Relief for minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh; permission to stay without passport if arrived before this date
NEW DELHI: Non-Muslims who migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 31, 2024, can stay in India without any documents, including passports. The deadline was till December 31, 2014, according to the Citizenship Act. The 10-year relaxation was made in the notification of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, to prevent illegal entry and residence in the country.
It applies to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians. According to the amendment, those who migrated on or before December 31, 2024, even if they do not have valid documents, will be exempted from penal proceedings. The exemption is applicable to Tibetans who entered India from 2025, Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens crossing the border by air or land, and Sri Lankan Tamils who sought asylum till January 9, 2015. Indian citizens crossing the Nepalese and Bhutanese borders are also exempted. However, Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens who entered India via China, Macau, Hong Kong and Pakistan are not eligible for the exemption.
States and union territories have the power to implement the law. Those who enter without a visa or travel document are punished with imprisonment for up to five years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh.
Those who do not need a visa
- Armed forces personnel and their family members who are going out of the country for work and returning to the country
- Personnel of foreign warships coming for military exercises etc.
- Foreigners holding diplomatic passports
- Individuals from designated countries eligible for visa-on-arrival
Mostly from Bangladesh
Most of the migrants to India are from Bangladesh. There are more than two crore Bangladeshi migrants in India, according to the estimate placed in Parliament in 2016. Of this, non-Muslim groups will be exempt. Violence against Hindus increased in Bangladesh after the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024. Subsequently, many families sought refuge in India. Meanwhile, 2300 Bangladeshi Muslims who were staying illegally were expelled after the Pahalgam attack.