Foreigner registration in India

Last updated

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]

Contents

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]

Registration Officers

Authorities empowered to register foreigners are known as Registration Officers. The Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) at Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Amritsar, Bangalore and Hyderabad, and the District Superintendents of Police in all other districts serve as Registration Officers. [2]

Documents required for registration

Online registration

Online registration is only available in select cities. Applicants can apply for registration and upload relevant documents online. They may also schedule the date of their in-person appointment with a Registration Officer. Pakistani nationals are not eligible to schedule appointments, and must report to a police station within 24 hours of arriving in India. [2]

e-FRRO is the online portal which involves completely online application submission and document upload, for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary / agents etc. The foreigners are required to apply online. It is advised not to believe any middlemen/agent that claim speedy grant of e-FRRO and charge extra money for it.  

Forms obtained at the Foreigners Regional Registration office

Paying the late fee

The late fee is to be paid by physically going to the State Bank of India, with the late fee payment details form. The State Bank of India is a state run bank. To deposit the money you will need,

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travel visa</span> Authority to enter, stay in, or exit a territory

A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a polity to a foreigner that allows them to enter, remain within, or leave its territory. Visas typically include limits on the duration of the foreigner's stay, areas within the country they may enter, the dates they may enter, the number of permitted visits, or if the individual can work in the country in question. Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter a territory and thus are, in most countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. In each instance, a visa is subject to entry permission by an immigration official at the time of actual entry and can be revoked at any time. Visa evidence most commonly takes the form of a sticker endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document but may also exist electronically. Some countries no longer issue physical visa evidence, instead recording details only in immigration databases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Permanent account number</span> Code that acts as an identification for individuals, families and corporates

A permanent account number (PAN) is a ten-character alphanumeric identifier Foundational ID, issued in the form of a laminated "PAN card", by the Indian Income Tax Department, to any person who applies for it or to whom the department allots the number without an application. It can also be obtained in the form of a PDF file known as e-PAN from the website of the Indian Income Tax Department.

The National Registration Identity Card (NRIC), colloquially known as "IC", is a compulsory identity document issued to citizens and permanent residents of Singapore. People must register for an NRIC within one year of attaining the age of 15, or upon becoming a citizen or permanent resident. Re-registrations are required for persons attaining the ages of 30 and 55, unless the person has been issued with an NRIC within ten years prior to the re-registration ages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of the United States</span> Policy on permits required to enter the United States and its unincorporated territories

Visitors to the United States must obtain a visa from one of the U.S. diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt or Visa Waiver Program countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Taiwan</span> Policy on permits required to enter Taiwan (ROC)

Visitors to the Republic of China (Taiwan) must obtain a visa or authorization in advance, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries whose nationals are eligible for visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

An L-2 visa is a visa document used to enter the United States by the dependent spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of qualified L-1 visa holders. It is a non-immigrant visa, and is only valid for the duration of the spouse's L-1 visa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B visa</span> Visitor visa for the United States

A B visa is one of a category of non-immigrant visas issued by the United States government to foreign nationals seeking entry for a temporary period. The two types of B visa are the B-1 visa, issued to those seeking entry for business purposes, and the B-2 visa, issued to those seeking entry for tourism or other non-business purposes. In practice, the two visa categories are usually combined and issued as a "B-1/B-2 visa" valid for a temporary visit for either business or pleasure, or a combination of the two. Nationals of certain countries do not usually need to obtain a visa for these purposes.

The M-1 visa is a type of student visa in the U.S. reserved for international students attending vocational schools and technical schools.

Alien registration was a system used to record information regarding aliens resident in Japan. It was handled at the municipal level, parallel to the koseki and juminhyo systems used to record information regarding Japanese nationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Hong Kong</span> Policy on permits required to enter Hong Kong

The visa policy of Hong Kong deals with the requirements in which a foreign national wishing to enter Hong Kong through one of the 15 immigration control points must meet to obtain an entry permit or Visa, which depending on the traveller's nationality, may be required to travel to, enter, and remain in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Visitors from over 145 countries are permitted without Visa entry for periods ranging from 7 to 180 days, to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for tourism or certain business-related activities. All visitors must hold a passport valid for more than 1 month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhutanese nationality law</span>

Bhutanese nationality law is the law governing the acquisition, transmission and loss of Bhutanese citizenship. The Bhutanese Citizenship Act of 1985 was introduced by the Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck, on June 10, 1985, modifying the definition of a Bhutanese citizen. The Act was implemented as part of a new national policy of Driglam Namzha, national customs and etiquette. Because of its emphasis on Bhutanese culture, the Act is also referred to as the "One Nation, One People Act." The 1985 Act was amended by the Immigration Act of 2007 and then superseded in 2008 by the Constitution of Bhutan insofar as previous laws are inconsistent; where not inconsistent, the provisions of the 2007 Act, the 1985 Act, and previous Acts relating to immigration continue in effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lankan passport</span> Passport of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka issued to Sri Lankan citizens

Sri Lankan passports are issued to citizens of Sri Lanka for the purpose of international travel. The Department of Immigration and Emigration is responsible for issuing Sri Lankan passports.

Visitors to Serbia must obtain a visa from one of the Serbian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Algeria</span> Policy on permits required to enter Algeria

Visitors to Algeria must obtain a visa from one of the Algerian diplomatic missions, unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overseas Citizenship of India</span> Category of Indian nationality law

Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a form of permanent residency available to people of Indian origin and their spouses which allows them to live and work in India indefinitely. It allows the cardholders a lifetime entry to the country along with benefits such as being able to own land and make other investments in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Azerbaijan</span> Policy on permits required to enter Azerbaijan

Visitors to Azerbaijan must obtain a visa from one of the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries, or citizens eligible for an electronic visa on arrival, or citizens eligible for an electronic visa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of India</span> Policy on permits required to enter India

Visitors to India must obtain a visa unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries. Nationals of certain countries may obtain a visa on arrival or an e-Visa online, while others must obtain a visa from an Indian diplomatic mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Pakistan</span> Policy on permits required to enter Pakistan

Visitors to Pakistan typically must obtain a visa online or in certain cases from one of the Pakistani diplomatic missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Lebanon</span> Policy on permit required to enter Lebanon

The visa policy of Lebanon deals with the requirements which a foreign national wishing to enter the Republic of Lebanon must meet to be permitted to travel to, enter and remain in the country.

An I-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States for foreign media representatives and journalists who travel to the United States for the purpose of working exclusively in their profession. All applicants must meet eligibility criteria, which requires them to be residents of foreign countries, working for foreign information outlets headquartered in their respective countries.

References

  1. 1 2 "Registration of Foreign Nationals Visiting India" (PDF). Bureau of Immigration. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "General Instructions for Registration by the Foreigners" (PDF). Bureau of Immigration. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  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.