Pakistani nationals who overstay in India can face 3 years in jail, ₹3 lakh fine

Pakistani nationals on short-term visas who fail to leave India within the stipulated deadline are liable to be arrested, prosecuted and face penalties of three years in jail and a ₹3 lakh fine.

Under Section 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, foreign nationals who overstay their visa, violate visa conditions, or enter restricted areas in India face imprisonment up to 3 years, or a fine of a maximum ₹3 lakh or both.

The Centre issued a ‘Leave India’ notice to all Pakistani nationals on short-term visas in India, stating that they had to leave the country by April 27. Special consideration was given to those on medical visas who are required to leave by April 29.

The Indian government’s directive came after Pakistani-based terrorist organisation was linked to the attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which left 26 civilians dead.

The 12 categories of visa holders who have to leave India by April 27 include those who have a visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim and group pilgrim.

Union home minister Amit Shah had directed the chief ministers of all states to identify those Pakistani nationals who need to be deported and make arrangements accordingly.

Pakistani nationals leave India via Wagah-Attari border

As many as 509 Pakistani nationals, including nine diplomats and officials, left India over the last three days in accordance with the Indian government’s directives following the Pahalgam attack.

A total of 745 Indians, including 14 diplomats and officials, also returned from Pakistan through the Wagah-Attari border, reported PTI.

Mirroring New Delhi’s punitive measures, Islamabad also announced retaliatory directives and cancelled visas given to Indians under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES).

Relations between the two neighbouring nations have soured after the Resistance Front, a Pakistan-based proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Pahalgam.

Pakistan has denied involvement and has called for a neutral probe into the incident. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and defence minister Khawaja Asif have also called for international involvement in the investigation to ensure fairness.