The Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025, which aims to modernize and consolidate India's immigration laws, was introduced in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Nityanand Rai, MoS Home Affairs, tabled the bill, asserting it will empower the Centre to regulate matters related to immigration.
What is the Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025?
Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025 is a new law to rectify and tighten the strings in the existing regulations for immigrants and foreigners. The bill confers upon the Central Government certain powers to provide for the requirement of passports or other travel documents in respect of persons entering into and exiting from India and for regulating matters related to foreigners, including the requirement of visa and registration and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
These matters will be covered by the new law:
- - Requirement of passport or other travel document and visa.
- - Immigration posts for entry or exit.
- - Bureau of Immigration.
- - Registration of foreigners.
- - Power to issue orders, directions or instructions.
- - Obligation of keeper of accommodation and others to furnish particulars.
- - Obligation of Universities and Educational Institutions.
- - Obligation of hospital, nursing home or any other medical institution.
- - Visit to Protected or Restricted area or prohibited places.
- - Change of name of foreigner in India.
- - Foreigners whose movements are restricted.
- - Power to control places frequented by foreigners.
- - Foreigner who is national of more than one foreign country.
- - Burden of proof.
- - Obligation of carriers and like.
- - Liability of carrier to pay penalty.
- - Liability of carriers for passengers brought into India.
- - Contravention or attempts to contravene provisions of Act.
The entry, stay and exit of foreigners from India are currently governed by the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, and the Foreigners Act, 1946.
While Indian visas of all categories to foreigners can be granted in physical or sticker form by Indian missions or posts located abroad, the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) grants electronic visas under seven categories to people from 167 countries. Besides, visa-on-arrival is granted by immigration authorities at six designated airports to nationals of three countries -- Japan, South Korea and the UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-visa or regular or paper visa for India).
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The stay and movement of foreigners in India and their exit are regulated by the BoI and state governments and Union Territory administrations.
According to existing laws, all foreigners on long-term (more than 180 days) student, medical, research, employment, missionary and project visas are required to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) concerned, having jurisdiction over the place where the foreigner intends to stay, within 14 days of arrival. Pakistani nationals are required to register within 24 hours of their arrival. Other laws that cover foreigners in India include the Citizenship Act, 1955, which regulates acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship as well as acquisition and registration of foreigners as Overseas Citizens of India (OCI).
The Passports Act, 1967, provides for the issue of passports and travel documents to regulate departure from India of citizens of India and other persons, and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000, that makes carriers liable in respect of passengers brought by them into India in contravention of provisions of the Passport Act.
Apart from movement, stay and visa, there are certain protected areas in India where foreigners need special permits to travel, including multiple states in the northeastern region, the whole of Andaman and Nicobar, and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
According to Union Home Ministry data, a total of 98,40,321 (98.40 lakh) foreigners visited India between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.
What does the law say?
According to the draft of the Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025, this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,–– (a) “accommodation” means a temporary or permanent premises of any nature, where a foreigner is accommodated; (b) “carrier” means a person or entity, including any association of persons or company, whether incorporated or not, who is engaged in the business of transporting passengers or cargo by air, water or land by aircraft or ship or any other mode of transport; (c) “civil authority” means such authority as may be appointed by the Central Government in this behalf for such area as it thinks fit; (d) “entry” means entry by air, water or land; (e) “exit” means exit by air, water or land; (f) “foreigner” means a person who is not a citizen of India; (g) “immigration function” means any one of the functions relating to— (i) the visa issuance and regulation of entry into; (ii) transit through; (iii) stay in; or (iv) movement within and exit from, India, under the provisions of this Act or rules or orders or directions made thereunder; (h) “Immigration Officer” means any officer authorised by the Central government.
(With PTI inputs)
