Centre relaxes passport, visa rules for select foreign nationals; revises Nepal, Bhutan travel norms
The revised order also exempts several refugee and long-term resident groups from passport rules, while keeping visa requirements for continued stay in India.
- The Union Home Ministry published the Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2026 on Thursday, relaxing passport and visa regulations for several categories of foreign nationals residing in India.
- This amendment aligns existing exemption categories with the CAA, 2019, consolidating various previous notifications issued under the 2025 Foreigners Act to streamline legal status for long-term residents.
- Eligible groups include minority refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered by December 31, 2024, alongside Pakistani citizens, Sri Lankan Tamils, Tibetans, and people of Indian origin from Malaysia or Singapore.
- Indian, Nepalese, and Bhutanese citizens traveling directly between these three nations may now present identification specified in the government's official 'Visa Manual' rather than standard passports for border crossings.
- Covered individuals must obtain an 'appropriate visa' for continued stay, while travel exemptions do not apply to passengers transiting through China, Macau, Hong Kong, or Pakistan.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Centre extends immigration relief to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan entered India by 2024
The Centre has amended the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order to provide relief to members of specified religious minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India by December 31, 2024, after fleeing religious persecution or fearing such persecution. Under the amended order, dated November 4, members of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities from these three neighbouring countrie…
Centre Relaxes Passport Rules For Some Pakistani Nationals, Minority Refugees And Tibetans
<p>The Centre has relaxed passport and visa requirements for certain categories of foreign nationals living in India, including some Pakistani citizens, minority refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetans.</p> <p>The changes were notified through The Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, published by the Union Home Ministry on Thursday.</p> <p>Under the amended rules, Pakistani na…
Govt relaxes passport, visa rules for foreigners living in India
New Delhi: The government has relaxed passport and visa rules for several categories of foreign nationals residing in the country, including certain Pakistani citizens, minority refugees, Sri Lankan Tamils, and Tibetans, according to a gazette notification. The Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, published on Thursday, November 5, also streamlines travel and identification protocols … Get the latest updates in Hyderab…
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