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Why in News
- Union Home Ministry notified Rules, Order, and Exemption Order under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
- Replaces older laws:
➤ Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920
➤ Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939
➤ Foreigners Act, 1946
➤ Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000
Rationale Behind the Act
- Remove overlap among multiple outdated laws.
- Address new challenges in travel, security, and immigration.
- Add new provisions for better management and enforcement.
Key Provisions – Immigration and Foreigners Rules
- Bureau of Immigration empowered to investigate fraud, coordinate deportation, and maintain immigration database.
- Mandatory biometric data for all foreigners.
- Educational institutions must report details of foreign students.
- Premises like resorts/clubs can be shut if used by illegal migrants.
- Intelligence Bureau personnel defined as immigration officers.
Provisions – Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025
- Grants Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) powers like first-class magistrate.
- FTs can detain individuals without citizenship proof.
- Can issue arrest warrants; decisions reviewable within 30 days.
- Legalises BSF and Assam Rifles’ role in border control.
- Entry refusal grounds expanded to terrorism, trafficking, cybercrime, etc.
- Applicable nationwide but operational only in Assam.
Provisions – Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025
- Exempts:
➤ Nepalese, Bhutanese, Tibetans
➤ Sri Lankan Tamils (sheltered before 9 Jan 2015)
➤ Undocumented minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Christians) entered before 31 Dec 2024.
- Exemptions from visa/passport requirements and penal actions.
- Only minorities eligible for Long-Term Visas (LTV) → citizenship path.
- Sri Lankan Tamils not eligible for LTV extension.
