Government notifies changes in Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025

📌 Summary:

• Union Home Ministry, on June 1, 2026, notified changes to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025 — the implementing rules under the new Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
• New provision: Foreigners arriving in India on a visa of 180 days or less, who wish to extend their stay beyond 180 days, must now register themselves "any time before the expiry of the said period of 180 days"
• Replaces earlier rule that required registration "within fourteen days after the expiry of 180 days of arrival" — shifts compliance from post-expiry to pre-expiry, tightening enforcement and reducing the window of unregistered overstays
• Part of broader internal-security reform: the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (passed earlier in 2025) consolidated four older laws — the Foreigners Act 1946, Registration of Foreigners Act 1939, Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920 and Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 2000 — into a single statute
• Closes a long-standing loophole exploited by overstayers; aligns India with global best practice on biometric tracking and pre-expiry compliance

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Internal Security: border management, illegal immigration, security threats from undocumented foreigners; GS2 — Statutory framework and federal Centre-State dimension of immigration enforcement.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Parent Act: Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 — consolidates 4 older laws (Foreigners Act 1946, Registration of Foreigners Act 1939, Passport Entry Act 1920, Carriers' Liability Act 2000)
• Implementing notification date: June 1, 2026, by Union Ministry of Home Affairs
• Trigger threshold: stay > 180 days requires registration with FRRO/FRO
• FRRO = Foreigners Regional Registration Office; FRO = Foreigners Registration Officer (typically district SP)
• e-FRRO online portal in operation since 2018 enables online registration
• Old window: 14 days after expiry → New window: before expiry

🔑 Key Term: FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) — The designated authority under the MHA at major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, etc.) where foreigners staying in India for more than 180 days must register, extend visas, change visa category, or report change of address.