Delhi court issues no-objection certificate that clears Jacqueline Fernandez to renew Indian work visa

A special court in Delhi has granted Bollywood actor and Sri Lankan national Jacqueline Fernandez a no-objection certificate (NOC) so she can submit her expired Indian employment-visa for renewal, Business Today reported on 11 October. Fernandez has lived and worked in India since 2009 but is an accused in a ₹200-crore money-laundering case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) had refused to process her renewal without court clearance, prompting the actor to file an application last week. Additional Sessions Judge Gagandeep Singh allowed the request, noting that "the authority concerned shall consider the visa independently as per applicable laws". The order emphasises that the NOC "does not amount to a clean chit" in the criminal matter; Fernandez must still appear for trial hearings and comply with any travel-restriction orders the Enforcement Directorate may seek. While celebrity-driven, the ruling underscores a wider compliance point for foreign professionals in India. Under the Foreigners Act and recent amendments to the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, visa renewals can be refused if applicants face serious criminal proceedings. Courts may, however, grant conditional relief when professional commitments require continued presence in India. Immigration lawyers say multinationals should monitor pending litigation involving expatriate staff, as any charges—tax, corporate or criminal—could trigger FRRO red flags. They advise filing renewal applications at least 90 days before visa expiry and keeping certified copies of any court orders handy for FRRO interviews. The case also illustrates the discretionary power Indian courts wield over foreign-national mobility. By insisting that the FRRO still conduct its own review, the judge balanced the actor’s right to work with state concerns over flight risk, offering a roadmap for other foreign professionals caught in legal disputes.