Settling-in services in India: visa, home, school and everyday setup

Settling-in services, also called destination services, help a person or family set up life in a new city after they arrive. They usually cover immigration registration, home search, school search, orientation, and setting up a bank account, mobile connection and utilities, plus departure support when the assignment ends. Pikkol offers them in India alongside its moving, storage, pet and vehicle services.

Moving services handle your belongings: packing, shipping, customs and delivery. Settling-in services handle your life at the destination: registration, a home, a school, a bank account, a phone and local orientation. Pikkol can run both under one coordinator, so delivery is timed to your lease and school start.

Foreign employees and their families relocating to India, returning NRIs and OCI families moving home, employees transferring between Indian cities, and HR or global mobility teams that need one partner for the move and the arrival.

Pikkol's settling-in services are offered in [confirm cities, e.g. Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai]. Moving and delivery cover 15,000+ PIN codes across India.

Foreign nationals on long-term visas such as employment, student, research or medical visas generally must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office within 14 days of arrival, as endorsed on the visa. Registration and extensions are done online through the e-FRRO portal. OCI cardholders are exempt from registration. Rules changed under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, so check your visa endorsement.

It is India's consolidated immigration law, in force from 1 September 2025. It replaced the Foreigners Act, 1946, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000, and introduced stricter registration and reporting duties, including for employers, universities, hospitals and accommodation providers.

Yes. Anyone who provides accommodation to a foreign national, including an OCI cardholder, must submit an online report to the immigration authorities. The Bureau of Immigration now calls it Form III (earlier Form C). Pikkol reminds your landlord and helps make sure it is filed.

Pikkol helps you prepare and check visa documents and coordinates the process with your employer. Visa decisions are made by the Indian mission and immigration authorities, and complex cases are handled with a licensed immigration lawyer [confirm Pikkol's partner arrangement].

Most families sign a lease within 2 to 4 weeks of a focused search: a needs brief before arrival, one or two days of accompanied viewings, then negotiation, agreement and move-in. Staying in a serviced apartment for the first few weeks gives you time to choose well.

Deposits vary by city and landlord. Bengaluru has traditionally asked for higher deposits than most metros, while other cities often ask for two to three months' rent. Deposits are negotiable, especially for corporate leases, and Pikkol reviews the amount, refund terms and deductions before you sign.

Many residential leases are written for 11 months on stamp paper; longer leases generally need registration with the sub-registrar. Rules and stamp duty differ by state. Pikkol arranges the agreement in the right format for your city and lease length.

Start with curriculum continuity: IB, Cambridge, American or British curricula, or Indian boards such as CBSE and ICSE. Then check the admission calendar, seat availability for your child's grade, assessment requirements, distance and school transport. Pikkol shortlists schools, books visits and tracks applications.

Indian boards such as CBSE and ICSE generally start the academic year around April, and many international schools start around August. Popular schools fill early, so start 3 to 6 months ahead. Mid-year admission is possible at some schools, subject to seats.

Yes. Foreign citizens, including OCI cardholders, can apply for a PAN using the application for foreign citizens, with their passport and proof of address such as an OCI card or FRRO registration. A PAN is usually needed for salary, bank accounts, investments and property. Pikkol helps you prepare and submit the application.

Yes. A foreign national employed in India can open a resident rupee account with a passport carrying the right visa, proof of address, photographs and proof of employment, subject to the bank's KYC. When the assignment ends, the account can be converted to an NRO account.

When you return to India to live, your residential status changes and your NRE and NRO accounts generally need to be redesignated as resident accounts. You may be able to hold foreign currency in a Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) account. Talk to your bank and tax adviser; Pikkol helps with the paperwork and appointments.

Mobile operators issue SIMs to foreign nationals against a passport, a valid visa, a photograph and a local address, and some ask for a local reference. eSIMs are widely available. Pikkol arranges the connection during your orientation.

Foreign visitors can usually drive with a valid International Driving Permit along with their national licence for a limited period. For longer stays, you will need an Indian driving licence. Most families on assignment use a car with a driver, and Pikkol can help you set that up.

A typical orientation covers neighbourhoods, commute routes, supermarkets and markets, hospitals and pharmacies, schools, banks, transport apps, safety, domestic help norms and local etiquette, plus time for your questions. It usually runs as a half-day or full-day guided programme.

Yes. Pikkol can explain local norms for domestic help, drivers and cooks, typical working hours and pay, and how to check references and complete police verification. [Confirm whether Pikkol sources staff or only advises.]

Departure services help you leave a city cleanly: giving notice and closing the lease, the move-out inspection and deposit recovery, closing utilities and subscriptions, completing any immigration exit formalities, and arranging the move out with packing, storage, pets and vehicles.

HR and global mobility teams choose a service level per employee grade, and Pikkol delivers it with one coordinator, standard checklists, 30/60/90-day check-ins and consolidated reporting and billing. Moving, storage, pet and vehicle services can be added under the same programme.

Cost depends on the services and days you need. Pikkol offers modular services and packages from essentials to full family support. [Add indicative prices or 'from' rates per package.] Ask for a written scope with every inclusion listed.

Yes. For outbound moves, Pikkol coordinates delivery and unpacking through its international network and shares a destination settling-in guide and checklist. [Confirm which destination services partners provide abroad.]