New Regulations Impact Visitors to India

New Regulations Impact Visitors to India

Posted by Murali Bashyam on Jan 17, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

The Indian government is implementing new visa regulations that will impact foreign nationals who travel to India as tourists.   If a foreign national had been in India for more than 90 days before travel abroad or more than 180 days in the past year, these new regulations would impose a two-month gap between visits.   In addition, passports will be stamped to indicate that the foreign national cannot re-enter India within two months of exit unless special permission is received from the Indian government.   

Although these rules are stringent, foreign nationals can still make frequent trips to India without being subject to the two-month gap in certain situations.  They will have to provide documentary evidence to the immigration officer and prove that there is a real need for their frequent visits to India on the basis of tourism.   

These travelers who visit within two months must also register with the Foreign Registration Office (FRO) within 14 days of arrival, and must declare that they will only use the visitor visa to visit specified destinations.   Travelers who visit India, even for less than 14 days and for business, are sometimes being asked by immigration officers to register with the FRO even when legally unnecessary.  Therefore, travelers should be prepared to register with the FRO  on each visit to India.

We will provide additional information at www.bashyamspiro.com as it becomes available.