New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Everyone wanting to visit India as a tourist or for education, healthcare and business is welcome, but those who pose a threat to the country will be dealt with sternly, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday.

Replying to a Lok Sabha debate on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, he said the proposed legislation will strengthen the country's security, boost economy and business, besides encouraging the health and education sectors.

Shah also said the bill will ensure the country gets up-to-date information about every foreigner visiting India.

"This is very important. The main issue is that the immigration is not an isolated subject but it is directly or indirectly linked to various issues. The bill will ensure a close monitoring of everyone who visits India, why do they visit India and how long they want to stay in India. It is absolutely necessary to know the details of every foreigner visiting India," he said after over three-hour long debate.

Shah said the legislation will ensure the country's security, boost economy and business besides encouraging the health and education sectors.

"I welcome everyone who wants to visit India as a tourist, for education, for health care, for R&D, for business. But those who comes as a threat to the country, we will keep a close look at them and take strong action against them," he said.

The home minister said the bill will strengthen the country's security and help India become the most developed nation in the world by 2047. "I want to assure the country that we will have up-to-date information about every foreigner coming to our country," he said.

According to the bill, anyone found to be using a forged passport or visa for entering India or staying in or exiting from the country will be punishable with a jail term of upto seven years and a fine to the extent of Rs 10 lakh.

The proposed legislation 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.

"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 may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees, but may extend to 10 lakh rupees," according to the bill.

It also says that any foreigner who enters any area in India without a valid passport or other travel document, including a visa, in contravention of provisions of the law or of any rule or order given in pursuance thereof, shall be punishable with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine which may extend up to Rs 5 lakh rupees or with both.

The legislation empowers the central government to exert control over places that are "frequented by any foreigner" and require the owner to close the premises, permit its use under specified conditions, or refuse admission to all or a "specified class" of foreigners.

Matters relating to foreigners and immigration are presently administered through four legislations: Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Foreigners Act, 1946; and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000. All these laws are now proposed to be repealed.

While the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 consists of several existing provisions in the four Acts proposed to be repealed after simplification and harmonisation, it also has certain new provisions to meet the present-day requirements It is a comprehensive legislation to regulate all matters relating to foreigners and immigration.

This legislation is in line with the government's policy of simplification of laws, ease of doing business and minimising compliance burden.

It seeks to balance the requirements of national security and related issues of immigration of foreigners with the need to promote economic growth and tourism in the country.

However, it is not connected with any matters related with grant of citizenship.

The Bill is expected help in tackling the problem of illegal migration into India and facilitate tracking of movement of overstaying foreigners within India. PTI NAB ACB ACB TIR TIR