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New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has said that people from minority communities who came to India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan till December 31, 2024, to escape religious persecution can stay in the country without a passport or other travel documents.
It must be mentioned here that minority communities in those countries include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) states that members of these persecuted minorities from the above-mentioned countries who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, can get Indian citizenship.
According to the order issued by the Union Home Ministry, "A person belonging to a minority community in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan-- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians-- who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution and entered the country on or before December 31, 2024 without valid documents, including a passport or other travel documents, or with valid documents, including a passport or other travel documents, and the validity of such documents have expired, will be exempted from the rule of possessing a valid passport and visa."
Meanwhile, Centre has implemented the new Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, to curb illegal immigration. It has come into effect with strict rules on immigration, passports, and visas. As a result, now hotels, hospitals, and educational institutions will have to mandatorily report foreigners to officials. Also, the Bureau of Immigration has been vested with more powers to identify and deport illegal immigrants.
The Act states if any person uses a forged passport or visa to enter or stay in India, that individual will be handed a jail term of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. Also, those supplying forged passports or travel documents will be punished.
