Internal Security
Immigration and Foreigners Bill becomes law with President Droupadi Murmu's assent
New Delhi/IBNS: The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 on Friday became a law after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to it, media reports said.
It has been notified through gazette notification.
The bill was passed by Parliament after it received the nod from the Rajya Sabha by voice vote on Wednesday. It was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.
The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 has been passed to simplify the laws for 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 requirement of visa and registration.
As per the law, a person will face a jail term of up to seven years and a fine to the extent of Rs. 10 lakh if he is found entering, staying or exiting with a forged passport or visa.
The law makes it mandatory for hotels, educational institutions, hospitals to report information about foreigners to enable tracking of overstaying foreigners.
"Whoever knowingly uses or supplies a forged or fraudulently obtained passport or other travel document or visa for entering into India or staying in or exiting from India, shall be punishable with an imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years, but may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees, but may extend to ten lakh rupees," the Act said.
The law also states any foreigner who enters a part of India without a valid passport or any other travel document including visa required for such an entry breaching the provisions of the rule will attract a jail term extending up to five years or a fine upto Rs. 5 lakh or both.
Protesting against the new law, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the foreigners as a result of the new rule will be "viewed with serious suspicion".
He says, "From dreams of being a Vishwaguru and enveloping the world in India's embrace of soft power—from talking of Aditi Devo Bhava—to the brutal message that this bill sends, rendering all foreigners as potential criminals to be viewed with serious suspicion by India, an unwelcoming fortress for its unwanted non-guests.
"This approach can only be ascribed to a mindset that treats foreigners not as individuals with dignity, respect and identity, but as objects of our contempt and disgust."
I rise to oppose the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, and seek substantial changes in its pernicious character. It is clearly designed for ulterior motives by a control freak Sarkar, bent upon sending out a message of fear through the architecture of omniscient, Orwellian… pic.twitter.com/wyqlOwGeVF
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 2, 2025
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the law will strengthen India's internal security and provide up-to-date information about foreigners visiting India.
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