It is vital for foreigners (including foreigners of Indian origin) visiting India on long term (more than 180 days) on student visa, medical visa, research visa and employment visa or having special endorsement on their visa seeking registration to get themselves registered with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) or Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) having jurisdiction over the place where they intends to stay, within 14 days of his/her arrival in India.
Note: In case a visa is issued for 180 days or longer, but the stay is less than 180 days, it is not essential to registration with FRRO.
Those Foreigners who visit India for other long term visa categories, which also includes Journalist or Business Visas, are not required for to get themselves registered if the duration does not exceed 180 days on a single visit. Nonetheless, if a foreigner has an intend to stay beyond this period, it is incumbent for them to register the expiry of 180 days.
Foreigners belonging to the following categories are exempted from mandatory FRRO registration:
- US nationals with Ten-year Tourist Visa/Business Visas: US nationals holding ten-year Tourist/Business Visa are exempted, provided their continuous stay during each visit does not exceed six months.
- Person holding Overseas Citizens of India Card: Individuals those hold an OCI card are exempted from the compulsory registration process, streaming the experience for those who have this special status.
- Foreigners of Indian Origin with Five-year Multiple Entry X Visas: Foreigners of Indian Origin holding five-year multiple entry X visa with an endorsement specifying that the stay should not exceed six months during each visit, are exempt from mandatory registration.
- Foreigners below the age of 12: Children below the age of 12 are exempt from mandatory registration, acknowledging the special circumstances surrounding minors.
FRRO Registration Process
- Online Submission: e-FRRO is launched by the Bureau of Immigration, India which is an online FRRO service delivery mechanism for registrations. With the coming up of this online mechanism, the FFRO registration process has become hassle-free and have assisted the foreign clients enormously.
- Benefits after Registration: After registering, the foreigner can avail of various FRRO services in India viz. Visa Extension, Registration, Exit Permit, Visa Conversion, etc. The form can be filled up by the foreigners online and they can also upload necessary documents as per their visa category.
Some of the vital documents required at the time of FRRO Registration are:
- Lease Agreement, along with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and a utility bill if the applicant is residing on lease/rent.
- Passport copy and initial visa endorsed with immigration stamp on it.
- Passport size coloured photograph of the applicant.
There might be a requirement of additional documentation depending on the specific circumstances of each case.
Key points to be kept in mind at the time of FRRO Registration are as follows:
- Process after Submission of Application: Once an application is submitted, the application will be reviewed by the Visa officers. After this, the foreigners through SMS alerts or emails receive information such as fee payment, re-uploading of documents, correction of selected service etc. Therefore, they are required to keep a check on their emails for further application related alerts and clarifications required by the Visa officers.
- Physical Presence: The foreigners must be present in India for a grant of service or else the application would be rejected.
Once everything in is order as per the department, they will send the Registration Permit/Registration Certificate (RP/RC) to the mentioned address by post or on their registered email ID. In case of any further clarification, the foreigners must answer them unequivocally to the department. Apart from this, the foreigners must also pay attention to the exit formalities at the time of final exit from India.
Outcomes of Non- Registration with FRRO
Overstay Fine: The fine of overstay is imposed between the range from INR 10,000 to INR 50,000 depending on the time period of their overstay.
Non-Registration fine: The fine in case of non could range from INR 500 to INR 20,000 depending on their non-registration period.
Detention and Deportation: The FRRO can detain and deport foreigners who violate registration requirements.
Legal Proceedings: In extreme cases, non-registration may lead to lawsuit.
Blacklisting: Foreigners who violate registration rules may also be blacklisted, which may stop them from entering in India in future.
Other Drawbacks
- Unable to access government services in future.
- Difficulty in renting space, opening bank accounts and attaining driving licenses.
- Difficulty in applying for long term residency or renewing the visa.
- Damage on their reputation and also could impact immigration applications in future.
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