Pakistanis failing to leave India by deadline will face 3-year jail term or Rs 3 lakh fine

The Centre has set a strict deadline for Pakistani nationals to leave India, warning that those who fail to comply will face arrest, prosecution, and a possible jail term of up to three years or a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh, or both. This directive follows the tragic killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack by Pakistan-linked terrorists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

The government issued a 'Leave India' notice to Pakistani nationals in the wake of the attack, requiring those holding SAARC visas to leave by April 26. Pakistani nationals with medical visas must leave by April 29. The 12 categories of visas, whose holders must exit by Sunday, include visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim, and group pilgrim visas.

According to the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, which came into effect on April 4, overstaying a visa, violating visa conditions, or trespassing into restricted areas can result in imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh.

The Act states, "Whoever, (a) being a foreigner, remains in any area in India for a period exceeding the period for which the visa was issued to him, stays in India without a valid passport or other valid travel document in contravention of provisions of Section 3, or does any act in violation of the conditions of the valid visa issued to him for his entry and stay in India or any part thereunder;"

"(b) contravenes any other provisions of this Act, other than sections 17 and 19, or of any rule or order made thereunder, or any direction or instruction given in pursuance of this Act or such order or direction or instruction for which no specific punishment is provided under this Act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with a fine which may extend to three lakh rupees, or with both."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah took immediate action by calling the chief ministers of all states and instructing them to ensure that no Pakistani national stays beyond the deadline.

Following Home Minister’s call, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan held a video conference with chief secretaries to ensure that all Pakistani nationals whose visas were revoked leave the country by the fixed deadline.

The already tense relations between India and Pakistan further deteriorated after the Pahalgam terror attack. Earlier, India had announced a series of retaliatory measures, including the cancellation of visas and the suspension of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty.

Inputs from agencies