New Delhi: Foreign nationals may be denied entry to or stay in India if convicted of anti-national activities, espionage, rape, murder, terrorism, child trafficking, or membership in a banned organization, according to a recent official order.
Under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, every state and Union Territory will establish dedicated holding centers or detention camps to restrict the movement of foreigners pending deportation, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated.
The MHA directed that all foreigners applying for any type of visa, including registration as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, must submit biometric information to the issuing authority before the visa or OCI registration is granted. Illegal immigrants apprehended within India will also face movement restrictions in holding centers or camps until deportation.
Border security forces and the Coast Guard are tasked with preventing illegal entry, recording biometric and demographic data of intercepted individuals, and returning them to their countries of origin.
A foreigner may be refused entry or stay in India on grounds including:
- Conviction for anti-national activities, espionage, rape, murder, crimes against humanity, terrorism, subversive activity, or financing such activities (including money laundering and hawala).
- Trafficking in narcotics or psychotropic substances, human trafficking (including children), racketeering in fake travel documents or currency (including cryptocurrency), cybercrime, or child abuse.
Foreigners holding valid employment visas are prohibited from working in private sector undertakings in the power, water, or petroleum sectors without civil authority approval. Similarly, production of films, documentaries, television or web shows intended for public exhibition requires prior written permission and adherence to conditions set by the central government.
Mountaineering expeditions also require prior written permission, a specified route, an attached liaison officer, and approval for photographic or wireless equipment. Entry into or stay in protected or restricted areas is permitted only with a special permit, with nationals from Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan barred from such regions. Restricted areas include Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and other locations.
The Bureau of Immigration will maintain updated lists of foreigners prohibited from entering India. For foreign seamen and aircraft crew, a landing permit or shore leave pass is required if they do not hold a valid Indian visa.
Individuals may also be denied exit from India if required by court orders, if suffering from dangerous diseases, if their departure could harm foreign relations, or under directives from the central government or law enforcement agencies. The Bureau of Immigration will maintain a current list of persons restricted from leaving the country.
