India has officially enacted the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, a landmark piece of legislation that came into effect on September 1, 2025. This new law replaces four outdated statutes with a single, modernized legal framework designed to enhance border security, streamline immigration procedures, and improve enforcement capabilities.
The act repeals the Passport (Entry into India) Act of 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act of 1939, the Foreigners Act of 1946, and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act of 2000, consolidating them into one comprehensive piece of legislation.
Tougher penalties and new responsibilities
The new law introduces significantly tougher penalties for immigration violations. Under the act, individuals who use or supply forged passports, visas, or other travel documents to enter, stay in, or exit India can face a jail term of two to seven years and fines ranging from INR 100,000 to INR 1,000,000.
To improve the tracking and oversight of foreign nationals, the act mandates new reporting responsibilities for various institutions. Hotels, universities, hospitals, and nursing homes must now report information about foreign visitors to the authorities. Additionally, international airlines and shipping companies are required to submit advance passenger and crew manifests to Indian immigration authorities, a measure intended to help identify individuals with fraudulent documents.
What this means for skilled workers
For foreign professionals and remote workers, this new law underscores the importance of strict compliance with Indian immigration regulations. The new reporting requirements for hotels and other institutions mean that foreign nationals must ensure all their information is accurate and up to date at all times during their stay.
The severe penalties for using forged documents send a clear signal about the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards immigration fraud. Skilled workers must ensure they have all the correct and valid documentation for their entry, stay, and exit from India to avoid legal trouble. The new legislation also allows for the recording of biometric data of foreign nationals.
What it means for employers
For companies, especially those in the IT and tech sectors that hire a large number of foreign workers in India or from India, this new legislation requires a renewed focus on internal compliance and legal checks. While the new law simplifies the overall legal framework, its enhanced enforcement and stricter penalties create a higher risk for non-compliant businesses.
Employers must ensure their foreign employees register with the appropriate Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) within the specified timeframe to avoid fines and penalties. The law also grants officials the authority to conduct audits and inspections at employer offices to verify records of foreign employees, a rule that was not strictly enforced in the past.
For companies hiring in India, this heightened compliance environment makes the services of an Employer of Record (EOR) like Multiplier more critical than ever. Multiplier helps companies:
- Maintain compliance by design, ensuring all aspects of global hiring, including visas, permits, and registration, adhere to local laws.
- Handle mandatory reporting requirements and documentation for foreign nationals, reducing the administrative burden on the company.
- Streamline global payroll to ensure accurate tax withholding and payments for international employees, thereby mitigating the risk of penalties.
By partnering with an EOR, businesses can navigate India’s modern immigration framework confidently and compliantly.
Conclusion
India’s Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 is a major step toward a more modern, centralized, and secure immigration system. The new law introduces a unified legal framework, but it also imposes stricter penalties and greater responsibilities on both individuals and institutions. For global businesses, this means prioritizing a robust compliance framework. By leveraging the expertise of an EOR like Multiplier, companies can ensure a seamless and fully compliant experience when hiring in India and other global markets.
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FAQs
What is India’s Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025?
The Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 is a new law in India that came into effect on September 1, 2025. It consolidates and replaces four older laws to create a unified and modern legal framework for all matters related to foreign nationals in India.
What are the key changes introduced by the new Immigration and Foreigners Act?
The new act introduces several key changes, including significantly tougher penalties for immigration violations like using forged travel documents. It also mandates new reporting responsibilities for institutions like hotels and universities, and requires international carriers to provide advance passenger manifests.
What are the penalties for using forged travel documents under the new immigration law in India?
Under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, anyone found using a forged passport or visa to enter, stay in, or exit India can be punished with a prison term of two to seven years and a fine ranging from INR 100,000 to INR 1,000,000.
How does this new immigration law in India affect international carriers and institutions?
The new law places mandatory reporting responsibilities on international airlines, shipping companies, hotels, universities, and hospitals. These entities must now provide detailed information on foreign nationals to immigration authorities to help track and ensure compliance.
What is the role of a global hiring platform or EOR in this new environment?
With the new act introducing stricter enforcement and penalties, a global hiring platform or EOR like Multiplier becomes essential for companies. Multiplier can help businesses navigate the complexities of local immigration laws, ensure mandatory reporting is handled correctly, and manage the entire employee lifecycle compliantly, from onboarding to payroll.
