PolicyHome Ministry
Centre eases passport and visa rules for persecuted minorities, Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetans living in India
A Home Ministry order exempts several groups of long-settled foreigners from passport rules and lets Indians, Nepalis and Bhutanese cross directly between the three countries on listed identity papers.
Key points
- The Home Ministry notified the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026.
- Persecuted minorities from three neighbours who came on or before December 31, 2024 are exempt.
- Indians, Nepalis and Bhutanese travelling directly between the three can use Visa Manual identity papers.
The Union Home Ministry has relaxed passport and visa rules for several groups of foreigners who have long lived in India, in a gazette notification published on Thursday.
The Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, exempts Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who came to India on or before December 31, 2024 to escape religious persecution or the fear of it. It covers those who arrived without valid travel documents and those whose papers have since expired. They must still obtain an appropriate visa to go on living in the country.
Registered Sri Lankan Tamils who took shelter in India up to January 9, 2015 are also exempted, as are Tibetans who entered on permits issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu between 1959 and May 30, 2003, or later on special entry permits at designated posts on the India-Nepal border.
Pakistani nationals and PIOs
Some Pakistani nationals who came on or before December 31, 2009, to settle permanently, and cannot renew their passports because they hold no Pakistani identity card (CNIC), are covered too. They must have no adverse police or security reports, must not have married or bought property in Pakistan, and must undertake not to return there. People of Indian origin who returned by the same date on Malaysian or Singaporean passports that have expired and cannot be renewed get similar relief.
Nepal and Bhutan
Indian, Nepali and Bhutanese citizens travelling directly between the three countries by land or air may show an identity document listed in the Visa Manual instead of a passport. Indians heading to a third country through the Nepal or Bhutan border still need a valid passport, and Nepali or Bhutanese citizens arriving from China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan need both a passport and a visa.
Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel on duty, with families travelling on government transport, and the crews of foreign military ships in India for repairs, who must hold Military Ship Repair Permits, are also exempted.