E-Paper
All state capitals to have FRRO offices by 2027: Centre
The increased offices will improve access to immigration and visa-related services for foreign nationals visiting or residing in the country.
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The number of Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs) in India has expanded to 20, with the Centre aiming to establish offices in all state capitals by 2027 to improve access to immigration and visa-related services for foreign nationals visiting or residing in the country.
Citing a substantial increase in the number of foreign nationals visiting India for tourism, medical treatment and education, the Union ministry of home affairs said the expansion was aimed at improving access to services, strengthening regulatory compliance and making India a more attractive destination for foreign visitors.
“Identifying this need, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah has directed to establish FRROs in all state capitals by 2027,” the ministry said in a press release on Monday.
Five FRRO offices were established in Jaipur, Chandigarh and Guwahati in 2025, followed by Aizawl and Amravati this year. The Centre has also notified three more offices in Kohima, Agartala and Bhubaneswar. Previously, these cities fell under the jurisdiction of FRROs in Delhi, Amritsar, Kolkata or Hyderabad, respectively.
“The total number of FRRO offices in the country has now gone up to 20, located at Ahmedabad, Amravati, Amritsar, Aizawl, Agartala, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Chandigarh, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kohima, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai and Trivandrum,” the ministry said.
The expansion aims to facilitate travel and stay for foreign nationals in India by improving access to consular and immigration services including visa extensions, conversions and immigration compliance. It is also intended to strengthen institutional capacity at the local level, improve coordination with state authorities and ensure the effective implementation of immigration laws and national security requirements.
The ministry further said that 35 online services are available through the e-FRRO system, covering registration, visa extensions, conversion and other eligible immigration-related services.
FRROs oversee the registration and lawful stay of foreign nationals in India, issuing registration certificates, residential permits and permissions to visit protected or restricted areas. They also handle visa-related matters, exit permits and violations of immigration rules.
The FRRO expansion comes under the framework of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which consolidated four earlier laws governing immigration and foreign nationals. Under the Act, the Bureau of Immigration— which primarily performs immigration functions— is assisted by FRROs authorised by the Centre.
