India tightens visa rules for visiting foreigners; 14-day grace period for renewal scrapped
Foreign nationals on short-term Indian visas must now register before expiry, not within fourteen days after, under revised rules. This applies to stays exceeding 180 days and requires emergent circumstances for extension.
Foreign nationals on short-term Indian visas must now register before expiry, not within fourteen days after, under revised rules. This applies to stays exceeding 180 days and requires emergent circumstances for extension.
Foreign nationals on short-term Indian visas must now register before expiry, not within fourteen days after, under revised rules. This applies to stays exceeding 180 days and requires emergent circumstances for extension.
The government has introduced new provisions for foreigners visiting India on a visa for 180 days or less. If they want to stay in India beyond the visa period, they should register before the visa expires, starting now. Earlier, they needed to do it only within 14 days after the visa's expiry. That grace period is now done away with.
The changes are in accordance with the revisions to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025. The notification published in the gazette said, "... the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025, in rule 12, (a) in sub-rule (1), ' (i) in the third proviso, for the words "within fourteen days after the expiry of one hundred and eighty days of his arrival in India", the words "any time before the expiry of the said period of one hundred and eighty days" shall be substituted."
Foreigners on a visa for more than 180 days, with a stipulation that "each stay shall not exceed 180 days", who wish to stay in India beyond that period on any single occasion or in the aggregate in a calendar year shall register "anytime before the expiry of 180 days". The new rule has also made it clear that such registration will be granted "only in emergent circumstances".
This is also a relief to parents of children born in India, while either or both of the parents are foreigners. Earlier, the rule required parents to electronically notify the registration officer within 30 days to avail visa services, including the grant of a new visa and exit permission, on the designated online portal or mobile application. The sub-rule shall not apply in cases where either parent is an Indian citizen, and that parent wishes to retain the child's Indian citizenship.
That said, if the child acquires citizenship of a foreign country while in India at a later stage, either parent shall inform the registration officer within thirty days of the child acquiring such citizenship. The notification also revises provisions regarding reporting requirements and administrative procedures for every hospital, nursing home, or other medical institution that provides medical, lodging, or sleeping facilities on its premises.
(With PTI inputs)