Form C at a Glance
Form C is a mandatory foreigner registration form that Indian hotels must submit to the FRRO within 24 hours of a foreign national's check-in. It applies to all foreign guests except citizens of Nepal and Bhutan.
What is Form C in a Hotel?
Form C is the official Foreigner Registration Form mandated under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992. Every hotel in India that accommodates a foreign national must submit Form C for that guest to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or the local police.
The form captures the guest's passport details, visa information, date of arrival in India, and intended duration of stay. It exists so the government can track the movement of foreign nationals within the country.
Form C is different from the Guest Registration Card (GRC), which is required for every guest including Indian nationals. The GRC stays at your hotel. Form C goes to the government.
Is Form C Mandatory for Hotels in India?
Yes, Form C is mandatory for every hotel, guesthouse, homestay, and accommodation provider in India when hosting foreign nationals. There are no exemptions based on your hotel's category, star rating, or size.
The legal basis is the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992, which places the compliance obligation squarely on the accommodation provider -- not on the guest. If a foreign national stays at your property and you do not file Form C, the liability is yours.
Many small hotels and homestays assume this rule applies only to large properties. It does not. A 6-room homestay in Rishikesh hosting a German tourist is under the same obligation as a 200-room hotel in Mumbai.
Which Guests Require Form C?
The rule of thumb: if the guest holds a foreign passport, you need to file Form C. The table below covers every common scenario your front desk will encounter.
| Guest Type | Form C Required? | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian national | No | N/A | GRC only. No FRRO submission needed. |
| Foreign national (non-SAARC) | Yes | 24 hours from check-in | Applies to all nationalities except Nepal and Bhutan. |
| Nepal / Bhutan citizen | No | N/A | Exempt by treaty. Treated as domestic guests. GRC required. |
| Pakistani national | Yes | 24 hours from check-in | Additional restrictions may apply. Verify visa type carefully. |
| Foreign diplomat | Yes (usually) | 24 hours from check-in | Diplomatic passport does not exempt from Form C filing. File as normal. |
For guests of South Asian origin holding an Indian OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card, check the OCI card conditions -- they are generally treated as Indian nationals for most purposes but it is worth verifying with your local FRRO if unsure.
Nationalities Exempt from Form C
The primary exemptions are Nepal and Bhutan. Citizens of these two countries can enter India without a visa under bilateral treaties, and they are not required to register with the FRRO. For your front desk, this means: if a Nepali or Bhutanese guest presents a valid passport from those countries, file a GRC only -- no Form C submission is needed.
There are no other broad national exemptions. All other foreign nationals -- including citizens of SAARC countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, and Afghanistan -- require Form C.
How to Submit Form C on the FRRO Portal
The FRRO portal at indianfrro.gov.in is the official online channel for Form C submission. Most hotels use online submission -- it is faster, creates a digital record, and avoids the need to visit a police station or FRRO office.
Your hotel must first register as an accommodation provider on the portal. This is a one-time setup.
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Register your hotel on indianfrro.gov.in Go to indianfrro.gov.in and create an accommodation provider account. You will need your hotel name, address, PAN, and a valid email. First-time setup typically takes 15--20 minutes. Keep your login credentials saved securely at the front desk.
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Log in and navigate to Form C (Accommodation Report) After logging in, select "Accommodation Report" or "Form C Submission" from the dashboard menu. The exact label varies slightly with portal updates, but it is always under the foreigner reporting section.
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Enter guest passport and visa details Fill in the guest's full name as on the passport, nationality, passport number, place and date of passport issue, visa number, visa type (tourist, business, etc.), visa issue location, and visa expiry date. Transcribe exactly from the documents -- errors cause rejection.
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Enter arrival and stay details Record the date of arrival in India, port of entry (e.g., IGI Airport Delhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport Mumbai), check-in date at your property, expected check-out date, and the guest's declared next destination within India or abroad.
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Upload passport and visa scans Upload a clear scan or photograph of the passport bio-data page and the relevant visa page. The portal specifies accepted file formats (usually JPEG or PDF) and maximum file size. Poor quality scans are a common cause of submission failure.
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Review and submit within 24 hours of check-in Review all entries carefully before submitting. The portal will generate a reference number on successful submission. Note this number in your front office log and in the guest's file. The 24-hour deadline runs from the guest's check-in time -- not from the time you first open the portal.
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Retain the confirmation and all documents Print or save the portal confirmation. Store it alongside the guest's Form C record and passport copies for a minimum of 12 months. Your arrival report should log each foreign guest separately so you can audit Form C compliance at any time.
