Immigration & Foreigners Act 2025 Comes Into Force; Detailed Guidelines Issued on Form-III and Form-II Submissions

Tarun Karthick

Sri Vijaya Puram, 14 October 2025

The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, passed by Parliament and assented to by the President of India on April 4, 2025, has officially come into force from 1st September 2025, as notified by the Government of India. The Act introduces updated provisions concerning the submission of Form C (now Form-III) and Form S (now Form-II) by accommodation providers, educational institutions, and medical facilities across the country.

According to the notification, the relevant provisions applicable include Sections 8, 9, 10, 14, 23 and 25 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, and Rules 16, 17, 18, and 21 of the Immigration Rules 2025. Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs Notification F. No. 25022/11/2025-F.I dated 01.09.2025 specifies the procedure for compounding of offences under the Act.

Form-III (Previously Known as Form C):

Under the new provisions, the keeper of accommodation is required to file Form-III (previously known as Form-C) for all foreigners, including Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, who were previously exempted.

This requirement applies to a wide range of accommodation types including:

• Boarding Houses, Clubs, Dak Bungalows, Rest Houses, Hostels, Paying Guesthouses (Government and Private), Sarais, Rented Accommodations, Hotels, Lodges, Homestays, Bed & Breakfasts, and Tents.

• Hospitals or any other premises of like nature, including those owned or operated by religious institutions, charitable trusts, public organisations, or any other social, religious, or public entities, whether furnished or unfurnished.

Form-II (Previously Known as Form S):

Every university, educational institution, or school must furnish Form-II (previously known as Form S) and Form-III (previously known as Form C) in respect of all foreign students staying in hostels.

Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and Medical Institutions:

Every hospital, nursing home, or any other medical institution is required to furnish information regarding:

• The birth of any child born to foreigners (where either or both parents are foreign nationals), and

• The death of any foreigner occurring within their premises.

Such information must be furnished within seven days of the occurrence of the birth or death, as applicable.

Record Maintenance and Submission Requirements:

In addition to the submission of Form-III, every keeper of accommodation — including hotels, guesthouses, hospitals, and nursing homes — must require each foreigner, including OCI cardholders, to provide necessary particulars at the time of arrival and departure.

The guest must sign these particulars on arrival and record the date and time of departure and the address of their next destination. These records must be maintained electronically by the accommodation provider for a minimum period of one year.

Compounding of Offences:

The Government of India has specified that before initiating any prosecution or during trial, the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) may compound offences with penalties as follows:

1. Accommodation Providers (Hotels, Guesthouses, etc.):
   • Non-submission of Form-III within 24 hours of arrival and departure, or contravention of relevant provisions under Section 8 of the Act and Rule 17 — Rs. 50,000 per case.

1. Universities, Educational Institutions, and Schools:
2. Non-submission of Form-II and/or Form-III within 24 hours of arrival and departure, or contravention of relevant provisions under Section 9 of the Act and Rule 16 — Rs. 1,00,000 per case.

1. Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and Medical Institutions:

1. Non-submission of Form-III within 24 hours of admission and discharge, or contravention of relevant provisions under Section 10 of the Act and Rule 18, and
2. Non-intimation of birth or death of a foreigner within seven days — Rs. 1,00,000 per case.

Appointment of Foreigners Registration Officers (FRO):

Under the provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, the Central Government has notified that the Superintendent of Police (SP) of each district shall function as the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) and Civil Authority under Gazette Notification No. 3883 and 3884, both dated 1st September 2025.

The following officers have been designated as FROs and Civil Authorities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands:

1. Mr. Manoj Kumar Meena, IPS
   • District: South Andaman
   • Contact: 03192-236641
   • Office: O/o The Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District, Sri Vijaya Puram, A&N Islands, Pin – 744101
   • Email: spsa.and@nic.in
2. Ms. Shweta K. Sugathan, IPS

1. District: North & Middle Andaman
2. Contact: 03192-273344
3. Office: O/o The Superintendent of Police, N & M Andaman District, Lucknow, Mayabunder, A&N Islands, Pin – 744204
4. Email: spnm.and@nic.in
5. Mr. Rahul L. Nair, IPS

1. District: Nicobar
2. Contact: 03193-265223
3. Office: O/o The Superintendent of Police, Nicobar District, Perka, Car Nicobar, A&N Islands, Pin – 744301
4. Email: spcn.and@nic.in

Authorities have requested all hoteliers, educational institutions, hospitals, and other accommodation providers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to strictly comply with these provisions under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 and related rules to ensure proper reporting and registration of foreign nationals across the Union Territory.