Centre Orders States, UTs To Set Up Holding Centres For Illegal Foreigners

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday (2 September) issued a gazette notification directing all state governments and Union Territories to establish dedicated holding centres or detention camps for illegal foreigners until they are deported, the Indian Express reported.

The move represents a significant shift in India's approach to managing illegal immigration through formal detention infrastructure.

Under the new rules, suspected foreigners can be referred to Foreigners Tribunals consisting of up to three members with judicial experience.

Those unable to prove their citizenship or arrange bail will be detained in these holding centres.

The notification also states that foreigners with serious criminal convictions may be refused entry or permission to stay in India.

The MHA has introduced strict employment guidelines for foreigners working in sensitive sectors.

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Foreign nationals seeking employment in private companies involved in power, water, petroleum, defence, space technology, nuclear energy, or human rights must obtain prior permission from the central government.

Additionally, no foreigner can climb mountain peaks in India without central government approval.

Several exemptions have been outlined in another notification.

Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan can enter India without passports or visas through land or air routes, except when travelling from China, Macau, Hong Kong, or Pakistan.

Tibetans who entered India after 1959 but before May 2003 and have registered with the authorities also remain exempt from these restrictions.

Religious minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India by 31 December 2024, due to religious persecution, are protected under the new rules regardless of their documentation status.

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