The Centre has eased passport and visa requirements for several categories of foreigners residing in India (certain Pakistani citizens, religious minorities from neighbouring countries, registered Sri Lankan Tamils, Tibetan nationals etc).
The changes have been made through the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026 issued by Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 5 and published in Official Gazette.
The amended provisions also change travel and identification requirements for Indian, Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens travelling between the three countries.
Exemptions are conditional on eligibility criteria and entry dates. They do not mean that immigration requirements for all foreign nationals living in India are waived (or that they will be).
Who are the foreign nationals exempt from the law?
The amended order lists several categories of people who can be helped by the new passport and visa requirements.
1. Certain Pakistani Nationals
Pakistani citizens who entered India on or before December 31, 2009 with the intention of living permanently in India are exempted from having a valid passport for continued stay.
This is for people who have been unable to renew their Pakistani passports because they don’t have a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) issued by the Pakistani government.
The exemption is specifically about the requirement for a valid passport or travel document while in India.
2. Religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
The government has also exempted members of six religious communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
These include:
- Hindu
- Sikh
- Buddhist
- Jain
- Parsi
- Christian
The provision applies to those who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution and entered the country on or before 31st December 2024.
This includes people who entered India without valid passports or other travel documents; those whose documents were valid at the time of entry but have since expired.
However, eligible persons must obtain an appropriate category of visa after entering India to stay there.
3. Registered Sri Lankan Tamil Nationals
Registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals who took shelter in India on or before January 9, 2015 have also been exempted from the list.
The provision removes passport and visa requirements for this category if the individuals meet registration and eligibility conditions.
4. Certain Tibetan Nationals
The amended order also applies to some Tibetan nationals who entered India through specified procedures.
These are Tibetans who entered after 1959 but before May 30, 2003 under Entry Permit issued by Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
It also applies to those who entered after May 30, 2003 using a Special Entry Permit issued by the embassy through immigration posts along the India–Nepal border.
The latter category has to register with the authorities and get a Certificate of Registration under the rules applicable to it.
5. Some Persons of Indian Origin With Malaysian or Singaporean Citizenship.
The exemption also applies to certain people of Indian origin who subsequently acquired Malaysian or Singaporean citizenship and returned to India on or before December 31, 2009.
Their passports must have expired and they cannot be renewed because they do not meet the conditions of passport renewal in the respective countries. They must also provide documentary evidence that they are Indian origin.
For this provision the definition of a person of Indian origin excludes citizens from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and China.
Eligible persons must get the right visa category to stay in India.
6. Certain men of Indian origin who returned from Pakistan.
Another specific exemption is for male members of the Muslim community who were originally Indian citizens, migrated to Pakistan after Partition (August 15, 1947 – December 31, 1965) and returned on or before December 31, 2009.
The provision covers people who settled in Kerala (Keralam in notification) and fulfil certain conditions.
These include not having married in Pakistan; not owning immovable property there; family members left behind who are Indian citizens; undertaking not to return to Pakistan and no adverse reports from police or security agencies.
Their Pakistani passports must have expired or been lost. They also need an appropriate visa for continued residence in India.
Changes to Travel Rules for Indians, Nepalese and Bhutanese Citizens
Apart from exemptions for foreign nationals living in India the government has also changed documentation requirements for travel between India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Indian citizens travelling directly to Nepal or Bhutan (or returning from these countries by land/air) may use any of the identity documents listed in the government’s Visa Manual instead of a standard passport.
The same provisions apply to Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens entering or leaving India (conditions mentioned in the amended order).
However, relaxation has important limitations.
Indian citizens travelling to or returning from countries other than Nepal and Bhutan through the India-Nepal or India-Bhutan borders must have valid passports and use immigration posts.
Nepalese and Bhutanese travellers to other countries also need passports. Those who have come from/through China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan must have both a valid passport and visa when entering / leaving India.
Exemptions for Military Personnel and Foreign Naval Crews
The amendment also exempts certain military personnel and foreign military vessel crew members from the prohibition.
Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel travelling into or out of India on official duty are exempt from passport and visa requirements under the above provisions. Their family members are covered when accompanying them on government transport too.
Foreign crew members of military vessels visiting India for repairs are not required to carry passports if they have valid military identification documents and Military Ship Repair Permits from immigration authorities in India.
The provision applies to foreign military vessels (warships and other government operated ships used by another country’s armed forces for non-commercial purposes).
What Does the New Immigration Amendment Mean?
The latest amendment updates India’s immigration framework by allowing people who fall into specific historical, humanitarian and administrative categories to be exempted from the visa requirement.
It also specifies documentation requirements for travel between India, Nepal and Bhutan.
For eligible foreign nationals the changes could ease problems of expired or non-renewable passports and other travel-document issues. But exemptions don’t automatically confer Indian citizenship, permanent residency or unrestricted travel rights.
Several categories still need to get an appropriate visa in order to remain in India; others must fulfil registration, identification and security conditions.
The amendments are part of the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025 and came into force when the 2026 amendment was published in the Official Gazette on November 5.
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