Acts, Rules, Orders & Notifications regarding Foreigners
All foreign nationals in India & all persons travelling from/ to India are governed by the provisions contained in the below mentioned Acts, Rules and Orders made there under.
- The Immigration & Foreigners Act 2025:
The Act regulates immigration, entry, and stay of foreigners in India. It also regulates Registration of Foreigners in India, Liability of Carriers, and Obligations of keeper of accommodation and others to furnish particulars.
It repeals the following Acts: (i) The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, (ii) the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, (iii) The Foreigners Act 1946, and (iv) The Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.
- Immigration & Foreigners Rules 2025:
The rules made under Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, consolidate and modernize the regulations governing entry, stay and exit of foreign nationals in India.
- Immigration & Foreigners Order 2025:
The Order made in exercise of the powers conferred by the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 and in supersession of the Foreigners Order, 1948, the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963 and the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964.
The Order regulates entry into, stay in, movement within and exit from India. Further, it regulates restriction of certain activities of foreigners, prevention, detention, restricting movements and deportation of Illegal migrants. It also deals with Protected & Restricted Areas, Foreigners Tribunals and Prohibited Places.
- The Citizenship Act, 1955:
It regulates acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship as well as Overseas Citizens of India.
- Passports Act, 1967:
The Act guides on the issue of passports and travel documents, to regulate the departure of Citizens of India and other persons, and for matters incidental or ancillary thereto.
Further Acts, Rules and Regulations pertaining to Foreigners may be referred at the website of Foreigners Division, Ministry of Home Affairs (
www.mha.gov.in).
Immigration Fraud
Immigration fraud is an offence under the Immigration & Foreigners Act, 2025. We have wide-ranging measures to detect and prevent immigration offences.
Immigration fraud includes but not limited to the following offences:
- Using a false or altered document to support a visa application, for example Passport, Identity documents etc.
- Providing false or misleading information to support a visa application.
- Helping someone to come to or stay in India who you know either does not have a Visa or does not have the appropriate Visa.
- Helping someone to come to India by deceiving them on the purpose of their stay in India or your reasons for bringing them to India.
- Using forged or fraudulently obtained travel documents to depart the country or seek entry.
