Foreigner registration in India

Foreigner registration is a mandatory requirement by the Government of India under which all foreign nationals (excluding overseas citizens of India) visiting India on a long term visa (more than 180 days) are required to register themselves with a Registration Officer within 14 days of arriving in India. Pakistani nationals visiting India are required to register within 24 hours of arrival regardless of the duration of their stay.[1] Foreign children below the age of 16 are exempt from registration requirements.[2]

Foreign nationals must report in-person to the nearest Registration Officer in their jurisdiction. Persons suffering from medical issues may be exempt from appearing in-person for registration.[1] Foreign registration was mandated and is regulated by the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 and the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992.[3] Persons who fail to register within the specified time period are charged a late fee of US$30.[2]

Foreign nationals are issued a residential permit at the time of registration. The permit has a validity matching the period of stay specified in the visa.[2]

In April 2018, the Union Government launched the e-FRRO scheme which allows foreigners to register and avail visa and immigration related services online. Under the new scheme, a foreign citizen is no longer required to appear in-person at an FRRO, unless specifically required to do so. Around 360,000 foreign citizens visited FRRO offices across India in 2017.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b "Registration of Foreign Nationals Visiting India" (PDF). Bureau of Immigration. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference BoI2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ http://boi.gov.in/sites/default/files/Regulations.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "Govt launches e-FRRO scheme to provide hassle-free travel for foreigners". The Times of India. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  5. ^ "e-FRRO to offer paperless, cashless services to foreigners". The Hindu. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.