Foreign Citizens Illegally Residing in the Country

Foreign Citizens Illegally Residing in the Country

As per available information, approximately 330 Pakistani and approximately 1770 Bangladeshi nationals have been deported during the last three years. No Rohingya immigrant has been deported during the last three years.

Illegal migrants enter into the country without valid travel documents in clandestine and surreptitious manner. Therefore, it is not possible to have a correct estimate of such illegal migrants, including Bangladeshi nationals, residing in the country. Some instances of violation of the law and involvement in illegal activities by foreign nationals have been reported. Registration of cases and action thereon comes within the purview of the police stations and State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations concerned. Statistical data of this nature is not centrally maintained.

 

Central Government is vested with powers to deport a foreign national under section 3(2)(c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946. These powers to identify and deport illegally staying foreign nationals have also been delegated to the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations and the Bureau of Immigration under the Foreigners Act, 1946. Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants is a continuous process. A revised procedure for detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants was communicated to the State Governments/UT Administrations in November, 2009, which was partially modified in February, 2011 and further modified in February, 2013. The procedure includes sending back then and there the illegal immigrants who are intercepted at the border while entering India unauthorisedly. The Central Government is also implementing a Mission Mode Project on Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) which will facilitate improved tracking of foreigners by integrating and sharing information captured during visa issuance at Missions, during immigration check at the Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) and during registration at the offices of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs)/ Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs).

Law enforcement agencies also maintain a strict vigil on the activities of foreigners in the country and take appropriate action in cases of any illegal activities.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in written reply to a question by Shri Parimal Nathwani in the Rajya Sabha today.