India's Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a new order easing immigration and residency rules for several religious minority groups from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Under the directive, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, and Parsi individuals from Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2024, citing fear of religious persecution, are exempted from standard passport requirements.
According to a report by The Times of India, the relief applies to those who arrived without valid travel documents or whose passports had expired at the time of entry.
However, individuals benefiting from this exemption must secure an appropriate visa after their arrival in order to legally continue their stay across the country.
The measures were introduced under India's immigration and foreign nationals exemption orders enacted for 2026.
The Indian government also eased passport renewal conditions for select Pakistani nationals who entered prior to December 31, 2009, without national identification cards, alongside provisions for Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetans.
Source: The Times of India
🌐
