Hey Starbug,
I spent a year in India, and from what I saw the working is easier that getting than visa.
I am passing on a colleagues experience here, very much second hand. Two years ago now, I was working in Delhi, my employer was excellent did all the visa stuff for us, before wen went to India. One of my colleagues who was hired at the same time brought along a partner. My colleague British, his girlfriend Spanish. I can’t overstate the helpfulness of our employer- they did everything they could up to and over personal contacts and letters to the relevant people.
And yet...We both got hired in the summer, and partly cos of visa stuff, and mostly cos they wanted to, the colleague and his girlfriend got hitched round about Christmas.
The idea was that them being hitched, with our employers help and so on, the visas would be no problem. But things didn’t come through in time, the wedding wasn’t registered properly... so poor wife had to spend a week in Katthmandu just to leave India.
That was to deal with the six month tourist visa thing. Since then, they are still having problems getting their marriage recognised, they have been married a year and half now, but she has since found work. When she got hired she was on a tourist visa. I don’t know exactly what happened in the end either, they, her employers, sorted a visa for her, or they are looking the other way.
But it was a hell of a song and dance for them. And given the amount of help they had (we were semi-diplomatic staff) I don’t envy you. But having said that, they are still there.
Not sure how helpful that is but if you are heading to Delhi, PM me, I can recommend some ex-pat type stuff there,
Best of luck,
Sarah