India Allows Minority Refugees to Stay Without Passports

Representational photo

India has announced that members of minority communities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered the country by 31 December 2024 to escape religious persecution will be allowed to remain in India even without valid passports or travel documents.

The Home Ministry’s order specifies that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who sought shelter due to fear of persecution are covered under the directive. It applies both to those who arrived without documentation and to those whose travel papers have since expired.

The exemption has been issued under the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, which provides special allowances from passport, visa, and other travel requirements for certain groups. This forms part of broader measures introduced under the newly enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which came into effect on 1 September.

Previously, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) allowed only those who entered India on or before 31 December 2014 to qualify for certain protections and eligibility for citizenship. The new order significantly extends the window for protection, covering arrivals up to the end of 2024, although it does not offer a pathway to citizenship.

Officials have described the move as a humanitarian step to provide security and legal recognition to people fleeing religious persecution in neighbouring countries. While the order does not grant full citizenship rights, it ensures that affected individuals can reside, work, and access basic services without fear of deportation.

Analysts note that the policy reflects India’s ongoing efforts to address the needs of vulnerable minority communities in South Asia while balancing its immigration and national security considerations. The extension of protections to arrivals over the past decade underscores the government’s recognition of continued religious and social pressures faced by minority groups in the region.

Under the new framework, refugees covered by the order will need to register with local authorities and comply with regulations, but they are formally exempted from holding valid passports or visas. This measure is expected to affect tens of thousands of people who have sought refuge in India over the last decade.