September 03
Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan travelling to India by land or air will no longer need to present a passport or visa, as was previously required. The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, highlighting significant exemptions from the requirements for valid passports, travel documents, and visas for certain individuals and carriers.
Individuals from minority communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan—such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—who have sought refuge in India due to religious persecution or the fear of it, and who entered the country on or before December 31, 2024, without valid documentation, including passports or other travel documents, will be exempt from the requirement of possessing a valid passport and visa, even if their documents have expired.
