
It depends on your days in India, not your visa. You're tax resident if you spend 182 days in India in a financial year, or 60 days plus 365 days over the previous four years. Ordinary residents are taxed on worldwide income; newcomers often qualify as resident but not ordinarily resident at first. The U.S. keeps taxing you too, and the foreign earned income exclusion covers wages, not dividends or capital gains.
Can Americans run a business in India without PRS?
Yes. U.S. citizens can get Indian business visas valid for up to 10 years with multiple entries, covering activities like meetings, hiring, serving as a company director and overseeing projects. Each stay is capped at 180 days, and you must register with the FRRO if you spend more than 180 days in India in a calendar year.
I have Indian parents. Do I need PRS to live in India?
Probably not. Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Indian citizens can usually get an OCI card, a lifelong multiple-entry visa for any purpose with no FRRO registration. OCI holders can also buy non-agricultural property. Foreign spouses of Indian citizens or OCI holders qualify after two years of registered marriage.
Does India's PRS lead to Indian citizenship?
Not in a way most Americans would want. Naturalization requires living in India for the 12 months before you apply plus at least 11 of the previous 14 years, and India generally doesn't allow adults to hold dual citizenship. Becoming Indian would mean giving up U.S. citizenship.
Can I qualify for India's PRS by buying real estate?
No. India's Permanent Residency Status for investors requires ₹10 crore brought in within 18 months or ₹25 crore within 36 months as foreign direct investment, and that investment has to employ at least 20 resident Indians every financial year. Once you hold PRS, you may buy one residential property to live in.
Can my spouse and children work or study in India on PRS?
Yes. The spouse and dependents of a PRS holder may take jobs in India's private sector and may study in India.
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