If your property ever hosts a foreign guest, C-Form reporting is not optional, it is the law. Yet it is one of the most misunderstood duties for small and boutique hotels in India, and one of the easiest to get caught out on during a police or licensing check. This guide explains exactly what Form C is, who must file it, how to do it, and how to stop it from eating your front desk's time.
What is Form C?
Form C is the report an accommodation provider submits to the Bureau of Immigration recording a foreign national's stay. It captures the guest's passport number, nationality, visa details, and arrival and departure dates. The obligation comes from the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 and the Foreigners Act, 1946, and it is filed online through the government's e-FRRO / Form C portal at indianfrro.gov.in.
Who has to file it?
Anyone who is a "keeper" of a place that accommodates a foreign national: hotels, guest houses, resorts, homestays, dharamshalas, hospitals, universities and even private residences. If a foreign guest sleeps under your roof for even one night, you must report it. It applies only to foreign nationals, Indian guests are not part of C-Form.
The 24-hour rule
The details must be submitted within 24 hours of the guest checking in. For a short list of high-priority nationalities the expectation is immediate reporting. Because the clock is tight and the penalty for missing it is real, the sensible habit is to file the C-Form at check-in, the moment you scan the passport, rather than leaving it for later.
Step by step: filing a C-Form
1. Register your property once. Create an accommodation account on the e-FRRO Form C portal and wait for it to be approved. You will need your hotel details and owner information.
2. Collect the passport and visa at check-in. You need the passport number, nationality, date and place of birth, visa number and type, date of arrival in India, and expected departure.
3. File the C-Form against the stay. Enter (or upload) the guest's details and submit. Keep the acknowledgement.
4. Update on checkout if required. Record the actual departure so your reporting is complete.
What happens if you do not file
Not reporting a foreign guest is an offence under the Foreigners Act. It can attract a fine and, in serious or repeat cases, prosecution of the hotel keeper. Just as importantly, C-Form compliance is one of the first things verified during police verification and licensing inspections, so a gap here can put your trade licence at risk.
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FAQs
What is Form C for hotels in India?
Form C is the mandatory report a hotel, guest house or any accommodation provider submits to the government whenever a foreign national stays with them. It records the guest's passport, visa, arrival and departure details and is filed online through the Bureau of Immigration's e-FRRO / Form C portal.
Is C-Form registration mandatory for all hotels?
Yes. Under the Registration of Foreigners Act and the Foreigners Act, every keeper of a hotel, guest house, dharamshala, hospital, university or private residence that accommodates a foreign national must report the stay. It applies to foreign guests only, not to Indian citizens.
What is the time limit for filing Form C?
The foreign guest's details must be submitted within 24 hours of check-in. For guests from a small set of high-priority nationalities the report is expected immediately, so the safe practice is to file at check-in rather than wait.
What is the penalty for not filing C-Form?
Failure to report a foreign guest is an offence under the Foreigners Act and can attract a fine and, in serious or repeated cases, prosecution of the hotel keeper. Beyond the legal risk, it is one of the first things checked in a licensing or police inspection.
How do I register on the C-Form portal?
Create a hotel/accommodation account on the Bureau of Immigration e-FRRO portal (indianfrro.gov.in, Form C section), get your login approved, then file each foreign guest's C-Form against that account. Many property management systems can push the data for you so you are not re-typing passport details.