The Union Home Ministry has made a major announcement, offering major relief for thousands of persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. With a new order, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who crossed into India on or before December 31, 2024, will be permitted to remain in the country without penalty for not having valid passports or travel documents.

New Law Eases Immigration Hurdles

The decree, signed into effect under the just-passed Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, separates the right of residence from the right to citizenship. Whereas the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) of 2019 bestows Indian citizenship on these minorities who entered on or before December 31, 2014, this new order adds safeguard to those who entered after that, until the end of 2024. This exemption offers a vital legal protection for a vast number of individuals, especially Hindus who had escaped Pakistan post-2014 and were under the threat of deportation.

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A Move To Offer Shelter To Vulnerable Communities

As per the order of the Home Ministry, the exemption is granted for those who were forced to take refuge in India from religious persecution or fear of it. The instruction clearly mentions that such people—whether they had expired documents or no documents at all—will not be penalized. This action strengthens the commitment of the government to opening up a haven of safety for vulnerable groups and presents an avenue to a safer future, although their journey towards complete citizenship is under the jurisdiction of another law.

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