India: New Law Simplifies Immigration Law and Creates Stricter Registration and Reporting Rules
September 18, 2025
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At a Glance
- The Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 came into effect on September 1, 2025, restructuring and simplifying India’s immigration laws, imposing stricter penalties and strengthening the reporting and monitoring of foreign nationals.
- The new law more strictly enforces the requirement for foreign nationals to register with the Registration Office, as well as the rule for government officials to visit employer offices for audits and inspections, among other rules.
- Lastly, the new law allows for recording biometric data of foreign nationals upon arrival or at other points of their stay.
The situation
The Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 came into effect on September 1, 2025, restructuring India’s immigration laws, imposing stricter penalties and strengthening reporting and monitoring of foreign nationals.
A closer look
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Restructuring of immigration laws. The new law consolidates the following four outdated laws into a single Act: Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; Foreigners Act, 1946; and Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000. |
This simplifies India’s legal framework governing the entry, stay, movement and exit of foreign nationals and provides operational efficiency. |
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Stricter enforcement of registration requirement. The new law focuses on strictly enforcing the requirement for foreign nationals to register with the Registration Office listed on their visa endorsement, upon arrival in India, within 14 calendar days of arrival or based on the visa endorsement. |
Employers should ensure their foreign employees register with their Registration Office on time to avoid additional document requests and possible other fines and/or penalties.
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Stricter record maintenance and inspection rules. The law specifies that government officials can visit employer offices for audits and inspections. This was previously not strictly enforced. |
Employers must maintain accurate records of foreign employees for inspection by authorities.
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Stricter enforcement of reporting requirements. The law sets out stricter enforcement of the rule for:
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Affected parties must maintain accurate records of foreign employees for inspection by authorities.
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Division of authorities between central and state/local authorities. The new law gives the Bureau of Immigration enhanced powers to coordinate with states, Union territories and other agencies on the identification, detaining and deportation of foreign nationals, whereas previously, its role was not codified in law. Notably, the new law allows for recording biometric data of foreign nationals upon arrival or at other points of their stay. |
This change expands the Immigration Bureau’s authority. Stricter penalties will apply to foreign nationals who violate immigration laws. |
In addition, the law creates a unified enforcement framework with clear penalties for immigration violations, with higher fine amounts and more significant penalties such as imprisonment, whereas previously, fines and penalties were more discretionary.
Background
The new long-awaited law replaces several old statutes, consolidating India's immigration framework into a single, more modernized legal system.
Looking ahead
- Internal compliance checks. The new law positions India as a more appealing hub for global talent and international enterprises. Employers, human resource professionals, and mobility experts should ensure their internal compliance frameworks are ready to meet the new digital standards.
- More details ahead. As the legislation advances, additional details are expected to clarify registration procedures, enforcement strategies, and implementation timelines. We will report on related developments.
- New digital management system. A new digital immigration management system will become available through the Integrated Immigration Management System, which is expected to replace the Immigration, Visa and Foreigners' Registration & Tracking system for tracking foreign nationals. This system will integrate with airports, land border checkpoints and registration offices, facilitating real time verification and enhanced security control. We will report on related developments.
Fragomen in India is Fragomen Immigration Services India (Pvt) Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
