Foreigner Registration Info
Guidelines for Foreigners Visiting Bangalore City:
Foreigners Registration Officer:
The Commissioner of Police, Bangalore City is the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) for Bangalore City.
Telephone numbers of the Officers:
Asst. Commissioner of Police (Admin)
City Spl. Branch
Bangalore
Phone: 22942186
Police Inspector,
(Foreigners Section)
City Spl. Branch,
Bangalore
Phone: 22943246
Deputy Commissioner of Police Intelligence, Bangalore is authorised to perform the duties of foreigners registration officer in Bangalore City and his office is located in the premises of the office of the Commissioner of Police.
Rules and regulations applicable to Foreigners who wish to stay in India as a Tourist:
A tourist a foreigner having no residence or occupation in India and whose stay in India does not ordinarily exceed 6 months (180 days) is visit to India is only for recreation or sight seeing.
Every tourist who enters India must hold a tourist visa issued by an Indian embassy abroad.
Validity of the Tourist Visa:
The validity of the tourist visa is counted from the date of issue. But the validity of the three months tourist visa will be counted from the date of first entry.
1. Registration of the Visa:
Every foreigner who arrives in India on the strength of a tourist visa more than 180 days (6 months) should register their visa with the nearest foreigner's registration officer concerned within 15 days of arrival to India. After necessary verification the Foreigners Registration Officer will issue the registration certificate and a residential permit to the foreigner.
2. Extension of Visa:
Tourist visas are non-extendable. Therefore the tourist (foreigner) should leave India on or before the expiry of the validity of the visa. But tourist visa having duration of 3 months are eligible for an extension of an additional 3 months by the Foreigners Registration Officer, subject to the payment of the required fee. However in the case of an emergency the State government can grant a further extension of 15 days.
3. Conversion of Visa:
The foreigners, who came to India on the strength of a tourist visa are not eligible to convert the tourist visa into any other type of visa, and not eligible to engage in any other activities other than tourism.
4. Over Stay:
The foreign tourists who have been over staying in India are liable to be prosecuted
5. Departure from India:
If the registration documents issued by the Foreigners Registration Officer to the foreigner are valid, he/she can leave India simply on production of the confirmed ticket to the port authorities concerned (after surrendering the registration document at the port).
6. Study of yoga or Meditation:
Several foreigners coming to India with tourist visas usually seek admission to study yoga or meditation. But as per the prevailing norms they should hold proper student visa for studying yoga or meditation etc. and their venue of study should be clearly recorded on the side of the visa stamp. A change of institution is not normally.
7. Loss of Passport:
If the passport of a foreigner is irrecoverably lost he should report the same to the nearest police station and obtain a copy of the FIR in case a of theft or a certificate if it is lost otherwise. The foreigners should obtain new passport/emergancy certificate from their mission in India. Before leaving India the foreigner should seek an exit permit from the Chief Immigration Officer, Madras or from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer of Mumbai, Calcutta or New Delhi and produce the same at the port of embarkation.
8. Shifting of Residence:
At the time of lodging an application for registration of visa the foreigner should furnish his address in India which is known as his registered address. Whenever the foreigner shifts his residence he should intimate the same to the Foreigners Registration Officer of the place of new residence. Based on the enquiry report, his registration documents will be forwarded to the new Foreigners Registration Officer.
9. Reporting of Occupation of House:
If a foreign tourist is occupying a house on a rental basis the house owner is obliged to report the details to the police authorities concerned within 24 hours of occupation. The foreigner should ensure that the house owner has intimated the same to police authorities.All foreigners who are visiting Bangalore City are requested to abide by the above rules, violations of which make them liable for prosecution besides deportation.
10. Movement of Foreigners in India:
If at any time a foreigner proposes to be absent from his registered address for a continuous period of more than 8 weeks or changes his registered address in the district of registration or is finally departing from India he shall inform the Registration Officer of his probable date of return in person or through an authorised representative or by registered post.
Every foreigner who stays for a period of more than 8 weeks at a place, other than the district in which he is registered shall inform the Registration Officer of the new district of his presence.
When a foreigner changes his registered address to any district other than the one where he is registered, he shall give a letter to the Foreigners Registration Officer of the place of his registration, either in person or through an authorised person or through registered post.
Foreigners who visit their native country during the period of valid residential Permit will be given "Return Visa" endors by the State Registration Officer, Bangalore. Return visa is issued for a period of 90 days or less to those who have valid residential permits. They should return to India within the validity of return visa. Those who overstay the Return Visa period of 90 days will have to come to India on a fresh visa in such a case it will be treated as a new arrival. This foreigner has to undergo Registration formalities afresh.
A foreigner staying in a hotel shall furnish the required particulars necessary for recording his arrival and sign in the hotel register stating his name, nationality, date of arrival, duration of stay, passport and Residential Permit particulars in for m "C".
Foreigners are prohibited from entering prohibited and protected areas as notified by the Government. Any violation of this will render a foreigner liable for prosecution.
11. Exit from India:
A foreigner who leaves India by sea or air is required to report his intended departure to the Registration Officer of the District and shall surrender his certificate of Registration either to the Registration Office of the place where he is registered or the place from where he intends to depart or the immigration officer of the Port/Check post of exit from India. He shall and obtain exit permit before departing from India and should surrender the same at check post or airport along with Residential permit and registration Certificate. He should fill up the embarkation card before his departure and hand it over to the immigration officer.
12. Involvement in Criminal Cases:
When a foreigner is involved in a criminal case and prosecuted, he is not allowed to leave India till the disposal of the case in Court. It is incumbent on the part of the foreigner to comply with the requirement of the registration rules 1939 (as amended upto 1992) which states that he should apply for extension of stay during the pendency of the trial of the case.
13. If a Foreigner is a Victim of Crime:
If foreigner is a victim of any crime he may approach the nearest Police station for any help and lodge the complaint giving the details of the incident / loss of property etc. The police will render all reasonable help to the victim besides investigating the case and bring the offender to books.
Also check the Bangalore city police commissioner official website http://www.bcp.gov.in/english/foreigners/index.html and Karnataka State Police official website: http://www.ksp.gov.in/pages/foreigner/foreigners-registration-office-fro/ for the recent changes in rules and regulations in the process of foreigner registration.