The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, which was introduced in Lok Sabha, consolidates four existing laws:
Foreigners Act
Passport (Entry into India) Act
Registration of Foreigners Act
Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act
The Bill strengthens rules for visiting foreigners and raises penalties for violations.
Section 16 of the Bill places the burden of proof on individuals to prove whether they are foreigners.
This provision is similar to laws like the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Prevention of Corruption Act, where the accused must prove their innocence.
The Bill expands the registration requirement for foreign tourists.
Currently, only tourists staying in hotels need to register with the FRRO.
Under the new law, hosts, including private homeowners, must also register foreign guests with the FRRO.
The Bill allows registration details to be provided online for better monitoring.
It also mandates that carriers (airlines, shipping companies) must remove foreigners found in violation of the law, at their own expense.
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