Page 2 - Immigration Laws

Over a fifth of super rich want to migrate out of India, finds survey

The survey of 150 ultra high networth individuals said that the US, UK, Australia, Canada and even UAE due to its golden visa scheme are the favourite destinations where the rich prefer to settle down

Delhi Police files case over visa fraud racket after US Embassy complaint

Delhi Police has registered a case against more than 30 people operating from Punjab, Haryana, and other states into a large-scale visa fraud racket after a complaint by the US Embassy in New Delhi's Chanakyapuri area, an official said on Thursday. According to the FIR registered following the complaint on February 27, the fraudulent activities took place between May and August 2024, where the embassy highlighted 21 alleged instances of conspiracy between agents and applicants to cheat the US government. This case comes at a time when the US government under President Donald Trump has been cracking down on visa fraud and unlawful immigration. The US Embassy named 31 accused, including visa agents and applicants, who were allegedly involved in forging documents such as bank statements, educational certificates, and employment records to obtain US visas. The agents are suspected of submitting fraudulent information on US online visa applications, DS-160s and providing fraudulent ...

Forged passport or visa for India may bring 7 years jail, Rs 10 lakh fine

International airlines and shipping companies will also be required to submit passenger and crew details before arrival in India

Using forged passport may lead to 7 yrs in jail under new immigration Bill

Anyone found using a forged passport or visa for entering, staying or exiting India will be punished with a jail term of up to seven years and a fine to the extent of Rs 10 lakh if the new immigration bill is approved by Parliament. The legislation, piloted by the Union Home Ministry, also provides for mandatory reporting of information about foreigners by hotels, universities, other educational institutions, hospitals and nursing homes to enable tracking of overstaying foreigners. All international airlines and ships will also be required to submit at a port or place in India the passenger and crew manifest, the advance information of passengers and crew on board of such aircraft, vessel or other mode of transport. "Whoever knowingly uses or supplies a forged or fraudulently obtained passport or other travel document or visa for entering into India or staying in or exiting from India, shall be punishable with an imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years, but m

Centre introduces Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025 in Lok Sabha

The matters relating to foreigners and immigration are presently administered through the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000

US deports 220 Indians: Why Rera-like body is needed for immigration agents

Lack of regulation is enabling illegal activities, says immigration attorney

German elections: Who are the top candidates & what are their priorities

Originally scheduled for September 28, the German elections were advanced following the dramatic collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition government in November

US Punjabi association asks Punjab govt to curb illegal immigration

The North American Punjabi Association has expressed serious concern over human trafficking, saying the government must take immediate action to prevent youths from taking illegal and dangerous routes to reach foreign shores. The reaction came after many Indians deported from America last week alleged that they were taken to the US borders through treacherous 'dunki' routes by unscrupulous travel agents without their prior knowledge and after charging huge sums. Satnam Singh Chahal, the Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Saturday alleged that despite repeated warnings and several tragic incidents, the government has failed to implement effective measures to curb illegal migration. "The government must take immediate steps to strengthen enforcement, increase awareness and work closely with international agencies to put an end to this crisis," Chahal said. NAPA urged the Punjab government to protect the lives of young Punjabis and take decisive act

Unregistered agents sending Indians abroad risk jail: Know the law

Engaging in such fraudulent immigration schemes can attract criminal liability

'Not new, ongoing for years': S Jaishankar on US deporting 104 Indians

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha that it is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad

Indians top list of Asian illegal immigrants caught at US checkpoints

New Delhi is concerned that visas for its students and skilled workers remain protected

Budget session: Modi govt to table Bill for stricter immigration control

The Modi government will introduce The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, in the Budget Session, proposing stricter border control measures amid political debate over illegal immigration

Trump backs skilled immigration, offering breather for Indian IT companies

The remarks have sparked optimism among professionals and businesses reliant on the H-1B visa programme, and provided much-needed relief to many employed in India's IT services sector

