NEW DELHI, 6th Nov: India has introduced significant changes to its immigration framework, offering conditional passport renewal relief to certain Pakistani nationals and easing documentation requirements for persecuted minority refugees. The new rules also establish stricter travel conditions for Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens arriving through specific countries.

The Union Home Ministry has notified the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, bringing several long-awaited documentation changes into effect.

But this is not a free pass for everyone. Eligibility comes with specific conditions, and the government has drawn clear boundaries around who qualifies.

Pakistani Nationals Passport Exemption India: Who Qualifies?

One of the most notable changes concerns Pakistani nationals who entered India on or before December 31, 2009, with the intention of settling permanently.

Under the amended order, eligible individuals may receive an exemption from the usual passport renewal requirement if they cannot renew their travel documents because they do not possess Pakistan’s Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC).

For many long-term residents, obtaining or renewing official documents from their country of origin can become a serious obstacle. The amendment addresses this particular difficulty.

However, the government has attached several conditions.

Applicants must not have married while living in Pakistan or acquired immovable property there. They must also have left behind family members who are Indian citizens when they travelled to Pakistan.

There are two further requirements. Eligible individuals must undertake not to return to Pakistan and must not have adverse reports against them from police or security agencies.

In other words, the exemption is conditional, not automatic. Meeting the entry-date requirement alone will not guarantee relief.

India Extends Relief to Six Minority Communities

The amended immigration order also covers members of six religious minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

These communities include:

• Hindu
• Sikh
• Buddhist
• Jain
• Parsi
• Christian

The exemption applies to individuals who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, after being compelled to seek shelter because of religious persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution.

Importantly, the relaxation covers people who entered India without valid passports or other travel documents. It also includes individuals whose travel documents have expired.

This provision addresses a practical problem faced by refugees who may struggle to obtain valid documentation from their countries of origin.

However, there is an important distinction.

The exemption from passport and travel-document requirements does not automatically grant permanent residency or unrestricted permission to stay in India. Eligible individuals must still obtain the appropriate visa after entering the country to continue their stay.

New Rules Also Cover Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetans

The 2026 amendment extends beyond Pakistani nationals and minority refugees.

It also addresses documentation requirements for Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetan nationals residing in India.

For Tibetan nationals, the notification includes provisions covering individuals who entered India using permits issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu between 1959 and May 30, 2003.

This provision recognises the specific documentation circumstances of long-standing Tibetan residents.

The broader objective of these exemptions is to address situations where passports, identity documents or entry permits are no longer valid or cannot realistically be renewed.

Rather than introducing a blanket immigration amnesty, the government has created specific exemptions for identified categories of foreign nationals.

Nepal and Bhutan Travel Rules Become Stricter in Certain Cases

While some foreign residents receive documentation relief, the amended order also tightens requirements for particular cross-border journeys involving Nepal, Bhutan and India.

Citizens of India, Nepal and Bhutan travelling directly between these three countries by land or air may use identity documents specified in the government’s official Visa Manual instead of standard passports.

This maintains the relatively flexible travel arrangements between the neighbouring countries.

However, the exemption comes with an important restriction.

Nepalese and Bhutanese nationals entering or exiting India after embarking from or transiting through mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan must carry both a valid passport and a valid visa.

The revised provision establishes a clear documentation requirement for travellers whose journeys involve these destinations.

Indian Citizens Also Face Clear Documentation Conditions

The amendment also clarifies the position of Indian citizens travelling through the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders.

Indian nationals will not qualify for the relaxed documentation arrangement if their journey involves countries other than Nepal and Bhutan.

Such travellers must carry valid passports and use designated immigration posts.

The distinction matters because the simplified documentation arrangement is intended for direct travel between the three neighbouring countries, not as an alternative route for international travel involving other destinations.

What the New Immigration Rules Mean for India

The Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, introduces two distinct approaches.

For eligible Pakistani nationals, persecuted minority refugees, Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetans, it addresses documentation difficulties that can complicate their legal stay in India.

For Nepalese and Bhutanese nationals, it retains simplified travel arrangements while imposing additional documentation requirements when journeys involve China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan.

The Home Ministry’s Foreigners Division handles India’s visa and immigration policy, including registration, extensions of stay, security clearances and deportation.

That makes the division central to implementing these country-specific provisions.

The bigger takeaway is straightforward. India is attempting to distinguish between long-standing residents facing genuine documentation difficulties and travellers whose international routes require additional immigration scrutiny.

For eligible individuals, the changes could remove a significant administrative hurdle. For everyone else, the existing eligibility and documentation requirements remain important.

The government has not announced a blanket relaxation for all foreign nationals. The exemptions are targeted, conditional and tied to specific entry dates and circumstances.

And that distinction is the most important part of the entire order.