The Central Government has introduced significant updates to India visa rules and registration regulations for foreign nationals intending to stay long-term. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs notified the changes on Monday by amending Rule 12 of the `Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025.` According to official statements, these modifications aim to digitize and maintain more effective records of overseas visitors residing within Indian territories. The revised framework will allow state authorities to monitor visa compliance and manage immigration tracking with higher oversight.The fresh directives came into force immediately upon their publication in the official gazette.
Under the amended guidelines, foreigners arriving in India on visas valid for 180 days or less must complete their registration process any time before the expiry of the permitted 180-day limit. This new mandate officially replaces the older provision that allowed qualified foreign visitors a 14-day grace window after their six-month stay had elapsed. Furthermore, travelers holding long-term visas that cap continuous stays at 180 days per single visit must also register before crossing the threshold if they plan to extend their stay. The Home Ministry clarified that permissions for extensions or overstays will henceforth be granted only under extraordinary or emergent circumstances, heavily restricting prolonged stays.
Simultaneously, the revised policy offers administrative relief for children born in India to parents of mixed nationalities. Previously, if one or both parents were foreign nationals, they had to electronically report the birth within 30 days to the registration officer via an online portal. The amended rule stipulates that this mandatory reporting is no longer required if either parent is an Indian citizen and wishes to retain the child`s Indian citizenship. However, if the child later acquires foreign citizenship while in the country, the parents must notify authorities within 30 days of acquisition. Additionally, the government updated administrative reporting protocols for hospitals and residential medical facilities hosting foreign patients overnight, tightening data submission timelines to 24 hours.
