Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950 – Full Text | Law Library Online

The Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi-2, the 25th April, 1950

(Amended up to 31-3-1987)

No. 4/5/49-F.I- In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 2 of the Indian Passport Act, 1920 (XXXIV of 1920) and in supersession of the Indian Passport Rules, 1921, the Central Government is pleased to make the following rules:

Rule 1

Short title and extent

(1)

These rules may be called the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950.

(2)

They extend to the whole of India.

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Rule 2

Definition

In these rules, “competent authority” means any person designated by order of the Central Government to exercise all or any of the powers of competent authority under these rules.

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Rule 3

Restriction on entry into India

Save as provided in rule 4; no person proceeding from any place outside India shall enter, or attempt to enter, India by water, land or air: –

(a)

Unless he is in possession of a valid passport confirming to the conditions prescribed in rule 5; and

(b)

except through such port (including an airport) or other place as may be specified in this behalf by the Central Government, and ports or other places specified under clause (a) of sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 3 of the Foreigners Order 1948 shall be deemed to have been so specified.

Explanation: – A person entering India by water or air shall not be deemed to be proceeding from a place outside India by reason only of the fact that he has traversed extra territorial waters or land in the course of his journey.

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Rule 4

Exemptions

(1)

The following classes of persons shall be exempted from the provisions of rule 3: –

(a)

Omitted;

(b)

member of the Naval, Military or air Forces of India, entering India on duty and members of the family of any such person when accompanying such person to India on a Government transport;

(c)

Omitted;

(d)

Omitted;

(e)

Omitted;

(f)

persons domiciled in India entering India by land or by air over the Nepalese or Bhutanese frontier;

(g)

Nepalese and Bhutanese entering India by land or by air over the Nepalese or Bhutanese frontier;

(h)

bona fide Mohamedan pilgrims domiciled in India returning from Jeddah or Basra; and

(i)

other persons or classes of persons specified by general or special order of the Central Government.

(2)

In specifying any person or class of persons in accordance with the provisions of clause (i) of sub-rule (1) the Central Government may prescribe any conditions to which the exemption of such person or class of persons from the provisions of rule 3 shall be subjected.

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Rule 5

Conditions of a valid passport

The conditions of a valid passport are: –

(i)

That it shall have been issued or renewed by or on behalf of the Government of the country of which the person to whom it relates is a national, and shall be within the period of its validity;

(ii)

that it shall have affixed to it a photograph of the person to whom it relates duly authenticated by the authority issuing the passport except in the following cases:

(a)

where a child below the age of 15 years has been included in the passport of either of his parents;

(b)

where a pardanashin wife has been included in the passport of her husband and is travelling with her husband;

(c)

where a pardanashin woman has been granted a separate passport for herself only-

(a)

if she is accompanied by a male attendant who is in possession of a valid passport and visa, and

(b)

if the name of the male attendant and the particulars of his passport and visa are duly entered in the passport of the pardanashin woman;

(iii)

Omitted;

(iv)

that when issued by or no behalf of the Government of a foreign country other than Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan it shall have been endorsed by a proper Indian diplomatic, consular or passport authority or by such authority as may be authorised in this behalf by the Central Government by way of visa for India in one or other of the following kinds, namely :-

(a)

a single journey visa, valid for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified therein and for only one journey to India;

(b)

a transit visa, valid for such period not exceeding one year or the period of validity of the visa for the country of ultimate destination, as may be specified therein, and for one or more direct journeys through India undertaken for the sole purpose of reaching any place or country outside India, permitting on each such journey a sojourn of not more than fifteen days in India unless specially extended by a competent authority; and

(c)

an ordinary visa, valid for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified therein, and any number of journeys to India;

(iv a)

“Nothing in clause (iv) shall apply to, or in relation to, any person holding the diplomatic or official passport issued by the Government of Denmark”.

(iv-A)

that when issued by or on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, it shall have been endorsed by a proper Indian diplomatic, consular, or passport authority or by such authority as may be authorised in this behalf by the Central Government with a visa for India of any of the following categories, namely:-

(a)
(i)

a Diplomatic visa valid for multiple entries and stay in India for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified therein;

(ii)

a Diplomatic visa valid for single entry and stay in India for such period not exceeding one month as may be specified therein;

(b)

a non-Diplomatic visa valid for multiple entries and stay in India for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified therein;

(c)

an Official visa valid for single entry and stay in India for such period not exceeding one month as may be specified therein;

(d)
(i)

a Visitor visa valid for single entry and in India for such period not exceeding three months as may be specified therein;

(ii)

a Visitor visa valid for multiple entries and stay in India for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified therein;

(e)

a Transit visa for single entry and stay in the city of port of entry in India for such period not exceeding 72 hours as may be specified therein;

(iv-B)

that when issued by or on behalf of the Government of Nepal, it shall be specifically valid for entry into India or shall have been specifically endorsed by a competent authority as valid for entry into India;

