Anybody hosting foreign nationals must feed the details of their guests online by logging on to the Bureau of Immigration website. This move, called the Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) system, is aimed at bringing more efficiency in immigration, visa, security and other services relating to foreigners.
Hosts covered under the IVFRT system
* Hotels (irrespective of star category)
* Hospitals
* Hostels
* Serviced apartments
* Dharamsalas
* Individuals renting property, in part or full, or providing guest accommodation
* Educational institutions
(176 Indian Missions abroad, 80 immigration check posts in the country, 10 Foreigners Regional Registration Offices, and over 650 Foreigners Registration Offices in the State/district headquarters have been linked to the Central IVFRT Office in New Delhi)
How to register
* Go to the Bureau of Immigration website: boi.gov.in
* Choose the Form C/S option
* Enter the details
* Create user name and password
* Take a print and sign it. Submit two copies at the Foreigners Cell in the police district headquarters office
* In case of individuals, attach photocopy of family card
* After verification, the user name and password will be approved and intimated to the host
When and what to submit
1) Hospitals
* Form C (medical treatment) at the time of admitting the patient, with nature of treatment and other details
* Expected duration of treatment at hospital
* Details of attendants, if any, staying with the patient
2) Hotels, hostels (other than colleges), serviced apartments, dharamsalas and individuals
* Form C within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the guest
3) Educational institutions
* Form S at the time of admitting the student
* Information if the student is accommodated in college hostel or not
* Once in six months, details of progress in studies, and remarks on conduct and other criterion
* Intimation at the time of completion of course, or dismissal of student/discontinuance of studies in the middle of the course, with reasons for the same
* Form C for persons others than students
In case of non-compliance
> Offending party will be subjected to consequences of non-compliance under Foreigners Act, 1946
> It is punishable under Section 14C of the Act
Penalty for abetment
> Persons who abet any offence punishable under section 14 (extended stay without permission, etc) or 14A (entry into restricted areas, etc) or 14B (using forged passport) can be imprisoned (from two to eight years), with a fine
