Members of minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, who entered India up to December 31, 2024, to escape religious persecution, will be permitted to stay in the country even without valid passports or other travel documents, the Union Home Ministry has said.
Under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which came into effect last year, such individuals who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, are eligible for Indian citizenship.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the cut-off date for entry into India for applying under CAA till 31st December 2024!
Grateful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji and the Central Government for this historic… pic.twitter.com/ZfVIKHhPKe
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) September 3, 2025
The latest relaxation comes after a long-standing appeal by associations of displaced persons. In particular, a refugee body representing families from erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the CAA cut-off date from 2014 to 2024, citing the continued influx of persecuted minorities across borders.
