The new immigration bill has a provision for hotels, universities, other educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes to provide necessary information about foreigners, so that foreigners staying in India despite the expiry of the stipulated period can be monitored.
If the new immigration bill (India Immigration Bill) is approved by the country’s Parliament, then using fake passports or visas to enter, stay or exit India is going to be very costly. According to PTI news, this bill has a provision for a jail sentence of up to 7 years and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh for any person found doing so. This bill has a provision for hotels, universities, other educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes to provide necessary information about foreigners, so that foreigners staying beyond the stipulated period can be monitored.
These will have to be informed in advance
According to the news, all international airlines and ships will also have to submit passenger and crew lists, passengers and crew on board such aircraft, ship or other means of transport at any port or place in India in advance. According to the bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 11, any person who knowingly uses or supplies a fake or fraudulently obtained passport, travel document or visa to enter, stay or exit India will be punished with imprisonment of at least two years, which may extend to seven years, and will also be fined.
Foreigners can get punishment then
The new immigration bill also states that any foreign national who enters any area of India without a valid passport or travel document, including the necessary visa, will face a jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh or both. The latest data from the Union Home Ministry states that 98.40 lakh foreigners came to India from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
Will help in monitoring the activities of foreigners
Giving information, an official said that this bill will help in addressing the issue of illegal immigration in India and monitoring the activities of foreigners staying longer than the prescribed period. It will also help in reducing the compliance burden. Indian missions or posts abroad can issue visas of all categories to foreigners in physical or sticker format, while the Bureau of Immigration issues electronic visas in seven categories to citizens of 167 countries.
