How to Fill Out the Occupation Field on the Indian E-Visa Form

The occupation field on the Indian e-Visa application form is one of the most confusing parts of the entire process. The options are vague, the categories don't match modern job titles, and picking the wrong one can delay your application. Here's exactly what to select based on your situation.

Available Occupation Options

The Indian e-Visa form provides these occupation categories in its dropdown:

• Business / Businessman
• Professional
• Worker / Labour
• Government / Public Sector
• Military / Defence
• Media / Journalist
• Student
• Retired
• Homemaker / Housewife
• Unemployed
• Others

What to Select: Common Scenarios

If You're a Regular Employee (Office Worker, Manager, etc.)

Select "Professional". This covers most white-collar jobs including:

• Software engineers, developers, IT professionals
• Accountants, lawyers, doctors, nurses
• Marketing, HR, finance professionals
• Teachers, professors, researchers
• Any salaried position at a company

If You're Self-Employed or a Freelancer

Select "Business / Businessman". This applies to:

• Freelancers and independent contractors
• Small business owners
• Entrepreneurs and startup founders
• Consultants with their own practice
• Online sellers, content creators, digital nomads

If You Work in Trades or Manual Labor

Select "Worker / Labour". This covers:

• Construction workers, plumbers, electricians
• Factory workers, warehouse staff
• Mechanics, technicians
• Agriculture workers

If You Work for the Government

Select "Government / Public Sector". This includes federal, state, and local government employees, postal workers, public school teachers, and civil servants.

If You're a Journalist or Media Professional

Select "Media / Journalist" — but be aware this requires a separate Journalist visa (J-visa) if you're visiting India for work. If you're a journalist traveling purely for tourism, you can select "Professional" instead. Do not select "Media / Journalist" for a tourist e-Visa if you're visiting for vacation.

If You're a Student

Select "Student". The form will ask for your school/university name. This applies to:

• University students (undergraduate, graduate, PhD)
• High school students (with parent applying)
• Gap year students — still select "Student" if you were recently enrolled

If You're Retired

Select "Retired". You'll need to provide your former employer's name and address. Read our retired traveler's guide for more tips.

If You're a Stay-at-Home Parent

Select "Homemaker / Housewife". Despite the dated terminology, this is the correct option for anyone whose primary occupation is managing a household.

If You're Currently Unemployed

Select "Unemployed" — or if you're between jobs and have a recent employer, consider selecting your most recent occupation category. "Unemployed" is not a negative flag and won't cause rejection by itself.

For more details on this tricky situation, see our guide on what occupation to put on your Indian e-Visa application.

The Employer/Organization Details Section

After selecting your occupation, you'll need to provide:

• Employer name: Your company's registered name
• Employer address: Your office address (not your personal address)
• Phone number: Company phone number (landline or main number)
• Designation: Your job title (e.g., "Software Engineer", "Marketing Manager")

For students: provide your university's name and address. For retired: your last employer. For unemployed: you can enter "N/A" or your last employer's information.