The Centre has overhauled registration rules for foreign nationals in India, mandating that those intending to extend their stay beyond 180 days must now register before the 180-day period expires — a significant reversal of the earlier post-threshold framework. The changes were introduced through amendments to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025, and came into effect on 2 June 2025.

What Has Changed

Previously, foreigners on visas valid for 180 days or less who wished to overstay were required to register within 14 days after completing 180 days from their date of arrival. Under the revised provisions, registration must now be completed at any point before the 180-day limit lapses — shifting the compliance window from reactive to pre-emptive.

The same pre-emptive requirement now applies to foreigners holding visas valid for more than 180 days but carrying a condition that each individual stay must not exceed that period. These visa holders must also register before crossing the threshold. According to the government, registration beyond the permitted period will henceforth be permitted only under emergent circumstances.

Rules for Children of Foreign Nationals

The amended rules also revise obligations relating to children born in India where one or both parents are foreign nationals. Earlier, parents were required to electronically notify registration authorities within 30 days of the child's birth to access visa-related services, including obtaining a visa or exit permission.

Under the revised framework, this notification requirement will not apply where either parent is an Indian citizen and wishes to retain Indian citizenship for the child. However, if a child subsequently acquires citizenship of another country while residing in India, either parent must inform the registration officer within 30 days of that change in citizenship status.

Hospitals and Medical Institutions Affected

The amendments also introduce revisions to reporting requirements and administrative procedures for hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical institutions that provide lodging or accommodation facilities. The specific procedural changes are intended to bring such facilities in line with the updated registration and notification framework.

Context and Significance

This comes amid a broader tightening of India's immigration and foreigners management architecture. The Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025 themselves represent a consolidation and modernisation of legacy frameworks that had governed foreign national registration for decades. Notably, the shift to a pre-expiry registration window reduces the scope for inadvertent overstay violations — a recurring compliance gap under the earlier system. The rule change affects a wide range of visa categories, including long-stay tourist, medical, and business visas, and is expected to prompt foreign missions and immigration advisories to update their guidance for nationals travelling to India.