WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

What are C forms and who has to fill them in?

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

C forms have to be filled in by anyone staying at any hotel or guest house in India. Recently they have extended this to private houses. As I understand it they need to be completed in duplicate and each person has to provide a copy of their passport and visa. They are supposed to be handed in to the Police immediately they are filled in. I believe that the Police can supply these forms. They should be filled in on the day of arrival. Others may know more, and I am not certain of all the facts, but hope this helps.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

... and what form do you fill in to stay in your own property now that they won't give you a visa that needs registration at the FRO???

AndyD 8-)#

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

The C form. You know how they love their bits of paper.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

So only guests at your property have to fill them in? Do the owners also?

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

At our complex foreign owners* have to fill them in too.

* Includes sale agreement 'owners'.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

hotels and boarding houses and any rented places FN have to fill in C forms they have to be in the police station within 24 hours of your arrival, the owners of the propertys are obliged to do this for you if they are here of course, indian guests if staying over 15 days have to now complete a different form ( the format of this form can be sort from the police station ) 4 copies of this form is required with photographs,

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

What is called the C Form is a form available in packs with the obligatory blue carbon paper and actually the Hotel Arrival Form called the Registration of Foreigners Rules 1939. It has to be filled in by all foreigners when they arrive, tourists and long termers in duplicate. This has to be taken to the nearest police station and recorded there where they keep one copy and sign or stamp your own to keep. Depending on who you see you may need a copy of your passport and of the current visa. Its worth taking those in case.
The Police do not provide these forms. If you are an owner or leaseholder you fill in the form and sign the bottom where it says Manager Owner/ Signature..so in other words you sign it twice.
Include date of Visa expiry. I have been filling these in for several years and have had no problem but I know some people have had problems because they have not had the corect paperwork with them. One form for each visitor however long they stay.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

At our complex they said "it's your property, you don't need permission to stay in your own place" - so I don't know what to believe.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Its not permission its a Foreigners Regsistration form...So much confusion!

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

OK I have just read the 'Registration of Foreigners Rules 1939'. As you might expect most of it is very dated, and apart from Hotel Registers and Form C filled in by hotels; boarding houses; Dak bungalows etc. it seems to be observed only in the breach.
Form C definately does not apply to someone staying in their own property. I am unclear whether Form A applies (if indeed it still exists).
Does anyone actually know?

AndyD 8-)#

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Sorry but you are wrong..everyone has to fill in Form C..ask the Minister for Tourism or your local Police Station...

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Fully agree with Chris, thats why its not called "Registration of Foreigners Except Those Who Think They Might Own Property Act 1939"

Out of curiosity, who were "they" and how did "permission" creep into this anyway?
Wouldnt bother asking the Tourism Minister though, he is unlikely to know the answer and will require a hefty (hafta?) bribe to tell you so....


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Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Registration seems to apply to those staying longer than 180 days. I would have thought that Form C only applies to those 'paying' for accommodation, as above. Possibly related also to taxation (as in the 30% luxury tax foreigners pay in 4 & 5 star hotels). If it applied to all; those with foreign passports staying with various relatives for a few days at a time or overnight would be filling in multiple forms, this would be ridiculous! All fill in a landing card so info. is available there.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

The "registration" with regard to over 180 days is a completely different issue and absolutely nothing to do with this thread.

The "C" form MUST be completed whether you are paying for accommodation or not.

It has absolutely nothing to do with taxation whatsoever.

It is applied to all, this is absolute fact

Foreign relatives staying for a few days are required, by law, to fill out "C" forms, in theory even if they are only there for 24 hours.

This being Goa, where the rule of law long since ceased to exist, in many cases the regulations are ignored.........but that doesnt mean they dont exist! When there is a major terrorist scare, like after the Bombay attacks, woebetide those found in contravention.

No "multiple" forms, just one per person.

More information is on a "C" form, plus it goes directly to the police station in the area in which the foreigner will reside.

Red Tape? Quite probably as it was introduced by the British throughout the Empire in the run up to World War Two in order to ascertain and record the exact location of foreigners (potential enemies) in British Territory.


FACTS not supposition....................................


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Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

OK I've had another look at the 'Registration of Foreigners Rules 1939':

Form A (Parts I II III IV) is the Registration Form you fill in at the FRO for stays of more than 180 days (the Act seems to say 90 days). Part I is what you fill in, Part III is the Residential Permit they give back to you, Parts II and IV are duplicates of Pt. I.

Form B is Temporary Registration (Rule 6 - mainly for arrivals by ship I think).

Form C is Hotel Arrival Report (Rule 14 - which also covers the keeping of an hotel Register- Form F)

Form D is the Disembarkation Form you get on the plane

Form E is the Passenger Manifest

Form F is the Hotel Register (see Form C)

No need to ask a policeman - you can read it all here (warning pdf)

AndyD 8-)#

P.S. The Act also defines 'tourist' - it uses a similar definition to the MHA FAQ - i.e. persons not having property or occupation.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

As registration was mentioned I thought I would also mention it.
Multiple forms: I meant 'multiple' relatives. We (as many others do) stay with relatives in several locations (outside Goa) during a stay in India.
As you have seen a C Form then you must know best! but the thread title is 'What is a C Form?' so others must also not know.
I have never seen a C Form and I am sure relatives in India haven't either. So
after decades of not knowing we will continue in ignorance!!
As an afterthought what does the C Form say about owned property??

