Minorities of Afghanistan, B’desh and Pak can stay in India without passport if entered before Dec 2024

New Delhi, Sep 3 A person from minority community including Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian from neighbouring nations including Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of it and entered into India on or before 31st December, 2024 - with or without valid documents including passport or other travel documents, will be exempted from any penal action, said a government notification.

The declaration, allowing non-Muslim minority migrants to stay in the country without their passports, has been made in the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2024, which came into force after its notification on September 1 (Monday).

The development has been hailed and widely welcomed by the BJP, as this opens doors for harassed and troubled minorities from the neighbouring countries to seek refuge in the country – a concept championed by the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar called it “a true step towards justice & humanity”.

Taking to X, he wrote, “In a landmark decision, the Govt of India has allowed minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh & Pakistan — Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi & Christian — who entered India on/before 31st Dec 2024 due to religious persecution, to stay even without valid documents. A true step towards justice & humanity!”

Moreover, according to the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) order 2025, the citizens of Nepal and Bhutan and Tibetans who entered India from 1959 to May 2003 on the special entry permit and are registered with the foreign registration officer, have been given similar relaxation.

The notification further said that the members of the Navy, military and Air Forces entering India on duty and members of the family of any such person, when accompanying such person on a government transport, will get exemption under the Immigration and Foreigners Act. Also, those foreigners holding diplomatic passports will not require a visa.

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