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Those entering India without visa and passport may soon face severe punishment. The central government is preparing to bring a strict law, under which foreign nationals entering illegally will be given a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. This bill is likely to be introduced in the budget session of Parliament. The name of this bill is- The Immigration and Foreigners 2025.
According to a report in The Hindu, this will be the first time that the entry or stay of a foreign national into India can be stopped by citing a threat to national security and sovereignty. Not only this, if a foreigner has a special relationship with another country, then he can also be prevented from entering India. Under the new law, the decision of the immigration officer can be final and binding. Even before this, foreign nationals were prevented from entering, but it was not clearly recorded in any law or rule. Now this provision is likely to be legally recorded, which can make the immigration process more strict.
Strict action on fake documents
If a foreign national enters India using fake documents, he can not only be expelled from the country, but can also be sentenced to two years in jail, which can be extended to seven years. Also, a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh can also be imposed.
New law will be made by combining 4 laws
Currently, four different laws related to immigration and foreigners are in force, which are planned to be included in a new comprehensive law. These new rules will come under the ‘Immigration and Foreigner Act, 2025’. Under this, the following laws will be merged – Foreigners Act, 1946, Passport Act, 1920, Foreigners Registration Act, 1939 and Immigration (Career Liability) Act, 2000. After the implementation of the new law, these four old laws will be amended and a comprehensive law will be made, so that the monitoring of foreign nationals and the security of the country can be strengthened.
What is the provision of punishment at present?
Currently, those who enter India illegally are punished with a maximum of five years of imprisonment and a fine. If a person comes to India with a fake passport, he can be punished with a maximum of eight years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 50,000.
Important provisions of the new bill
Information of foreign students and patients will be recorded: Under the new law, any foreign student who takes admission in higher education or any university in India, his information will be shared with the Foreigners Registration Officers. This provision will also apply to those hospitals, nursing homes and medical institutions where accommodation is available for foreign nationals.
Punishment for violating visa rules: If a foreigner stays in India for more than the stipulated visa period, violates visa rules or goes to a restricted area, he may have to face a sentence of up to three years or a fine of Rs 3 lakh (or both).
Responsibility will be fixed for entry without valid documents: If a foreign national does not have a valid visa or passport, the person who brought him to India will also be held responsible. Immigration officers can impose a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh on such a person.
Monitoring the entry and movement of foreigners: Under the proposed bill, the central government will have the right to ban the entry of any foreign national into India, order him to leave India, prevent him from going to a particular area and record his biometric data.
This new law will further strengthen the security of India’s borders. Strict action against those entering illegally will make the security system in the country effective and those violating visa rules can be curbed.
