In a major relief, the Union Home Ministry has announced that members of minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who came to India by December 31, 2024, to escape religious persecution, will not be required to have a passport or other travel documents to stay in the country.
Who Is Covered?
The order applies to individuals from the following minority communities:
Hindus
Sikhs
Buddhists
Jains
Parsis
Christians
These individuals must have entered India on or before December 31, 2024, either:
Without any valid travel documents (like a passport or visa), or
With valid documents that have since expired.
Connection with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
Under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, those from the above communities who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, are eligible for Indian citizenship.
However, many people—especially Hindus from Pakistan—who entered after 2014 were uncertain about their legal status.
This new order under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, provides protection to such individuals by allowing them to stay in India even without valid passports or visas.
What This Means
This move gives legal relief and reassurance to a large number of persecuted minorities who crossed into India after 2014.
It recognizes their difficult situation and removes the requirement to present valid documents to remain in the country.
