The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs / Department of Home
Act details
| Short title | The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Long title | An Act to confer upon the Central Government certain powers to provide for requirement of passports or other travel documents in respect of persons entering into and exiting from India and for regulating matters related to foreigners including requirement of visa and registration and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. |
| Act number | 13 of 2025 |
| Act year | 2025 |
| Enactment date | 4 Apr 2025 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Home Affairs / Department of Home |
| Department | Department of Home |
| Jurisdiction | Central (Parliament of India) |
| Sections | 36 |
| Status | Not repealed |
| Last checked on India Code | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Source | India Code, Government of India |
Summary
Summary of Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 consolidates and modernizes India's immigration laws
Key Provisions
1. Entry and Exit Requirements
Valid Travel Documents: Every person entering or leaving India must possess a valid passport or other travel document, and foreigners must also possess a valid visa unless exempted.
Designated Immigration Posts: Entry into and exit from India is permitted only through notified immigration check posts.
2. Registration and Reporting
Registration of Foreigners: Specified categories of foreigners are required to register with the prescribed Registration Officer.
Mandatory Information: Hotels, educational institutions, hospitals, and other prescribed establishments must furnish information regarding foreign nationals staying or receiving services.
3. Powers of the Central Government
Regulation of Foreigners: The Central Government may regulate the entry, stay, movement, departure, and activities of foreigners in India.
Immigration Officers: Authorises immigration officers to examine travel documents, grant or refuse entry, and enforce the provisions of the Act. ([India Code][1])
4. Offences and Penalties
Illegal Entry and Overstay: Prescribes penalties for entering India without valid documents, overstaying visas, or violating conditions of stay.
Forged Documents: Imposes stringent punishment for using forged passports, visas, or other travel documents and for aiding illegal immigration.
Legislative history
Legislative History:
The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
Source: Official Record of Parliament, India Code, and Ministry of Home Affairs
Act Title - The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
Act Number - Act No. 13 of 2025
Act ID (India Code) - 202513
Presidential Assent date - April 04, 2025
Enforcement Date -September 01, 2025
Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Home Affairs
Precedent & Historical Rationale
● Consolidation and Repeal of Legacy Frameworks: Repeals four outdated statutory enactments—The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; The Foreigners Act, 1946; and The Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000—replacing fragmented colonial and post-independence laws with a single, modern code.
● Institutional Framework & Enhanced Monitoring: Codifies statutory backing for the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) and mandates digital reporting obligations for keepers of accommodation, educational institutions, and medical facilities hosting foreign nationals.
● National Security & Penalty Reforms: Enhances accountability across border posts, streamlines visa and registration procedures, and introduces stringent penalties for forged travel documents, unauthorized entry, and overstaying.
Parliamentary Trajectory & Enactment
● Formulation: Introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs to overhaul India's immigration architecture and align border management with modern digital tracking systems.
● Parliamentary Passage: Introduced in the Lok Sabha in early 2025 and passed by both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) during the Budget Session.
● Presidential Assent: Received the assent of the President of India on April 04, 2025.
● Enforcement: Enforced on September 01, 2025.