Sat Feb 15 21:27:00 UTC 2025: ## India to Enact Sweeping New Immigration Law

**New Delhi, February 16, 2025** – The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is poised to introduce the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament. This comprehensive legislation aims to replace four existing laws—the Foreigners Act, 1946; the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000—that govern immigration and the movement of foreigners in India. These older laws, some dating back to the pre-independence era, are considered outdated and overlapping.

The new Bill consolidates existing regulations into a single, streamlined document, clarifying the roles of immigration officers and the Bureau of Immigration (BoI), while defining requirements for passports, visas, and registration of foreigners. It also establishes clear obligations for institutions like universities, hospitals, and hotels regarding the reporting of foreign nationals.

Significantly, the Bill introduces “threat to national security, sovereignty, and integrity of India” as grounds for refusing entry or denying stay to foreigners. While such denials have occurred previously, the new legislation explicitly codifies this power. The Bill also specifies penalties for violations, including hefty fines and imprisonment for offenses like entering India without proper documentation, using forged documents, and overstaying visas.

The Bill addresses the issue of illegal immigrants by outlining procedures for identification and deportation. The MHA has already directed states to establish committees to identify foreigners who have overstayed their visas, utilizing resources like the e-FRRO portal and Aadhaar database to detect fraudulent documentation. A new Foreigners Identification Portal has been launched to facilitate the tracking and deportation of illegal migrants. While the Bill doesn’t explicitly use the term “detention centers,” it does provide for supervised accommodation for foreigners awaiting deportation.

The MHA has emphasized the role of state police in identifying and deporting illegal immigrants, given the absence of a dedicated federal police force for this purpose. The Bill’s implementation is expected to significantly reshape India’s immigration framework, enhancing both security and regulatory efficiency.

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