Registered foreigners in Bangalore are on the rise, steadily climbing in the last four years. Registered Foreigners (RF) are those who have been granted long term visas (over 180 days), registered with the Foreign Registration Office (FRO).
Amongst India’s neighbours across the border, the number of  Pakistanis registered with the FRO in Bangalore has increased from 2002, while the number of Bangladeshis has decreased over the same period.
The number of RF in Bangalore has increased - from 6,799 in 2002 to 9,758 in 2007, with the highest numbers being from USA, Sri Lanka, Yemen and Pakistan in 2007, according to statics available with the FRO.
In 2007, a large chunk of the RF were students. As Bangalore has grown as a health tourism destination, the number of medical visas has doubled from 2006 to 2007 as well, according to a source in the FRO. A State intelligence officer attributes the growth to globalisation. Just as many Indians are going abroad, many foreigners are coming to Bangalore primarily because trades are lucrative, he said.
The number of Pakistani RF in Bangalore City has grown from 28 in 2002, to 456 in 2007.
A number of factors have been attributed to this increase.
“Since India-Pakistan cricket matches resumed, it has been fashionable to host someone from Pakistan and demonstrate anti-history of the partition,” says Prof G K Karanth, Director, Centre for Multi-disciplinary Development Research. There is a willingness to please the international community and acquire a greater cosmopolitan status, he says, reasoning that civil society relations between Pakistan and India have been pitted against the state of Pakistan - be it sympathising with the floods or Benazir’s assasination, it is seen as tacit support to the people and not the state. Bangladesh on the other hand has negative social capillarity, with illegal immigrants and many robbing locals of their jobs, according to the professor.
The FRO officer attributed the increase in the number of Pakistani RF to increased mobility between the countries, and liberalisation of visitors’ visas. There are Indian Muslims who have spouses from Pakistan and relatives come visiting, he added.