FRRO expansion: Centre targets offices in every state capital by 2027

The FRRO expansion plan will place Foreigners Regional Registration Offices in every Indian state capital by 2027, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Monday. The Centre said the network had grown to 20 offices as it seeks to improve services for foreign nationals.

The ministry linked the expansion to increased visits for tourism, medical care and education. Home Minister Amit Shah directed that offices be established across state capitals, according to its announcement.

New offices in Jaipur, Chandigarh and Guwahati were established in 2025. Aizawl and Amravati followed this year, while offices have also been notified in Kohima, Agartala and Bhubaneswar.

Several areas move out of Kolkata's jurisdiction

Guwahati previously came under the Kolkata office. Aizawl, Kohima and Agartala were also earlier served through Kolkata, while Amravati and Bhubaneswar were administered through Hyderabad.

The ministry said the FRRO expansion would bring services closer to where foreign nationals stay. These include visa extensions and conversions, registration, residential permits and immigration compliance support.

The offices also handle permissions for travel to protected or restricted areas and issue exit permits in specified cases. Updating personal and travel information forms part of their responsibilities.

Alongside the physical network, 35 services are available through the e-FRRO online system. They cover registration, extensions, conversions and other eligible immigration matters, according to the ministry.

The government said it was pursuing offices in states still without them, including Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya were also listed.

The programme operates within the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which brought four earlier laws into one framework. FRROs authorised by the Centre assist the Bureau of Immigration, while the expanded network is intended to improve coordination with state authorities and enforcement of immigration requirements.

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