Provided that in the case of a person entering India over the Tibetan or Bhutanese frontier, it shall also be endorsed by a proper Indian diplomatic, consular or passport authority by way of a visa or a transit visa;

(iv-C)

that when issued by or on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh, it shall have been endorsed by a proper Indian diplomatic, consular or passport authority with a visa for India of one or more of the following kinds, namely:-

(a)

a Diplomatic or an official visa for a single journey or a specified number of journeys to India, valid for stay for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified therein;

(b)

a Short-term visa for a single journey to India, valid for stay for such period not exceeding three months as may be specified therein;

(c)

a Long-term visa for a single journey or a specified number of journeys, valid for stay for such period not exceeding one year;

(d)

a Transit visa for one direct journey through India undertaken for the purpose of reaching any place or country outside India, permitting breaks of journey, subject to a total sojourn in India not exceeding 15 days from the date of entry into India;

(e)

a Re-entry visa valid for re-entry into India,

(V)

that it shall not have been obtained by misrepresentation or fraud.

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Rule 5-A

Cancellation of visa endorsement

Any diplomatic, consular or passport authority referred to in clause (iv) clause (iv-A) clause (iv-B), or (iv-C) of rule 5, may at any time and without assigning any reason, make an order that the endorsement by way of visa made on a passport shall be of no effect and may for this purpose require the production of the passport before it and cancel the visa endorsement made therein.

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Rule 6

Penalty

Any person who: –

(a)

Contravenes or abets the contravention of the provisions of rule 3, or

(b)

does, or attempts to do, any act in contravention of any condition prescribed under sub-rule (2) of rule 4, or

(c)

enters, or attempts to enter, India on a forged passport or visa,

shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine or with both.

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Sd/-
(FATEH SINGH)
Deputy Secretary

Amendment Notifications

  1. No. 6/37/50-F. I, dated 12-10-50
  2. No. 6/34/50-F. I, dated 17-10-50
  3. No. 4/13(B)/51, I, dated 2-8-51
  4. No. 6/69/52-F. I, dated 14-10-52
  5. No.4/1/54-F. I, dated 26-3-54
  6. No. 6/67/52-F. I, dated 10-4-54
  7. No. 6/25/53-F. I, dated 26-5-54
  8. No. 1/4/54-F. I, dated 3-9-54
  9. No. 6/28/52-F. I, dated 24-11-54
  10. No. 6/37/54-F. I, dated 18-4-55(S.R.O: 846)
  11. No.4/1/56-F.I, dated 26-5-56 & 12-7-56
  12. No. 6/32/56-F. I, dated 23-8-56 (S.R.O.1893)
  13. No. 6/65/57-F. I, dated 7-9-57 (S.R.O.2883)
  14. No. 4/1/58-F. I, dated 6-10-58(G.S.R. 905)
  15. No. 1/8/60-IIF. III dated 18-7-60
  16. No. 6/162/59-F. I, dated 28-7-60 (G.S.R. 882)
  17. No. 6/151/62-F. I, dated 12-10-62
  18. No. 6/217/62-F. I, dated 23-2-63 (G.S.R. 333)
  19. No. 6/102/64-F. I, dated 21-11-65
  20. No. 6/165/64-F. I, dated 16-3-65
  21. No. 6/86/65-F. I dated 21-9-65
  22. No. 6/10/67-F. I, dated 20-9-67 (G.S.R. 1454)
  23. No. 6/33/68-F. I, dated 6-3-68
  24. No. 6/71/69-F. I, dated 20-6-69 (G.S.R. 1491)
  25. No. 6/34/69-F. I, dated 4-5-70 (G.S.R. 812)
  26. No. 11011/6/72-F. I, dated 11-8-72 [G.S.R.373 (E)]
  27. No. 12011/52/72-F.III (D), dated 5-1-73 [G.S.R. 4(E)]
  28. No. 14011/13/73-F.I, dated 20-3-74
  29. No. 14011/3/74-F. I, dated 24-7-74 (G.S.R. 844)
  30. No.12011/23/74-F. III, dated 14-1-75
  31. No. 14011/9/76-F. I, dated 31-3-79 (G.S.R. 521. dated 31-3-79)
  32. No. 12011/2/80-F.III, dated 6-11-80 (G.S.R. 1208, dated 6-11-80)
  33. No. 11013/2(i)/84-F. II, dated13-6-84 [S.O.440 (E)]
  34. No. 11013/2(i)/84-F.I, dated 16-6-84 [S.O. 448(E)]
  35. No. 11013/2(i)/84-F. I, dated 22-6-84 [S.O. 460(E)] &
  36. No. 11013/2(ii)/84-F. I, dated 24-6-84 [S.O.461 (E)]
  37. No. 11013/1/84-F. I, dated 28-11-86 [S.O. 871(E) dated 28-11-86]

Rule headings are added for ease of reference and do not form part of the notified text.