India Tightens Visa Rules for Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan Minorities; New Rules Also Affect Nepal, Bhutan Routes

The Indian government has tightened passport and visa rules for people coming to India from neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Under the new rules, people from six non-Muslim minority communities who entered India due to religious persecution will now need a valid visa to stay in the country. The decision has been announced by the Union Home Ministry and will also affect certain travellers coming through Nepal and Bhutan.

The new rules will apply to people belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. These rules mainly cover people who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, because of religious persecution or fear of it. They include people who entered without valid travel documents or whose passports and other documents had expired.

The government had earlier provided certain exemptions from passport and visa requirements to these communities through an order issued in September 2025. However, under the latest notification, they will now need to obtain the appropriate visa to continue staying in India.

Stricter Rules for Nepal and Bhutan Travellers

The government has also tightened travel rules for citizens of India, Nepal and Bhutan. People travelling between these three countries will now have to show valid identity documents as mentioned in the visa manual. Indian citizens travelling to a third country through Nepal or Bhutan must carry a valid passport and use designated checkpoints.

The new rules will also affect citizens of Nepal and Bhutan who enter India through China, Pakistan, Hong Kong or Macau. Such travellers will now have to show valid passports and visas. This means that travel document checks will become stricter for people using these routes. However, the government has kept the existing exemptions for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and Tibetan citizens living in India. Their current passport and visa-related relaxations will continue. The latest decision is aimed at strengthening the country's passport and visa system and making travel rules stricter for people entering India from neighbouring countries.