The Bar Council of India (BCI) on November 14, 2025, issued the Bar Council of India Rules on Enrolment and Practice of Foreign Nationals, 2025.
These rules shall apply to nationals of countries other than India who seek permission to practice law in India, whether by virtue of holding a law degree from a University in India or from any foreign University.
The key provisions are as stated:
• A foreign national shall be considered for enrolment under these rules only if duly qualified citizens of India are permitted to practice law in that foreign national’s country on substantially equivalent and reciprocal terms.
• The Bar Council of India shall determine and publish, from time to time, the list of reciprocal jurisdictions, after consultation with and on the advice of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India.
• The decision of the Bar Council of India in this regard, based on such consultation and advise, shall be final and binding.
• A foreign national who has obtained a recognised law degree from a University in India shall be eligible to be registered only for non-litigious practice of Indian law, which shall include advisory, consultancy, documentation and transactional work. Such foreign national shall have no right of audience or appearance before any court, tribunal, authority or quasi-judicial body in India.
• A foreign national who has not obtained a law degree from a University in India shall not be permitted to practise Indian law. Such a person may only practise in matters concerning foreign law, international law and international commercial arbitration, in accordance with the Bar Council of India Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2022, as amended in 2025, provided that such practice shall not extend to rendering any opinion on Indian law.
• Foreign nationals registered under these rules are restricted from participating in the governance or representative structures of the legal profession in India. They cannot be members of any State Bar Council, the Bar Council of India, or Bar Associations, nor can they vote, contest elections, hold office, or represent such bodies. They will be issued a distinct enrolment number in the format FNR/State Code/Year/Serial Number, and their enrolment certificate will explicitly state that they are permitted only non-litigious legal practice, such as advisory, consultancy, documentation, and transactional work, with no right to appear before any court, tribunal, or authority.
• Foreign nationals are also not eligible for financial aid, welfare schemes, or benefits from Bar Councils or Bar Associations unless specially approved by the Bar Council of India with Central Government consent. Additionally, they cannot be empanelled for legal aid or government panels, nor are they eligible for judicial service examinations, appointments, or nominations, unless expressly permitted by the Central or State Government.
They shall come into force on such date as may be notified by the Bar Council of India
[Notification No. BCI:D: 7842/2025]
