The Centre has provided a big relief to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan by extending the deadline by 10 years for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians. These groups will now be eligible to stay in India without requiring passports or other travel documents if they had arrived by December 31, 2024, the Home Ministry said.
The latest directive, issued under the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, offers relief to those who were uncertain about their legal status.
‘Persecuted minorities not to be deported’
According to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), persecuted minorities from the aforementioned nations, particularly non-Muslims, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, will be granted Indian citizenship.
“A person belonging to a minority community in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution and entered the country on or before December 31, 2024 without valid documents, including a passport or other travel documents, or with valid documents, including a passport or other travel documents, and the validity of such documents have expired will be exempted from the rule of possessing a valid passport and visa,” read the order issued by the Home Ministry.
While sharing the order on X (formerly Twitter), Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said, “The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the cut-off date for entry into India for applying under CAA till 31st December 2024!”
He added, “Grateful to PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and the Central Government for this historic decision.”