Centre Amends Immigration Exemption Order: Minority Refugees Who Came by 2024 Must Get Visa to Stay On
Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered by 31 December 2024 stay exempt from passport rules but need a visa to keep living in India.
The Union Home Ministry has revised the rules on which foreign nationals living in India are exempt from passport and visa requirements, through the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026.
Persecuted minorities from three neighbours
The order continues relief for members of six communities, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who came to India on or before 31 December 2024 because of religious persecution or the fear of it. The exemption covers those who arrived without valid travel documents or whose passports have expired. However, they will now need to obtain an appropriate visa to continue living in India.
This is separate from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which offers a route to citizenship for members of these communities who entered by 31 December 2014. The new order deals only with travel documents and the right to stay.
Other groups covered
- Some Pakistani nationals who came on or before 31 December 2009 intending to settle, and cannot renew their passports because they lack a Pakistani national identity card (CNIC).
- Registered Sri Lankan Tamils who took refuge in India on or before 9 January 2015.
- Certain Tibetans who entered on permits from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu between 1959 and 30 May 2003.
- People who took Malaysian or Singaporean citizenship, returned by 31 December 2009 and cannot renew those passports.
India–Nepal–Bhutan travel
Citizens of India, Nepal and Bhutan travelling directly between the three countries by land or air can use identity documents listed in the Visa Manual instead of passports. Normal passport and visa rules still apply when the journey involves certain third countries.
The order also exempts Indian armed forces personnel on official duty, and family travelling with them on government transport, as well as crew of foreign military ships in India for repairs who hold the required permits.
Featured image: North Block, Secretariat Building, New Delhi — Ronakshah1990, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources
Related
Green Crackers Allowed in Delhi-NCR Only on 7 and 8 November, 6–7 AM and 8–10 PM: What the Supreme Court Ordered
Starlink India Delay: Government Sources Say Musk’s Firm Was Last to Apply and File Security Papers