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

That's what I thought, but I was wrong - it's all part of the 1939 Registration rules - read them for yourself.

AndyD 8-)#

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

[QUOTE=a_f_d;9012295]That's what I thought, but I was wrong - it's all part of the 1939 Registration rules - read them for yourself.

AndyD 8-)#[/QUOTE


No you were not wrong Andy, this thread is about the

C FORM
Which just happens to be part of the 1939 Act with modifications to sort of suit todays situations,

WHAT I STATED EARLIER IS FACT IF YOU ARE FOREIGNER VISITING IN 2010

Hypothetical arguements and all the other aspects of the Act are fine, when you are found to be in contravention regarding the

C FORM,
By all means use them to argue with the policeman handling your case. For goodness sake, its one form to be filled out (each, of course!!!!) for your entire stay, whats the bl**dy fuss about?
Because you think you "own" your flat and think that makes you exempt??

And it says nothing about owned property because its IRRELEVANT


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Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

you should treat the C form as relavently as most of the goan guest house owners have always done which is not very or not at all or sometimes maybe but not too often in case the income tax people twig we didn't have empty rooms all seasonl like we always say we do, because at worst you might get a visit from 2 uniformed cops on a motorbike and thats only because some jealous b has snitched you up you might be taking in paying guests or just doesnt like you for some reason, and thats not just goans doing the stitching, unless of course your stockpiling fertilizer or have nigerians making quick visits all day and night every day and the mumbai ladyboys you have working are undercutting the local brothel which is owned by the mla

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Johnny five - better if you don't shout.
Form C (not c form) is for hotels etc.
did you read the link?

AndyD

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Have done a little more research (becoming obsessed ! ) You are right Form C is only for hotels, guest houses etc.

However J5 was partially right about the private property issue. It is covered by Foreigner (Report to Police) Order 1971 section 2. The duty is on the house holder to report, not the guest, but---but--apparently this order was ammended following protest, (unless guest is from Pakistan etc.) I can't find a reference to the official ammendment.
As the law was, when in place in 1971 it still did not cover the situation of a foreigner arriving at his own house.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

OK, do what you all want, quite honestly I no longer give a damn.

We are back in one of those black is white scenarios.

All the long-term let landlords I have dealt with since the early nineties have been meticulous about the C form without exception, and we have been perfectly happy to fill it in.

Try asking at your local police station who has to fill it in, I can guarantee what the answer will be.......

but as I said, I no longer care.


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Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

J5 we are in agreement !!! All along we have been saying that the C Form is used when accommodation is payed for. The word 'hotel' in the rules covers all types of dwelling that involve payment. If you have a 'landlord' you are paying rent, so yes C Form is needed.

The law I mentioned is quite different and relates to ordinary visitors to a private house; apparently before amendment the 'householder' risked 5 years in prison for not reporting a foreign visitor.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Thanks Johnny Five....its such a simple form to complete and to take to the Police I really dont know what all the fuss is about. Have asked a personal friend of the Minister and he said it has to be filled in by everyone...and that was free!

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

My experience of a C form is that it is part of the registration, its a form to be filled out by the owner of the property, pretty straightforward and a requirement of anyone registering.:)

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

The 'fuss' was when J5 stated that the Form also applied to foreign guests of ordinary Indian house holders e.g. when Uk passport holder son visits granny in Bombay. Not so as I explained. Also the position of foreign 'owners' arriving in their own property is still a 'grey' area. Many have owned property in India before the law change and elsewhere from Goa (where probably the rule is probably sign everything just in case).

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

Perhaps we are getting a bit bogged down by the issue of these C forms. It does not really matter what the law says, if the Police say they must have them what option do you have? Personally the less I have to do with them the better. The last thing I want is a visit from them asking who is staying in our apartment. If this means filling in these forms then that is what I will do. Everyone who has a property knows that the legality of official actions means nothing. What Ministers want they get, and to hell with the law. I think it is best not to give them an excuse. Remember whenever anyone enters the country they must state their address, so they can check. Who is to say that in the future they may not use the issue of non compliance with this to refuse visas.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

I can see your point, what happens in Goa regarding 'foreigners' seems to be different from the rest of India!!!

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

I have never filled in a c-form (only that thingy immigration form that they make you fill in on the plane stating where you will be staying etc)
I had a phone call followed up by a visit from Goa CID 2 years ago and they wouldn't tell me what it was about until visiting me in person.
I was crapping myself thinking i had done something wrong.
It turned out that they where visiting everyone on our flight to ask questions about a Pakistani Suspect whos paperwork was found among the baggage on the plane even though he wasn't listed as a passenger.

Anyway they obviously knew where i was because of that form that i filled in on the plane.....but they never mentioned any c-form and where very pleasant. My partner and kids where also with me in the apartment.

Re: WHAT ARE C FORMS?
 

So do nothing not permitted by the law and do nothing not required by the law - and ffs just read it for yourself!

AndyD