Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 notified: Legal Framework and Repealed Laws

On 31-8-2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs appointed 1-9-2025 as the date on which the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 comes into force.

All you need to know about the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025:

1. The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 was issued by Ministry of Law and Justice on 4-4-2025.

2. The Act confers upon the Central Government’s powers to provide for requirement of passports or other travel documents in respect of persons entering into and existing from India and for regulating matters related to foreigners including requirements of visa and registration.

3. Requirement of passport or other travel documents and visa:

   • Entry and exit in India is allowed by air, water or land only if the person is in possession of a valid passport or other travel document.

   • In case foreigners, a valid visa is also required.

   • In case, it is found that the foreigner is a threat to national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, is in relations with a foreign State or public health, he will not be allowed or to stay in India.

   • The Immigration officer will have the authority to examine the passport and seize it if the document has been declared as lost/ stolen, damaged, forged/ fraudulently obtained, or on the direction of the passport issuing authority or Courts.

4. Immigration posts for entry or exit will be manned by an Immigration Officer and other personnel as specified by the Bureau of Immigration.

5. Bureau of Immigration:

   • It will perform the immigration functions;

   • The Central Government will supervise, direct, control and appoint officers;

   • The Commissioner of Bureau will supervise the Bureau of Immigration.

   • The Commissioner of Bureau will be assisted by Foreigners Regional Registration Officers, Foreigners Registration Officers and Chief Immigration Officers.

6. Foreigners, on arrival, will be required to register with the Registration Officer.

7. It will be the duty of the keeper of accommodation to submit to the Registration Officer information relating to accommodation of foreigners.

   Exception: not applicable to residential premises of non- commercial nature.

8. Universities, Educational Institutions or any other institution admitting any foreigner will be required to inform this to the Registration Officer.

9. Hospitals, nursing homes or any other medical institution providing medical, lodging or sleeping facility in their premises will have to furnish information of any foreigner taking indoor medical treatment or their attendant for whom such lodging or sleeping facility has been provided to the Registration Officer.

10. Foreigners will not be allowed to enter or stay in any Protected area/ Restricted area or Prohibited place unless they have a special permit.

11. Foreigners in India, whether present before or after the Act came into force, will have to use their original names unless officially permitted to change by the prescribed authority.

12. In case, a foreigner is a national of more than one foreign country, the Immigration Officer will treat such foreigner as the national of the country on whose passport or travel document the foreigner has entered India.

13. Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 repeals the following Act on 1-9-2025:

    • Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920;

    • Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939;

    • Foreigners Act, 1946;

    • Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.