All hotels and landlords across India may soon be required to report the occupancy of foreign guests and tenants to local police stations, Foreigners’ Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) and Foreigners’ Registration Offices (FRO) through a form called ‘Form C’, similar to the practice already in effect in some Indian cities.
This will allow the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to maintain updated records of foreign nationals and to curb potential overstays.
Implementation of ‘Form C’ Requirement
The MHA has proposed to make the ‘Form C’ a mandatory part of any immigration application, and if adopted, FRROs and FROs across India are expected to implement this proposal in phases. This requirement is already in effect in the following areas of India:
- Ahmedabad;
- Chandigarh;
- Chennai;
- Delhi;
- Goa;
- Gurgaon;
- Hyderabad;
- Kochi;
- Kolkata;
- Mumbai;
- Noida; and
- Pune.
Application Procedure
The Bureau of Immigration (BoI), as part of the MHA’s office, has launched an online portal for hotels and landlords to register and complete the ‘Form C’ with the foreign national’s details within 24 hours of their arrival.
What This Means for Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals are advised to finalize their accommodations prior to arrival because the ‘Form C’ must be generated online within 24 hours of arrival, and in-country registration formalities must be completed within 14 calendar days of arrival.