Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026: Eased Registration and Digital Appeals

Key facts

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026, under Section 30 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
• Foreigners can now complete their registration any time before the expiry of 180 days from their arrival in India, while registration beyond this period is permitted only under emergent circumstances.
• Registration is not required for children where either parent is an Indian citizen and wishes to retain the child's Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• Parents are mandated to inform the Registration Officer within 30 days if a child acquires foreign citizenship while residing in India.
• A digitised appeals process allows aggrieved individuals to file appeals before the Commissioner, Bureau of Immigration (BoI), within 30 days via an online portal, with a target disposal period of 60 days.