Central government changed passport-visa rules, big relief to some Pakistani citizens and minority refugees.

The central government has issued a notification for various categories of foreign citizens living in the country. passport and visa rules Have relaxed. These include some Pakistani citizens, minority refugees, Sri Lankan Tamils ​​and Tibetans. Under the ‘Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026’ issued on Thursday, rules related to travel and identification between these neighboring countries have also been simplified for citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and India.

According to the revised rules issued by the Union Home Ministry, Pakistani nationals who came to India with the intention of permanently settling on or before December 31, 2009, are exempted from the normal conditions for passport renewal. This relaxation is for those people who are not able to renew their travel documents due to not having ‘Computerized National Identity Card’ (CNIC) issued by Pakistan.

Not married while living in Pakistan

To be eligible for this exemption, it is necessary that they should not have married while living in Pakistan or purchased any immovable property there. Also, his family members who were left behind while going to Pakistan should be Indian citizens. Apart from this, they will have to give an undertaking that they will not go back to that country (Pakistan). The notification also states that there should be no adverse reports from police or security agencies against them.

People of Indian origin included in the third category within the scope of exemption

The third category covered by the exemption includes people of Indian origin who had acquired citizenship of Malaysia or Singapore and returned to India on or before December 31, 2009 on a passport issued by those countries. The passports of these people have expired. Their renewal has not been done because these individuals do not meet the renewal conditions of the respective countries.

According to the notification, under this provision, “person of Indian origin” means a foreign national (not being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and China) who has ever held an Indian passport; or the person, his or her parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were born in India and resided permanently in the areas specified in the ‘Government of India Act, 1935’ or in the areas that later became part of India. The condition is that they should never have been citizens of the countries mentioned above (Pakistan, Bangladesh etc.).

Visa will have to be taken of appropriate category

To continue their stay in India, people in these three categories will have to obtain the appropriate category of visa. The notification said that citizens of India, Nepal and Bhutan, who are traveling directly between these neighboring countries by road or air, can show the identity documents specified in the official “Visa Manual” of the government instead of ordinary passport.

Exemption will also apply to Indian citizens

It further states that the exemption under this provision will not be applicable to those Indian citizens who are coming or going from any country other than Nepal or Bhutan through the India-Nepal or India-Bhutan border (by road or air). In such cases it is mandatory for them to have a valid passport. To go out of India or enter India, they have to use only the designated immigration posts.

General passport rules are mandatory in these cases

Nationals of Nepal and Bhutan traveling to or from India via China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan must have both a valid passport and a valid visa. General passport rules will also remain mandatory in case of crossing regional borders to or from third countries. These rules exempt people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who were forced to seek refuge due to or fearing religious persecution and came to India on or before December 31, 2024. This exemption includes those who came to India without a valid passport or other travel documents as well as those whose documents have now expired. However, for further stay in India, they will have to obtain a proper visa after coming here. (With inputs from PTI)

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