Lok Sabha Question No. 640 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-19
Subject: Overstay of Foreigners
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: VISHNU DAYAL RAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 640

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH  DECEMBER, 2017/ AGRAHAYANA 28, 1939 (SAKA)

OVERSTAY OF FOREIGNERS

640.    SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  citizens  belonging  to  Pakistan  and  Bangladesh  issued  visas under various categories during 2016-17;
- (b) whether the Government has any mechanism to find out the number of people out of these citizens who have returned to their countries on the expiry of visa period;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether any arrangement has been made in this regard to ensure that citizens particularly from neighbouring countries return to their respective countries on the expiry of visa period and they do not stay back illegally; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- The number of citizens belonging to Pakistan and Bangladesh issued visas
- (a): under various categories during 2016 & 2017 is as follows:-

| Visas issued under various categories   |   2016 |    2017 |
|-----------------------------------------|--------|---------|
| Pakistan                                |  52525 |   34445 |
| Bangladesh                              | 933695 | 1289332 |

## L.S.US.Q.NO.640 FOR 19.12.2017

(b) & (c): Law  enforcing  agencies  maintain  a  vigil  to  intercept  the  foreigners overstaying  in  India.  Foreigners  Regional  Registration  Officers  (FRROs)  under Bureau of Immigration and the Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs)  under the State Governments have been authorized to conduct special drives for identification  of  the  overstaying  foreigners  in  their  jurisdiction  and  initiate necessary legal action for their deportation.

(d) & (e): Central Government is vested with powers to deport a foreign national illegally staying in the country under section 3(2) (c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946. These  powers  to  identify,  detect  and  deport  illegally  staying  foreign  nationals have also been delegated to the State Govts/ UT Administrations and Bureau of Immigration. Detection and deportation of such over-staying foreign citizens is a continuous process.

A revised procedure for detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants has also been set out and circulated to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations in November, 2009, which has been partially modified in February,  2011 and  further  modified  in  February,  2013.  The  procedure  includes sending back then and there, the illegal immigrants who are intercepted at the border while entering India unauthorizedly.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.640 FOR 19.12.2017

The Central Government is implementing a Mission Mode Project on Immigration, Visa  and  Foreigners  Registration  &  Tracking  (I.V.F.R.T.)  which  will  facilitate improved tracking of foreigners by integrating and sharing information captured during  visa  issuance  at  Missions,  during  immigration  check  at  the  Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) and during registration at the Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs)/Foreigners Registration Offices (FROs).

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