Immigration Act 2025: Commissioner of Police tightens foreigner reporting norms

In a fresh directive aimed at strengthening compliance with India’s revamped immigration rules, the Commissioner of Police-cum-Foreigners Registration Officer, Dimapur, Aotula Imchen, has issued a notification reminding hotels, hospitals, educational institutions, and other accommodation providers to report details of foreign nationals staying in their premises.
The notification highlights the enforcement of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, a consolidated legislation enacted by the Government of India that came into effect on September 1, 2025.
This new Act repeals several outdated colonial-era laws, including the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Foreigners Act, 1946; and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.
It is supported by the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025 (notified vide G.S.R. 596(E) dated September 1, 2025), which provide detailed procedures for registration and reporting.
Under Section 8(1) of the Act, keepers of accommodations — such as hotels, boarding houses, hostels, paying guest accommodations, home stays, religious institutions, tents, and similar premises — must furnish prescribed information about foreigners (including Overseas Citizens of India cardholders) to the Registration Officer.
Rule 17 of the Rules mandates that every keeper of accommodation required foreigners to provide and sign necessary particulars upon arrival and departure, including date, time, and onward address.
Those records must be maintained electronically for at least one year and be available for inspection by authorized officers, including police not below the rank of Head Constable.
Further, keepers must transmit a copy of the duly filled Form-III (previously known as Form ‘C’) — detailing the foreigner’s particulars — electronically to the Registration Officer within 24 hours of arrival via the designated online portal (https://indianfrro.gov.in) or the “Indian Visa Su-Swagatam” mobile application.
Similar obligations apply to hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical institutions under Section 10 of the Act and Rule 18 of the Rules.
They have been informed to collect and maintain arrival/departure details from foreigners receiving indoor treatment or their attendants, preserve records electronically for one year, and submit Form-III within 24 hours.
Educational institutions, including universities and schools, admitting foreign students (including OCI cardholders) and providing hostel accommodation are also required under Rule 16 to furnish relevant information electronically in Form-III.
The notification emphasized that Form-III is a critical document for ensuring adherence to Indian immigration laws and bolstering national security.
All concerned parties — hoteliers, hospital administrators, educational institutions, and others — have been urged to ensure accurate and timely submission to avoid penal consequences under the Act and Rules.
The directive underscored the government’s push for stricter monitoring of foreign nationals following the modernization of immigration regulations in 2025.
Commissioner of Police-cum-Foreigners Registration Officer, Dimapur, cautioned that non-compliance would invite strict legal action.