How to register with the FRRO as an accommodation provider in India

Every guide on C-Forms tells you to "file on the FRRO portal." What they skip is the step before that: you cannot file anything until your property is registered with the FRRO as an accommodation provider. This is a one-time setup, and getting it right saves you weeks of back-and-forth later.

Here's exactly how it works for a hotel, homestay, or Airbnb.

What "registration" actually means

Registration creates your login on the FRRO portal and ties it to your property and its address. From then on, every C-Form you file is attached to that registered property. It is separate from any trade licence, GST registration, or B&B licence — those don't register you with the FRRO.

Step 1 — Create your account

Go to indianfrro.gov.in/frro/FormC and choose the registration option for hotels / accommodation providers. You'll set up credentials and enter your property's basic details: legal name, full address, contact person, and phone/email.

Step 2 — Prepare your documents

The exact list varies by local FRRO office, but you will generally need:

• Proof of the property address (utility bill, property tax receipt, or lease)
• Proof of ownership or a registered lease/rent agreement
• Your PAN and/or Aadhaar (and the same for the registered owner)
• For commercial properties: trade licence or business registration
• A photograph of the property and, sometimes, the front-desk contact

Step 3 — Submit online, then (often) in person

After you submit online, most FRRO offices ask you to bring physical copies of your documents — or courier them — to the local office for verification. A few offices accept everything online. Call your local FRRO before you travel; their requirements are the single biggest source of variation.

Step 4 — Wait for approval

Approval timelines range from a few days to a few weeks depending on the office and how complete your paperwork is. Once approved you receive working login credentials, and you can start filing C-Forms for foreign guests immediately.

Common reasons registration gets delayed

• Address on the documents doesn't match the address you entered
• Lease/ownership proof missing or expired
• Submitting online but never sending the physical copies the office asked for
• Using a personal name where the office expects the registered business entity

After you're registered

Once your property is live on the portal, the real work begins: a C-Form for every foreign guest, at arrival and again at checkout. That's the part guestdesk automates.