Relaxed Norms for Foreign Nationals Getting Mobile Connections in India
The Indian government has recently announced the relaxation of norms for foreign nationals seeking mobile connections during their visit to the country. In an order dated July 31, the Department of Telecom (DoT) addressed the challenges faced by foreign visitors in obtaining mobile connections due to the inability to provide an alternate number for receiving a one-time password (OTP) as part of the digital KYC (D-KYC) process.
According to the DoT’s order, foreign nationals seeking mobile connections in India can now use their email address for receiving the OTP, making the provision of sending the OTP to a local number optional. The order states, “It has been decided by the competent authority that the requirement of obtaining signature of the customer by sending OTP on the alternate mobile number… is hereby made optional for issuing the mobile connections to the foreign nationals visiting India. Further, licensees may send OTP on the email of foreign nationals as an alternate method, if sending an OTP on an alternate number is not feasible.”
It’s important to note that this relaxation is applicable only for foreign nationals visiting India. This initiative aims to streamline the process of obtaining mobile connections for international visitors, easing the burden of providing an alternate mobile number and enabling them to utilize their email addresses for the OTP verification.
This development is expected to positively impact the experience of foreign nationals visiting India, facilitating smoother access to essential mobile communication services during their stay.
This step taken by the Indian government reflects a commitment to accommodating the needs of foreign visitors and enhancing the ease of conducting essential tasks such as obtaining mobile connections while in the country.
