The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry (DPIIT), on November 29, 2025, launched a digital sponsorship letter generation module under the e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4 Visa) on the National Single Window System (NSWS). This reform, announced through a PIB release dated December 17, 2025, is aimed at simplifying and digitising the process for Indian companies and LLPs to invite foreign professionals for production-related activities, thereby strengthening ease of doing business in India.
The initiative is part of a broader visa rationalisation undertaken pursuant to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Circular issued in August 2025, which shifted certain activities—such as installation and commissioning of equipment and related technical engagements—from the Employment Visa to the Business Visa regime. A new sub-category titled “Production Investment Visa (B-4 Visa)” was created under the Business Visa framework, covering activities including production, quality checks, IT/ERP ramp-up, training, supply-chain development, plant design, and visits by senior management and executives. Consequential amendments were also made to the Visa Manual, 2019, and the earlier e-PLI Business Visa was discontinued.
Under the new digital framework, the B-4 Visa is issued as an e-Visa, and Indian entities can now instantly generate sponsorship letters online through NSWS without requiring line ministry recommendations. The system enables auto-population and authentication of data through databases such as MCA and GSTN, and the generated sponsorship letter carries a unique ID to be quoted by the foreign professional while applying on the e-Visa portal, which is API-integrated with NSWS. This end-to-end digital process significantly reduces procedural delays and compliance burden.
