ITR for Visa from India — Which Years, Why It Matters

Income Tax Returns (ITR) are the single most authoritative proof of your income for a visa application from India. They're harder to fake than salary slips and tell consulates a 3-year story about your financial stability. This guide covers how many years to submit, which forms count, and how self-employed applicants handle ITR differently from salaried ones.

How many years of ITR do I need?

What documents to submit

• ITR-V (the acknowledgement page) for each year
• Computation of income if prepared by a CA
• Form 16 from your employer (for salaried applicants) — this is separate from ITR and also required
• Form 26AS — optional but useful, shows TDS deductions across all sources
• AIS (Annual Information Statement) — newer document from the IT department, becoming more common in visa files

Salaried vs self-employed

Salaried applicants

Submit ITR-V + Form 16 for the last 2-3 years. Salary slips cover the last 3 months. The pattern consulates want to see: your reported salary on Form 16 matches your bank credits, your ITR declares this same income, and your employer is a verifiable organisation.

Self-employed and business owners

Submit ITR-V + computation of income + business registration documents (GST certificate, Udyam registration, company incorporation). Consulates also often ask for last 6 months current-account bank statements. Your story should show consistent business income, not a single big deposit.

What if I don't have ITR?

• Just started a new job — Submit salary slips, employment letter, and any partial-year ITR if filed. Explain in the cover letter.
• Income below taxable limit — Submit a "Nil Return" (ITR filed even though no tax was owed) or a written explanation plus bank statements.
• Housewife / retired — ITR not applicable. Submit the sponsor's ITR plus proof of relationship.
• Student — Submit parent/guardian's ITR plus a sponsorship letter.

Why consulates care about ITR

Anyone can fake a salary slip in Microsoft Word. ITR filings are in the government's database — cross-verifiable via PAN. A 3-year ITR history with consistent, growing income is the single strongest signal that you have a real job and will return to it after the trip.

Frequently asked questions