New immigration rules: Colleges, hospitals must report foreign student and patient records

New Delhi: Educational institutions will have to provide details of academic performance of foreign students and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders every semester and their attendance details twice a year, according to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025.

Every educational institution admitting students hailing from foreign countries will have to submit the prescribed Form II within 24 hours from the time of the admission, as per the rules for implementing the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 notified on Monday.

According to the Act, every university and educational institution, or any other institution admitting any foreigner shall furnish information about them, including their course, its pattern, duration, and fee structure to the Registration Officer.

The rules said that educational institutions should submit the forms on the designated portal or mobile application ‘Indian Visa Su-Swagatam’. If the institution is providing hostel facilities, it will also have to submit a separate Form III that deals with providing accommodation to foreigners.

The educational institutions will have to provide details of whether the foreign student is regular or irregular in attending classes, whether they passed or failed the exams, and whether they are eligible to continue the course.

The institution will also have to mark whether the student’s conduct is “good” or “bad” and provide a description of the conduct. It will also provide the reasons for a student exiting the institution – course completed, discontinued or terminated.

Similarly, hospitals, nursing homes and other medical institutions providing “medical, lodging or sleeping facility” in their premises to foreign patients and their attendants will have to intimate relevant authorities about their arrival and departure within 24 hours. They will also have to record the address to which they are proceeding after discharge from the facility.

The hospitals will also have to maintain these details electronically for a period of one year and make them available on demand by specified officials.

“All particulars shall be recorded by the person in charge of hospital, nursing home or any other medical institution in English language, if he is so able, or otherwise, in an Indian language. If the foreigner does not understand English language, it shall be the duty of the person in charge of the hospital, nursing home or any other medical institution, if so requested, to explain to the foreigner the requirements of this rule,” the Rules said.

Every medical institution should also furnish information in respect of any children born to foreigners (either or both the parents are foreigner) or death of any foreigner in their place within seven days of the occurrence of the birth or death electronically to the Registration Officer in the designated online portal or the mobile application.