Overview
- The High Court, which ruled on March 26, directed the Foreigner Regional Registration Office to decide the visa extension within eight weeks and barred any coercive action until then, with four more weeks of protection if an adverse order follows.
- Judges recorded the government’s statement that there is no material to suggest the man poses a threat to national security.
- Immigration officials said he breached visa rules and lived in India without valid papers, yet they confirmed his extension request filed on August 30, 2024 remains pending and ready for a decision.
- The bench highlighted that he married an Indian citizen in 2011 and has two children, warning that denial of status could split the family for good.
- If the extension is granted, the court said he must apply for an Overseas Citizen of India card, a long-term status for eligible spouses, and that application should be decided on priority.