Form C Deadline: The 24-Hour Rule
The deadline is 24 hours from the time of check-in -- not from the end of the business day, not from the next morning. If a foreign guest checks in at 11 PM on a Friday, the deadline is 11 PM on Saturday.
This catches many hotel owners off guard. Weekends, public holidays, and late-night arrivals are not valid excuses for a missed deadline. The FRRO portal operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so online submission is always available.
Physical submission to a police station or FRRO office during business hours is also accepted, but given the 24-hour window, online submission is almost always the only practical option for late-night or weekend check-ins.
Annexure C: What the Form Contains
Annexure C is the prescribed format for Form C under the Registration of Foreigners Rules. It is the actual document your front desk fills out. Below are all mandatory fields and where to find the information.
| Field | What to Enter | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full name of foreigner | Name exactly as printed on passport (surname, given names) | Passport bio-data page |
| Nationality | Country of citizenship as shown on passport | Passport |
| Passport number | Passport number including prefix letters | Passport bio-data page |
| Passport place and date of issue | City/country where passport was issued and date of issue | Passport bio-data page |
| Visa number | Visa sticker or e-Visa reference number | Visa sticker or e-Visa letter |
| Visa type | Tourist, Business, Employment, Student, etc. | Visa sticker or e-Visa letter |
| Visa validity (expiry) | Date visa expires | Visa sticker or e-Visa letter |
| Date of arrival in India | Date of immigration entry stamp | Passport entry stamp |
| Port of entry | Airport or land crossing where guest entered India | Passport entry stamp or guest declaration |
| Address in India (hotel) | Full address of your property | Your hotel records |
| Duration of stay at hotel | Check-in and expected check-out dates | Your booking record |
| Next destination | Next city/country after your hotel | Guest declaration at check-in |
| Purpose of visit | Tourism, business, medical, etc. | Guest declaration / visa type |
Ask guests to declare their next destination and purpose of visit verbally at check-in. Most guests are cooperative when you explain it is a government requirement. Add a line to your GRC or check-in form so this information is captured once for both documents.
Penalties for Not Filing Form C
The Foreigners Act, 1946 gives the government broad powers to penalise hotels that fail to comply. In practice, enforcement happens through periodic checks by local police and FRRO inspections of hotel records.
- Fine per guest: Up to ₹5,000 per foreign guest for whom Form C was not filed. In high-footfall properties in tourist cities like Goa, Agra, or Jaipur, this adds up quickly if compliance slips.
- Criminal liability: The Foreigners Act allows for prosecution of the hotel owner or manager responsible for compliance. In serious cases (e.g., deliberately concealing a guest's stay), imprisonment provisions apply.
- Licence action: Repeat non-compliance can be cited by the state tourism or police department as grounds for suspension or cancellation of your hotel's operating licence.
- FRRO blacklisting: Hotels with a pattern of non-compliance may be blacklisted on the FRRO portal, which triggers more frequent inspections.
Beyond Form C, keep in mind that your OTA settlements come with their own compliance obligations. Review TDS on OTA settlements to make sure you are reconciling deductions correctly -- it is a separate compliance track that runs in parallel with FRRO requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Form C full form in hotel?
Form C is the Foreigner Registration Form mandated under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992. It is not an abbreviation -- "Form C" refers to the form's designation within the Registration of Foreigners Rules. It captures passport details, visa details, nationality, and stay information for every foreign national guest.
Is Form C mandatory for all hotels in India?
Yes. All accommodation providers -- hotels, guesthouses, homestays, lodges, and serviced apartments -- must file Form C for every foreign national guest. There is no exemption by hotel size, category, or star rating. The only guests exempt are citizens of Nepal and Bhutan.
What happens if a hotel does not submit Form C?
Penalties under the Foreigners Act include fines of up to ₹5,000 per foreign guest, potential criminal liability for the owner or manager, and in repeat cases, licence suspension. Local police conduct periodic checks of hotel registration records, especially in tourist-heavy cities and border states.
Can Form C be submitted online? What is the deadline?
Yes. Submit via the FRRO portal at indianfrro.gov.in. The deadline is 24 hours from the time of the guest's check-in -- not from business hours, not from the next morning. The portal is available around the clock, so late-night arrivals should be filed the same night.
Do Nepal and Bhutan citizens need Form C?
No. Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan are exempt from Form C requirements under bilateral treaty provisions with India. They do not need a visa to enter India, and they are not required to register with the FRRO. You still need to collect a GRC from these guests as you would for any other guest.
Does an OCI cardholder need Form C?
OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders are generally treated on par with Indian nationals for most entry and stay purposes. They typically do not require Form C. However, OCI status has specific conditions -- when in doubt, verify with your local FRRO office or check the current FRRO guidelines, as rules can change.