UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Home Ministry changes foreigner registration rules

Q1. The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 — the parent statute under which the recently amended foreigner registration rules have been notified — repealed and consolidated how many earlier Acts?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q2. With reference to the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026 vis-à-vis the position that prevailed earlier, consider the following statements: 1. Earlier, foreigners on long-stay visas were required to register within 14 days after the expiry of 180 days; the amendment now requires registration anytime before the expiry of 180 days. 2. The amendment retains an automatic post-expiry grace window, but reduces it from 14 days to 7 days. 3. Registration after the prescribed period is now permitted only under 'emergent circumstances'. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Earlier, foreigners on long-stay visas were required to register within 14 days after the expiry of 180 days; the amendment now requires registration anytime before the expiry of 180 days.
  2. The amendment retains an automatic post-expiry grace window, but reduces it from 14 days to 7 days.
  3. Registration after the prescribed period is now permitted only under 'emergent circumstances'.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Under the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026, an appeal against an order passed under the rules is to be filed, within the prescribed period, before which one of the following authorities?

  • A. The Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) of the concerned jurisdiction
  • B. The Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration
  • C. The Secretary, Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. The Director General of the Intelligence Bureau

Q4. With reference to the Immigration and Foreigners (Amendment) Rules, 2026 notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, consider the following: 1. Foreigners staying beyond 180 days must register anytime before the expiry of the 180-day period. 2. Children born in India to at least one Indian-citizen parent are exempted from the requirement of foreigner registration. 3. Appeals against orders may be filed online before the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration within 30 days, with disposal within 60 days. 4. The amendments transfer the registration function from the FRRO to the Election Commission of India. Which of the above are correctly identified as features of the amendment?

  1. Foreigners staying beyond 180 days must register anytime before the expiry of the 180-day period.
  2. Children born in India to at least one Indian-citizen parent are exempted from the requirement of foreigner registration.
  3. Appeals against orders may be filed online before the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration within 30 days, with disposal within 60 days.
  4. The amendments transfer the registration function from the FRRO to the Election Commission of India.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4