Frederick receives visa

86-year-old Frederick is one of Auroville's longest-serving residents, having first come to Pondicherry and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1960, and settling permanently in 1966. He had been informed in April 2025 that his application for a visa extension, which had been left pending since July 2024, had been rejected and he was ordered to upload a flight ticket on the FRRO’s website within seven days. Many Auroville residents and other well-wishers signed a petition appealing to the authorities to renew Frederick's visa. It is reported that Frederick has now received a three year visa which expires in one more year (valid from 2023-2026). In a brief video, he said he had experienced a “sense of a large Auroville global fraternity” in the many thousands of people who signed and wrote letters in his support, and he expressed his deep appreciation for their assistance.