India Immigration Glossary
37 terms that decide how your India stay actually works — from FRRO and Form III to Exit Permits and e-OCI — each defined in plain English and linked to the full guide.
B
Bureau of Immigration (BOI)
The MHA agency operating India's immigration control — ports of entry, FRRO offices, and the authoritative jurisdiction lists.
Full guide →Business Visa (B visa)
For meetings, negotiations and investment exploration with Indian counterparts — not for employment or hands-on paid work.
Full guide →C
Compounding (penalty)
The mechanism by which certain immigration violations are settled by paying a government-set amount instead of prosecution — e.g. the ₹50,000-per-case penalty for Form III failures.
Conference Visa
For attending a government-cleared conference, seminar or workshop; uniquely, the event itself needs MHA and MEA clearance before delegates can apply.
Full guide →D
Deficiency notice
A query raised on an e-FRRO application asking for corrected or additional material — routine, deadline-bound, and the most common reason cases stall.
Full guide →E
e-FRRO
The Bureau of Immigration's online portal (indianfrro.gov.in) where registration, extensions, exit permits and most foreigner services are filed since 2018.
Full guide →e-OCI
The fully digital OCI issued under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — every OCI lifecycle step moved online from 1 May 2026; existing physical cards remain valid.
Full guide →e-Visa
India's electronic visa (tourist, business, medical, conference sub-categories), applied for on indianvisaonline.gov.in and used at designated airports and seaports.
Full guide →Employment Visa (E-1 / E-2 / E-3)
The work-authorising visa, restructured in 2026 into E-1 (most employment), E-2 (specific intra-company transfers) and E-3 (NGO/missionary/religious workers), with a gross salary threshold above ₹16.25 lakh for most roles.
Full guide →Entry Visa
See X Visa — the family/origin-based category for spouses, dependants and persons of Indian origin in specific situations.
Full guide →ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation)
The approval document issued for an e-Visa — carried (printed) to the port, where biometrics complete the entry.
Exit Permit / Exit Visa
The FRRO's departure clearance required when a visa has expired, been overstayed, or a passport was lost — the lawful way out of an irregular situation.
Full guide →F
Form III (formerly Form C)
The electronic report every hotel, guesthouse or commercial host must file within 24 hours of a foreign guest's arrival (and on departure) — since 2025 including OCI cardholders; ₹50,000 per case for failures.
Full guide →FRO (Foreigners Registration Officer)
The district-level authority performing registration functions outside the 15 FRRO cities — usually through the local police or district administration.
Full guide →FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office)
The regional offices (15 across India) handling foreigner registration, visa extensions, exit permits and related services. Jurisdiction follows where you stay.
Full guide →G
Grace period (visa expiry)
Largely a myth — India publishes no automatic buffer after expiry; any leniency is discretionary, so the expiry date should be treated as hard.
Full guide →I
ICP (Immigration Check Post)
An authorised port of entry/exit — 114 airports, seaports and land posts where e-Visa holders can complete immigration after the March 2026 seaport expansion.
Full guide →Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
India's consolidated immigration law, in force since 1 September 2025, replacing the Foreigners Act 1946 and three other statutes — the legal basis for registration, Form III and penalties.
Full guide →J
Jurisdiction (FRRO)
Which of the 15 FRRO offices handles your case — determined by where you stay, not your port of entry, with district-level splits in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.
Full guide →M
MEA (Ministry of External Affairs)
The ministry running India's missions abroad and visa policy — its directory is the authoritative list of embassies and consulates.
Full guide →Medical Attendant Visa
The companion visa for family members accompanying a Medical Visa patient — tied to the patient's case, commonly up to two attendants.
Full guide →Medical Visa (M visa)
For treatment at recognised Indian hospitals, anchored on the hospital's invitation letter confirming diagnosis and treatment plan.
Full guide →MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs)
The ministry responsible for immigration control, the Foreigners Division, FRROs and the rules under the 2025 Act.
Full guide →O
OCI (Overseas Citizen of India)
A lifelong visa-and-residence status for persons of Indian origin (and qualifying foreign spouses) — exempt from FRRO registration; spouse-category OCI is 5-year renewable.
Full guide →Overstay
Remaining in India beyond the permitted stay — a violation carrying penalties, exit-permit requirements and consequences for future applications, governed by the 2025 Act.
Full guide →P
PCC (Police Clearance Certificate)
The certificate confirming no criminal record in India — required for emigration, foreign employment and long-term visas; issued via Passport Seva in India or Indian missions abroad. Not issued for tourist purposes.
Full guide →PIO (Person of Indian Origin)
The former card/status for the Indian diaspora, merged into the OCI scheme — 'PIO' survives as shorthand for people of Indian descent.
Full guide →R
Registration (FRRO)
The mandatory reporting of long-stay foreign nationals: within 14 days of arrival for Student/Employment/Medical/Research/Missionary visas over 180 days (24 hours for Pakistani nationals; OCI holders and under-12s exempt).
Full guide →Research Visa (R visa)
For scholars affiliated with recognised Indian institutions; applications are referred for government approval, making it one of the slowest categories to process.
Full guide →Residential Permit
The document issued on successful FRRO registration — your official authorisation to reside in India, generally co-terminus with your visa.
Full guide →S
Stay validity vs visa validity
Two different dates: how long you may remain per entry (stay) versus the last date the visa can be used (validity). Confusing them is the most common cause of accidental overstay.
Full guide →Sticker visa (regular/paper visa)
The traditional visa issued by an Indian mission into your passport — required for categories and nationalities outside the e-Visa system, and for long-stay purposes.
Student Visa (S visa)
For degree study at recognised Indian institutions, anchored on the admission/bonafide letter; registration applies for stays over 180 days.
Full guide →T
Tourist Visa (T visa)
For tourism and visiting friends/family — available as an e-Visa or regular visa, generally non-extendable and capped at 180 days per calendar year.
Full guide →V
VFS / BLS (outsourced centres)
Private service companies operating visa/consular application intake for Indian missions in many countries — the counter you visit, while the mission makes the decision.
Visa on Arrival (VoA)
A true on-arrival visa available only to nationals of Japan, South Korea and (conditionally) the UAE at nine designated airports — ₹2,000, non-extendable.
Full guide →X
X Visa (Dependent Visa)
The category for spouses and dependent children of foreign nationals in India (and certain persons of Indian origin) — tied to the principal holder's status.
Full guide →Note: definitions summarise the general position under Indian immigration rules as covered across this site (verified July 2026); rules change and cases differ. India Visa Experts is an independent consultancy, not affiliated with any government agency. See our editorial policy.
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