India Eases Passport and Visa Rules for Some Pakistani Nationals Under New Immigration Order

India has amended its immigration framework to relax passport and visa requirements for specific groups of foreign nationals, including some Pakistani citizens, according to the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and published in the official Gazette.

Under the revised rules, Pakistani nationals who entered India on or before December 31, 2009, with the intention of settling permanently may be exempted from the requirement to renew their Pakistani passports. The relief is limited to individuals who cannot renew their passports because they do not hold a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC).

Eligible applicants must meet several conditions: they must have family members who are Indian citizens, must not have married or acquired property in Pakistan, and must have no adverse police or security records. They are also required to give an undertaking that they will not return to Pakistan.

The order also extends exemptions to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, citing religious persecution or fear of persecution. These individuals may qualify even if they arrived without valid travel documents or if their passports have since expired, though they must obtain the appropriate visas to continue residing in India.

Additional relief covers certain Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, Tibetan nationals and people of Indian origin who have acquired Malaysian or Singaporean citizenship. Separately, the rules simplify travel for citizens of India, Nepal and Bhutan, allowing eligible travelers to use approved identification documents instead of passports when moving directly between the three countries. Passport and visa requirements will still apply in cases involving travel through third countries, including Pakistan and China.

The ministry clarified that the exemptions do not automatically confer permanent residency, and foreign nationals must continue to meet applicable visa requirements. The changes are part of a broader update to India's immigration and foreigners regulations.