Utter these four letters (F.R.R.O.) to any expat in India and you'll likely get a groan, sigh or a barrage of different choice four letter words.
Within the first couple of weeks of your arrival into India, you are required - as a foreigner - to register with the Foreigner Regional Registration Office. Sounds easy enough right? In fact, we spent the summer talking with various expats in other countries who explained that it simply took "one piece of paper, and a quick 30 minute visit to the office."
Yea ... not in India!
Because I know that so many people have SO many different experiences with the FRRO, I'm choosing to take the easy way out when writing about this required process (also known as "pointing you in the direction of people who have already written about it).
Since I am not going to rewrite the book, first I will point you to this website (which I only JUST found) ... the FRRO India. Written and maintained by expats and NOT the city officials, it is a helpful guide to refer to.
Jen shared with me this cool spot to get ONLINE passport photos ... and from the little I looked around, they appear to be FREE!!
By the way ... if you're on your way here, or have just arrived -- it does not hurt to have 30 passport photos of each of your family members at any one time! Really! You will need them for almost every imaginable thing.
Also to note, they are MUCH cheaper here in India than they are state-side. Get just a sheet before you arrive ... and save the job of getting multiples until you land.
Also to note, they are MUCH cheaper here in India than they are state-side. Get just a sheet before you arrive ... and save the job of getting multiples until you land.
On to the "they've already written about it" posts ::
Sounds fun, right? I think I should be enterprising and set up a little kiosk outside the FRRO and stock it with ibuprofen, coffee, little board games for the kids, popsicles, magazines and other things to help pass the time and make the process a smidge easier and more tolerable!
