Central Government Designates Foreigners Regional Registration Officers as Civil Authorities

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a Notification, S.O. 3990(E), on September 1, 2025, formally appointing various Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) in the Bureau of Immigration to serve as civil authorities for specified geographical areas across India. This executive action was taken in pursuance of clause (c) of section 2 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (13 of 2025). The Notification superseded a previous order, S.O. 3260 (E), dated September 11, 2019, though it explicitly preserved the validity of any actions taken or omitted under the earlier notification before its supersession. The new directive delineated the precise jurisdictions for twelve FRROs, assigning them responsibility for specific states, Union territories, or districts. For instance, the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Ahmedabad, was designated as the civil authority for Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Gujarat, while the FRRO, Delhi, was assigned jurisdiction over Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and specific districts of Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, the FRRO, Kolkata, was made responsible for the entire North-Eastern region and West Bengal, and the FRRO, Mumbai, for Chhattisgarh, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. This Notification came into force on September 1, 2025, the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

The legislative intent behind this Notification was to establish a clear and updated administrative framework for the management of foreign nationals within India, aligning with the provisions of the newly enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. The earlier legal position, governed by the 2019 notification, was updated to reflect current administrative needs and the specific requirements of the new Act. By clearly defining the territorial jurisdiction of each Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, the Central Government aimed to address any potential statutory gaps or ambiguities regarding the authority responsible for immigration and foreigner-related matters in various regions. This measure ensures streamlined operations and enhances the efficiency of the Bureau of Immigration in monitoring and regulating the entry, stay, and exit of foreign nationals. The Notification primarily focused on administrative restructuring rather than introducing new rights or obligations for individuals, but it clarified the specific authorities with whom foreign nationals would interact for compliance with the Act. The legislation provided: “...the Central Government hereby appoints the following Foreigners Regional Registration Officers in the Bureau of Immigration as specified in column (2) of the Table below as the civil authority for the area specified in column (3) of the said Table...” This provision is central to the Notification's purpose, ensuring that the enforcement mechanisms of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, are clearly defined and operational across the country through designated civil authorities.

Keywords: Immigration, Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, FRRO, Civil Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, India, Jurisdiction, Notification Geo Tags: India District: Not Applicable