Kolkata

India: Residence reporting form likely to become mandatory

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.

India: Japanese nationals to be eligible for visa-on-arrival

Effective March 1, 2016, Japanese tourists, business visitors, conference attendees and medical visitors who are unable to apply for a regular visa or electronic visa will be eligible for a non-extendable 30-day single-entry visa-on-arrival. The visa-on-arrival allows two visits per calendar year. 

The visa-on-arrival can be used in addition to the e-Tourist Visa (e-TV), which also allows two visits per calendar year in its own capacity.