PIB News Update: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, in a written reply to a question regarding India’s immigration policy, in Rajya Sabha today, said that India has put in place robust visa and immigration systems to enable inward & outward movement of all persons including legitimate foreigners like professionals and members of skilled workforce, business persons, students and tourists.
The Minister added that entry, stay, movement, transit through and exit of foreign nationals in the country are governed by The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, The Foreigners Act, 1946, The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, The Citizenship Act, 1955 & The Immigration (Carrier’s Liability) Act, 2000. He also said that entry and exit of foreigners into/from India is regulated through authorized Immigration Check Posts (ICPs). He elucidated that currently there are 107 ICPs in the country comprising of 35 Airports, 27 Seaports, 36 Landports, 5 Railports and 4 Riverports and said that while 47 ICPs are operated by the Bureau of Immigration, the remaining 60 ICPs are operated by the State Police.
The Minister noted that 21 main categories and 65 sub-categories of visas are granted by India to foreigners and noted that the thrust of India’s present visa policy is to encourage foreigners to visit India for tourism, improve people to people contact & business relationships, make India a hub of medical/educational /manufacturing activities and to promote various activities in line with the flagship programmes of the Government.