India

The National Database on Sexual Offenders is kept by the National Crime Records Bureau. It is open only to law enforcement agencies. A foreigner convicted of listed offences, including rape and child abuse, may be refused entry (Immigration and Foreigners Order 2025, para. 3(1)(a)). In October 2026 the Delhi High Court upheld refusing a visa to a man convicted as a sex offender in the U.S.

Full profile · Last verified: October 27, 2026 · All countries

Each statement is labelled Law (statute, regulation or court ruling), Policy (official guidance) or Reported practice (what officials report doing). Items marked Recheck could not be fully confirmed from a primary source.

The country's own registry

Policy The Ministry of Home Affairs launched the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) on September 20, 2018. The National Crime Records Bureau maintains it.
Source: Press Information Bureau: Union Home Minister launches two portals to strengthen Women Safety (September 20, 2018); Press Information Bureau: National Database on Sexual Offenders (January 2, 2019)
Policy The NDSO is open only to law enforcement agencies with access to the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System. It is not public. It held 493,778 records of people involved in offences such as rape, gang rape, stalking and child abuse as of December 28, 2018.
Source: Press Information Bureau: National Database on Sexual Offenders (January 2, 2019)
Policy The government's announcements describe the NDSO as a database launched by the Ministry. No statute creating it was found.
Source: Press Information Bureau: Union Home Minister launches two portals to strengthen Women Safety (September 20, 2018)

Entry and admissibility

Law No foreigner may enter or stay in India if found inadmissible on grounds of national security, sovereignty and integrity, relations with a foreign State, public health, or other grounds the Central Government specifies. The Immigration Officer's decision is final (Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, s. 3(1), provisos).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (Act No. 13 of 2025), Gazette of India copy (PRS Legislative Research)
Law A foreigner may be refused entry or stay if convicted of listed offences or "found involved in such offences". The list includes rape and murder, human trafficking including child trafficking, cyber crime and child abuse (Immigration and Foreigners Order 2025, para. 3(1)(a)).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025 (S.O. 3986(E), September 1, 2025), Gazette of India
Law Entry may also be refused to someone deported from India who is still barred, or whose entry is prohibited by order of the Central Government or an authorised law enforcement agency. An Immigration Officer may also prohibit entry in the interest of public safety (para. 3(1)(d)-(e), 3(2)).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025 (S.O. 3986(E), September 1, 2025), Gazette of India
Law In W.P.(C) 4979/2026 (October 5, 2026), the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition by a U.S. citizen convicted as a sex offender in the U.S. He had been given an e-visa in December 2022 but was refused entry at Delhi airport and deported. The court said the authorities "are within their rights to prevent such people from setting foot on Indian soil".
Source: Delhi High Court: W.P.(C) 4979/2026, judgment of October 5, 2026 (visa refused to U.S. sex offender)
Law According to that judgment, the Bureau of Immigration refused entry and cancelled the e-visa because he was a convicted sex offender and his passport carried an endorsement saying so. The Gujarat High Court had already dismissed his challenge on January 6, 2023.
Source: Delhi High Court: W.P.(C) 4979/2026, judgment of October 5, 2026 (visa refused to U.S. sex offender); LiveLaw: US Citizen With Valid Visa Denied Entry Into India Due To Conviction For Sexual Offence, Gujarat HC Issues Notice

Visa / travel authorisation

Policy U.S. citizens need a valid Indian visa or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card to enter and leave India.
Source: U.S. Department of State: India International Travel Information
Recheck: travel.state.gov returned 403 to the build network; read from an archived copy of the page last updated May 8, 2025. Confirm against the live page.
Policy U.S. passport holders are eligible for the e-Visa. The e-Tourist Visa is issued for 30 days, one year or five years. For the one- and five-year visas, total stay may not exceed 180 days in a calendar year. Applications must be made at least 4 days before arrival.
Source: Indian Visa Online: e-Visa categories, eligibility and FAQ (Bureau of Immigration)
Reported practice In 2018 the government added questions to the visa application asking whether the applicant has been convicted by a court in any country, has been refused entry or deported, or has been involved in child abuse or crimes against women, The Tribune reported.
Source: The Tribune: Foreigners seeking Indian visas must reveal all criminal records now (October 23, 2018)
Recheck: The application form is behind the online portal and was not read directly; confirm the current wording of the questions.

Registration or reporting after arrival

Law A foreigner on a visa valid for 180 days or less who leaves within that period does not have to register, unless the visa says otherwise. Someone who wants to stay beyond 180 days must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer through the online portal or the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app (Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025, r. 12).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025 (G.S.R. 596(E), September 1, 2025), Gazette of India; Siasat / Press Trust of India: Govt notifies changes in Immigration and Foreigners Rules (June 2, 2026)
Recheck: A June 1, 2026 amendment reportedly requires registration before the 180 days run out, not within 14 days after; the amending notification was read only through a PTI report.
Law Hotels and other accommodation must send the foreigner's details to the Registration Officer on Form III within 24 hours of arrival (r. 17(5)).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025 (G.S.R. 596(E), September 1, 2025), Gazette of India
Law The civil authority may order a foreigner to live in a particular place, restrict their movements, or bar contact with specified people (Immigration and Foreigners Order 2025, para. 8(1)).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025 (S.O. 3986(E), September 1, 2025), Gazette of India
Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No rule requiring a foreign sex offender to report to the police or join the NDSO after arrival was found.

Residency, employment and housing

Law OCI registration may be cancelled if the holder is sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more, or charge-sheeted for an offence punishable with seven years or more. All India Radio reported that this applies whether the conviction was in India or abroad, as long as the offence is recognised under Indian law.
Source: All India Radio News: Government tightens rules governing Overseas Citizens of India (August 13, 2025); Citizenship Act, 1955, s. 7D (cancellation of Overseas Citizen of India registration) and MHA notification under s. 7D(da) of August 2025 (cited by name)
Recheck: The August 2025 notification under s. 7D(da) and the text of s. 7D were not read directly; confirm the wording.
Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No published bar on work or housing tied to a foreign sex-offence conviction was found.

Removal, rehabilitation or waivers

Law The Central Government may order a foreigner removed from India for breaking the Act, its rules or orders, or because of an adverse security report (Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, s. 29).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (Act No. 13 of 2025), Gazette of India copy (PRS Legislative Research)
Law The Bureau of Immigration keeps a list of foreigners barred from entry. The list is reviewed periodically, and a listed person may ask the Ministry of Home Affairs to review their inclusion (Immigration and Foreigners Order 2025, para. 3(5)).
Source: Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025 (S.O. 3986(E), September 1, 2025), Gazette of India
Finding No published rule found as of October 27, 2026. No fixed period after which a conviction stops counting for entry was found.

What U.S. rules still apply

Law U.S. law still applies to the trip itself: registrants must report international travel at least 21 days in advance, and the U.S. may notify the destination country before arrival. See the U.S. travel guide for the notice rule, the passport identifier and how notifications work.
Source: ComplianceAtlas: Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant

Read Traveling Abroad as a U.S. Registrant before booking.

Sources

Legal Disclaimer

International laws, immigration policies, and registry requirements change frequently and may vary depending on citizenship, visa type, offense history, and purpose of travel. Entry decisions are made solely by each country's immigration authorities. Always verify current requirements using official government sources before traveling. This page is not legal advice.