NEW DELHI: The central government is set to introduce the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha this session, proposing harsher penalties for foreigners entering India without valid travel documents.
Under the bill, unauthorized entry could result in a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh. If a foreigner enters, stays in, or exits India using forged travel documents, the punishment will range from two to seven years in prison, with fines between ₹1 lakh and ₹10 lakh.
The proposed law seeks to replace four existing Acts—the Foreigners Act, 1946; Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; and Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000—to streamline immigration regulations.
Currently, the maximum penalty for entering India without valid documents is five years in jail and a fine, while entry on a forged passport carries an eight-year sentence and a fine of up to ₹50,000.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
- Foreigners violating visa conditions or overstaying will face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to ₹3 lakh, or both.
- Educational institutions, hospitals, and medical facilities with lodging must share foreigner data with designated authorities.
- Carriers (airlines, ships, transport operators) will be held accountable for ferrying foreigners without valid documents and can be fined up to ₹5 lakh. If unpaid, authorities can seize or detain the carrier.
- The central government will have the power to restrict a foreigner’s entry, movement, or exit, require them to bear their deportation costs, and mandate biometric data collection.
With this bill, the government aims to tighten border security and streamline foreigner regulations under a single, comprehensive law.
