Wed Feb 12 19:25:52 UTC 2025: ## New Immigration Bill to Tighten Entry Rules, Increase Penalties
**New Delhi, February 13, 2025** – A comprehensive new Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, is poised to overhaul India’s immigration laws, introducing stricter entry requirements and significantly increased penalties for violations. Expected to be introduced in Parliament’s current session, the bill will replace four existing Acts—the Foreigners Act, 1946; Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000—which are deemed outdated and overlapping.
The key changes include:
* **National Security Grounds for Refusal:** For the first time, the bill will explicitly allow refusal of entry or stay based on threats to national security and sovereignty, as well as based on a foreign national’s relations with a foreign state.
* **Final Decision-Making Power:** Immigration Officer decisions regarding entry will be final and binding.
* **Increased Penalties:** Significant penalties are proposed for various violations: up to five years imprisonment and/or a ₹5 lakh fine for entering without proper documentation; two to seven years imprisonment and a ₹1-10 lakh fine for using forged documents; and three years imprisonment and/or a ₹3 lakh fine for visa overstays.
* **Clarified Roles and Responsibilities:** The bill will define the functions of Immigration Officers, and outline obligations for educational and medical institutions regarding foreign nationals. It will also address the burden of proof for individuals claiming to be non-foreign nationals.
* **Strengthened Bureau of Immigration:** The Bureau of Immigration will receive enhanced legal backing.
The bill aims to streamline the immigration process, eliminate inconsistencies in existing legislation, and strengthen national security. The proposed changes represent a significant shift in India’s immigration policy, marking a more stringent approach to foreign entry and stay.
First Piper 