Now, those holding fake passports and visas in India are not doing well. Such people may have to go to jail and also have to pay a heavy fine. A new act regulating matters related to foreigners and immigration came into force from Monday, which has a provision of strict punishment for holding a fake passport or visa.
The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 was passed by Parliament during the Budget Session. It was approved by President Draupadi Murmu on April 4, 2025.
The notification issued by Nitesh Kumar Vyas, Under Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, said, ‘In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section one of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (13 of 2025), the Central Government appoints September 1, 2025 as the date on which the provisions of this Act shall come into force.’
Hotels, hospitals and universities are also within the purview of the law…
According to this law, any person who uses a fake passport or visa to enter or stay in India or to leave this country can be imprisoned for up to seven years and fined up to Rs 10 lakh. The Act also provides for mandatory reporting of information about foreigners by hotels, universities and other educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes, so that foreigners staying beyond the prescribed period can be monitored. All international airlines and ships will have to submit passenger and crew lists, information about passengers and crew on board such ships, aircraft or other means of transport to the civil authority or immigration officer at any port or place in India in advance.
7 years imprisonment and Rs 10 lakh fine…
This act states that whoever knowingly uses a forged or illegally obtained passport or other document to enter, stay or leave India, he can be punished with imprisonment for a term of two years to seven years and a fine of Rs one lakh to ten lakh rupees. According to this new law, if a foreigner enters India without a visa or any other valid travel document as per the law, he can be punished with imprisonment for a term of five years or a fine of up to Rs five lakh or he can face both punishments.
It is a comprehensive law to regulate all matters relating to foreigners and immigration, which were till now governed by four Acts, namely the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Foreigners Registration Act, 1939, the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Immigration (Carrier Liability) Act, 2000. All these Acts have been repealed.
We have taken all measures to ensure that the information provided in this article and on our social media platform is credible, verified and sourced from other Big media Houses. For any feedback or complaint, reach out to us at businessleaguein@gmail.com
Add businessleague.in as a Preferred Source