Trump to sign executive orders on immigration, border security, and energy

Soon after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump is likely to sign a barrage of executive orders, including those related to immigration, border security, energy and governance, his close aide revealed on Sunday. An executive order is an order issued unilaterally by the president which carries the force of law. Unlike legislation, executive orders do not require Congressional approval. Though the Congress cannot overturn them, they can be challenged in the court of law. "The breadth of the orders, which would make major changes to immigration, energy and government hiring policies, illustrates the urgency with which Trump and his team plan to launch an ambitious agenda," The Wall Street Journal said. In a briefing with senior Republican leaders, Stephen Miller, Trump's incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy, revealed that the executive orders will include declaring emergency on the southern border, preparing military deployment on the

Irregular migration into European Union drops 38% in 2024: Frontex report

The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union fell significantly in 2024, according to the bloc's border control agency Frontex, something which it attributed to intensified cooperation against smuggling networks. The Warsaw-based agency said in a statement that its preliminary data for last year reveal a 38 per cent drop in irregular border crossings into the 27-member bloc. The data refers to the number of detections of irregular border crossing at the external borders of the EU, not the total number of people who tried to cross. In some cases the same person may cross the border several times in different locations at the external border, Frontex notes. The agency said that there were just over 239,000 detections of irregular border crossings, the lowest number registered since 2021, when migration was lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency said that despite the overall decrease, challenges persist, including dangerous sea crossings resulting in ...

Trudeau gone, what next for India-Canada ties? Ujjal Dosanjh explains

In an exclusive conversation with Business Standard, former Canadian minister Ujjal Dosanjh spoke about the India-Canada ties in post-Trudeau era

Trump taps ally of immigration policies to head Customs, Border Protection

The picture of who will be in charge of executing President-elect Donald Trump's hard-line immigration and border policies has come into sharper focus after he announced his picks to head Customs and Border Protection and also the agency tasked with deporting immigrants in the country illegally. Trump said late Thursday he was tapping Rodney Scott, a former Border Patrol chief who's been a vocal supporter of tougher enforcement measures, for CBP commissioner. As acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Trump said he'd nominate Caleb Vitello, a career ICE official with more than 23 years in the agency who most recently has been the assistant director for firearms and tactical programs. They will work with an immigration leadership team that includes South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security; former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement head Tom Homan as border czar; and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of ...

UK introduces grace period for transition to eVisa system until March 2025

The UK on Wednesday introduced a grace period until March 2025, during which time expired physical documentation will be accepted for international travel as visa holders make the transition to an entirely online eVisa system. As part of an ongoing Home Office drive, all visa holders including many Indians using a physical biometric residence permit (BRP), a passport containing a visa vignette sticker or ink stamp confirming their indefinite leave to enter/remain in the country, or biometric residence card (BRC) as evidence of their immigration rights, were given until the end of December to make the switch to an eVisa. While the Home Office claims over 3.1 million people have already switched over to an eVisa, there are believed to be several others who have been unable to meet the year-end deadline having encountered technical issues, among other reasons. For those who are yet to switch to an eVisa, a wide range of guidance and support is available, said Seema Malhotra, UK ...

Gujarat engineer caught with fake visa to New Zealand: Consequences decoded

The Gujarat engineer has been booked under India's Passports Act, 1967, which imposes penalties for passport misuse and fraudulent activities

Made mistakes in immigration policy, will reduce their number: Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitted that his government made "mistakes" in its immigration policy which led to "bad actors" like "fake colleges" and big corporations exploiting the system for their vested interests. Trudeau's statement on Sunday came amidst his Liberal Party's denting popularity ahead of the 2025 general election in Canada. The prime minister is facing intense public criticism due to his policies leading to housing shortage, inflation, and deteriorating health and transport systems in the country. The opposition Conservative Party has also been accusing his government of mismanagement and failure to prioritise Canadian citizens' needs. In a video message posted on his YouTube channel, Trudeau said, "In the last two years, our population has grown really fast, like a baby boom...Increasingly bad actors like fake colleges and big chain corporations have been exploiting our immigration system for their own interests." To combat this, "we are reducing th