Central Government Designates Foreigners Registration Officers Under New Immigration and Foreigners Act

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a significant notification, S.O. 3988(E), on September 1, 2025, formally designating authorities to perform the functions of Registration Officers under the recently enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (Act 13 of 2025). This notification, published in the Official Gazette, came into force on the date of its publication. The issuance of this delegated legislation was necessitated by the provisions of the new Act, specifically clause (r) of section 2, which required the Central Government to specify the officers responsible for foreigner registration.

The notification stipulates that the Central Government has authorised the Superintendent of Police of each District in the States and Union territories, or the Deputy Commissioner of Police as specified by the respective State Government or Union territory Administration, to carry out the duties of a Registration Officer. These designated officers will operate within the jurisdiction of their concerned district and will also be officially known as the Foreigners Registration Officer. The legislation provided: “...the Central Government hereby authorises the Superintendent of Police of each District of the States or the Union territories or the Deputy Commissioner of Police as specified by the State Government or the Union territory Administration, as the case may be, to perform the functions of the Registration Officer under the said Act, within the jurisdiction of the District concerned, who shall also be designated as the Foreigners Registration Officer.” This measure ensures a clear chain of command and responsibility for the critical function of registering foreign nationals within India.

The primary legislative intent behind this notification is to operationalise a key administrative aspect of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. By clearly identifying the officers responsible for foreigner registration, the Central Government aims to establish a robust and uniform mechanism for monitoring and managing the presence of foreign nationals across the country. Prior to this notification, while the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, had been enacted, the specific authorities tasked with its registration provisions were not yet formally designated. This created a statutory gap in the implementation framework of the new Act. The notification addresses this by providing the necessary administrative clarity, thereby enabling the effective enforcement of the Act's requirements concerning the registration of foreigners. It introduces a clear obligation on the part of these designated police officers to undertake registration duties, which is crucial for national security and immigration management.

Keywords: Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, Foreigners Registration Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs, Central Government, Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Registration Officer, India, Legislation

Geo Tags: India, New Delhi District: Not Applicable