The coronavirus pandemic has affected the travel and tourism industry in many ways. Countries had to impose travel restrictions, close airspace, cancel flights, and suspend visas to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. As much as these measures have helped contain the infection, it has affected tourists considerably as they are stuck in a foreign country and worried about visa expiry.
To address this issue, many governments including India have introduced visa extension measures under which stranded foreign travelers will get legal rights to stay in the country until the air operations resume. Some countries allow automatic visa extension while some require travelers to apply for a visa extension. Government of India has thus provided an easy to use method to apply India visa extension (frro visa extension) through simple online application form.
India is among those countries where travelers are required to apply to the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) online to get their visa extended. The online India visa extension application process is convenient, quick, and reliable as the application is processed immediately without any unnecessary delays. Here’s a comprehensive overview of online visa extension India guidelines and application process.
The government of India suspended the rights of foreign nationals as well as Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders to enter the country due to the COVID-19 led travel restrictions and air operation cancellations.
The India visa extension is allowed on a GRATIS basis for foreigners stranded in the country because of the lockdown and travel restraints. Travelers will receive an extension to stay in India for a maximum period of 30 days after the resuming of international travel in the country.
Moreover, the government has kept the life-long, multiple-entry visas of OCI cardholders in abeyance until the travel operations remain suspended; however, those already present in India are allowed to stay in the country for as long as required.
Foreign nationals who got stranded in India after the imposing of travel restrictions by the government can have their visas extended. The extension rule will apply to all kinds of visit visas including regular, India tourist visa, electronic visa India, and stay stipulation that expired after February 1, 2020, midnight, or may expire until the day the government lifts travel restrictions.
A few categories of foreign visitors are exempt from the visa suspension including officials, diplomatic staff, United Nations officials, and UN-related employment or project categories. Apart from these designations, all existing visit visas granted to foreign nationals will remain suspended. The suspension will stay in effect until the Indian government resumes regular international air travel to-and-from India.
Foreigners in India will receive an extension of up to 30 days after the prohibitions are lifted. This is especially relevant to foreign travelers whose visas are about to expire or expired on 01.02.2020 post-midnight. The travelers won’t be subject to overstay penalties.
To obtain an Indian stay visa extension, a foreign national has to submit an online application to extend the duration of the visa expiration date. The process to apply for a India visa extension is the same for all types of tourist visas including eVisas, regular visas, and stay stipulation.
All foreign nationals can apply for a India visa extension online. Their visas will be extended on a GRATIS basis and the application will be processed by the FRRO.
The Indian government has introduced an online Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) called e-FRRO portal to allow foreign travelers to obtain visa extension or seek registration with the FRRO simply by filling out an application form. This is the official online portal of the Indian government designed especially to facilitate travelers’ registration, visa extensions India, and all types of immigration-related services digitally. This means foreign nationals visiting India don’t need to personally visit the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) anymore.
This system was implemented on 12 February 2018 specifically to simplify the visa registration and extension process for foreign nationals. Previously, foreigners were required to visit the local FRRO immigration office located in Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and/or Delhi to apply for India visa extension. With the implementation of an online visa extension service, this is no longer required.
The new portal is one of the best immigration reforms introduced by the Government of India that directly impacts foreign nationals visiting India. Now they don’t even need to go through the tiresome process of applying for Indian visa extension or FRRO registration, and can simply hire travel agents or global mobility managers to apply on their behalf.
The e-FRRO portal has eliminated the need for the inbound employees and their family members accompanying them to India to physically visit a local FRRO branch. Moreover, this system has eradicated the need to submit physical applications and foreign travelers can easily apply through the new FRRO/FRO India visa extension portal. For apply online application click on visa extension India
Foreigners holding a regular Visa, an e-Visa, or stay stipulation all can apply online for India visa extension. The extension on regular visa due to COVID-19 and other types of visas will apply to travelers whose visas have expired or might expire from 1 February midnight onwards, which is the date travel restrictions were imposed, until the date the international travel prohibitions are lifted.
The online FRRO portal is the perfect solution for submitting your India visa extension application online or to upload documents for all types of immigration or visa-related services. This includes the Indian FRRO registration, visa conversion, visa extension, or exit permission, change of passport, or change of address. From visa extension India to exit permission, the e-FRRO portal will accept all kinds of applications to facilitate foreign travelers stranded in India due to COVID-19 lockdown. First you have to complete the Registration Form, You will be receive OTP to your e-mail ID as well as the Indian mobile number you entered during the registration process.
India Visa extension process is very easy and user-friendly. You only need to fill out a simple application form and submit scanned images of the required documents. However, do make sure that the information you enter is accurate and free from typo errors or spelling mistakes.
To apply for India tourist visa extension you will need to provide a passport size photo, a scanned image of your visa, and a scanned image of your original valid passport copy. Here are all the details on the documents you need to submit.
We offer the perfect platform for foreign travelers in India to avail all types of visa-related services through a user-friendly, time-saving, and paperless process. We can help you get registered with the FRRO, fill out India visa extension application form without any mistakes, and apply for other visa-related services including exit permit or visa conversion.
Do remember that you need to apply for India visa extension at least two weeks before the date your Indian visa expires. Also, please note that this information should be taken as a guideline only and for the latest updates contact us 24/7 available customer service. Our well-informed representatives will promptly answer all your queries and clear any confusion you may have regarding the online India visa extension process.
Schedule an appointment with our dedicated COVID-19 immigration and travel consultants to obtain actionable guidance on Indian visa extension requirements or for other immigration-related issues. It is important to have accurate information while applying for the India visa extension because even a minor glitch can lead to rejection of the application.
011-26711384
frrodli@nic.in
East Block-VIII,
Level-2 Sector-1, R.K. Puram,
New Delhi-110066
022-22620446
helpdesk.mum-ivfrt@gov.in
78/1, Badruddin Tayabji Marg,
behind st.xevier collage, Dhobi Talao,
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Area Fort Mumbai,
Maharashtra-400001
044-28251721
chiochn@nic.in
No 26, Haddows Road,
Shastri Bhavan Annexe, Nungambakkam,
Chennai-600006
080-22218183
Fax No. 080-22218196
frroblr.feedback@nic.in,
frroblr-ka@nic.in
5th Floor, 'A' Block,
TTMC, BMTC Bus Stand Building,
K.H. Road, Shantinagar,
Bangalore-560027
079-26306606
afrro-boi.ahd@nic.in
Barrack No. 2, First Floor,
Govt. Polytechnic Campus, Ambawadi,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat-380015
0183-2500464
frroasr@nic.in
Bureau of Immigration,
D-123, Ranjit Avenue,
Amritsar - 143001
040-29880374, 040-29880375
frrohyd@nic.in
Sardar Vallabhai Patel BoI OCR Complex,
Shamshabad-Pahadishareef Road,
near GMR Township (CISF Residential Quarters),
Mamidipally Shamshabad Telangana, PIN-501218
033-22818640
frrokol@nic.in
237, A.J.C Bose Road,
Kolkata
0522-2432431
frrolko@nic.in
557, Hind Nagar,
Kanpur Road Near Old Chungi,
Lucknow-226012
0471-2333515/ 2573512
Fax No. 0471-2333514, 2573514
frrotvm@nic.in
AMRITH PLAZA, 1st Floor,
TC No. 30/1398-3, Nalumukku, Pettah (P.O),
Trivandrum-695024
0495-2323550
frro-clt@nic.in
20/1305, Castle View, Thiruvannur Road,
Panniyankara,Kallai PO,
Kozhikode,KERALA-673003
0484-2611652
frro.cochin@nic.in
2nd Floor, Airlines Building,
Cochin International Airport Ltd.,Airport PO,
Cochin- 683111, Kerala
0413-2275605
rro.pon@nic.in
Regional Registration Office,
Bureau of Immigration, MHA No. 1,Second Main Road,
2nd Cross,Navasakthi Nagar,
Vazhuthavur Road,Puducherry - 605009