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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1242
ANSWERED ON- 06/02/2026
REPATRIATION OF ILLEGAL INDIAN EMIGRANTS
1242. SHRI RAJEEV RAI
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-
(a) whether many Indians who had earlier immigrated to USA and
European countries through illegal means have been repatriated by these
countries in last two years;
(b) if so, the details of such immigrants repatriated in the last three years,
year-wise;
(c) whether it is a fact that these countries have repatriated Indian illegal
emigrants to the USA in very inhuman and tortuous conditions, if so, the
details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has taken up the matter with the USA and got
any assurance from that country regarding humane expatriation of illegal
emigrants to our country;
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
1(f) whether the Government is considering to propose an international
convention to discuss the issue and chalk out guidelines for repatriation of
illegal emigrants to their native country in just and humane conditions, if
so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a to b) Most of the foreign countries do not provide information on illegal
stay in their countries, except when they are under orders of deportation
and travel document/nationality verification is required. The procedure
followed for deportation of foreign nationals also varies from country to
country. Some countries do not arrest the deportee and keep them in
detention/deportation centers until deportation. Moreover, the information
about arrest/detention and deportation is not shared with Indian
Missions/Posts and the deportation is done directly by the host
Government if the deportee has valid travel document. Indian
Missions/Posts are contacted by the host Governments only in such cases
where the nationality verification and issuance of Emergency Certificate
(EC) to the deportee is required. However, based on the data available with
our Missions abroad, country-wise and year-wise details of Indian
nationals detained and deported are given in Annexure-I.
2There are several reasons for detention and deportation of Indians abroad,
including entry into the country without valid visa, overstay beyond
validity of visa or residency card, working without work permit, violating
labour regulations, absconding from the employer and facing of civil or
criminal cases, etc.
(c to f) Government of India works in close coordination with U.S.
authorities on all matters pertaining to deportation of Indian citizens.
Such deportations are subject to an unambiguous verification of their
Indian nationality.
The Ministry of External Affairs remains engaged with the U.S. side to
ensure the humane treatment of deportees during deportation operations.
The Ministry strongly registered its concerns with the U.S. authorities on
the treatment of deportees, particularly with respect to use of shackles,
especially on women and children. Concerns with regards to religious /
cultural sensitivities including the use of turbans and dietary preferences
have also been formally taken up with the U.S. side. This Ministry has not
received any complaint pertaining to treatment of deportees on any flight
after February 5, 2025.
The U.S. authorities have conveyed that the Restraining Policy for U.S.
deportation flights is in place since 19 November 2012 as part of the
Standard Operating Procedure of the U.S. Immigration and Customs
3Enforcement (ICE). They have also conveyed that their policy of shackling
deportees is followed to ensure the safety and security of all passengers
on these flights. In the past, they claim that there have been instances of
violence by deportees against fellow deportees and supporting crew
members on such deportation flights. While women and minors are
generally not shackled, the flight officer in charge of a deportation flight,
in the interest of the safety of the mission, has the final say on the matter.
The Government of India accords highest priority to the safety, security,
and well-being of Indian nationals abroad and remains engaged with U.S.
authorities on addressing illegal immigration and human trafficking.
4Annexure-I
Number of Indian nationals deported
Sl. Name of the Name of the
from foreign countries
No. Country Mission/Post
2023 2024 2025
1 Afghanistan EOI, Kabul 0 0 0
2 Albania EOI, Tirana 0 0 0
3 Algeria EOI, Algiers 0 1 2
4 Angola HCI, Luanda 0 0 0
5 Argentina EOI, Buenos Aires 0 0 0
6 Armenia EOI, Yerevan 0 0 0
7 Australia HCI, Canberra 9 0 0
8 Australia CGI, Melbourne
9 Australia CGI, Sydney 7 28 16
10 Australia CGI, Perth 0 0 0
11 Australia CGI, Brisbane 0 1 3
12 Austria EOI, Vienna
13 Azerbaijan EOI, Baku 0 0 0
14 Bahrain EOI, Bahrain 0 0 0
15 Bangladesh HCI, Dhaka 0 0 0
16 Bangladesh AHCI, Chittagong 0 0 0
17 Bangladesh AHCI, Khulna 0 0 0
18 Bangladesh AHCI, Rajshahi 0 0 0
19 Bangladesh AHCI, Sylhet 0 0 0
20 Belarus EOI, Minsk
21 Belgium EOI, Brussels 19 5 4
22 Belize EOI, Mexico city 0 0 0
23 Bhutan EOI, Thimphu 0 0 1
24 Bhutan CGI, Phuntsholing 0 0 0
25 Bolivia EOI, La Paz 0 0 0
26 Botswana HCI, Gaborone 0 0 0
27 Brazil EOI, Brasilia 0 0 0
28 Brazil CGI, Sao Paulo 0 0 0
29 Bulgaria EOI, Sofia 0 0 0
30 Burkina Faso EOI, Ouagadougou 0 0 0
31 Cabo Verde EOI, Praia 0 0 0
32 Cambodia EOI, Phnom Penh
33 Cameroon HCI, Yaounde 0 0 0
34 Canada HCI, Ottawa 48 30 48
35 Canada CGI, Toronto 60 63 198
36 Canada CGI, Vancouver
537 Chad EOI, N'Djamena
38 Chile EOI, Santiago 0 0 0
39 China EOI, Beijing 3 4 7
40 China CGI, Shanghai 2 1 1
41 China CGI, Guangzhou 21 26 8
42 China CGI, Hong Kong 207 201 300
43 Colombia EOI, Bogota 0 60 0
44 Comoros EOI, Antananarivo 0 0 0
45 Cote D'Ivoire EOI, Abidjan 0 0 0
46 Croatia EOI, Zagreb
47 Cuba EOI, Havana 0 0 0
48 Cyprus EOI, Nicosia 173 183 163
49 Czech Republic EOI, Prague
Democratic
50 Republic of EOI, Kinshasa 0 0 0
Congo
51 Denmark EOI, Copenhagen 0 0 0
52 Djibouti EOI, Djibouti 0 0 0
Dominican
53 EOI, Santo Domingo
Republic
54 Ecuador EOI, Quito
55 Egypt EOI, Cairo 2 0 0
Equatorial
56 EOI, Malabo
Guinea
57 Eritrea EOI, Asmara 0 0 0
58 Estonia EOI, Tallinn
59 Eswatini HCI, Mbabane 0 0 0
60 Ethiopia EOI, Addis Ababa 0 0 0
61 Fiji HCI, Suva 0 0 0
62 Finland EOI, Helsinki 0 0 0
63 France EOI, Paris
64 France CGI, Marseille 0 0 5
CGI, Saint Denis
65 France 0 1 0
(Reunion Island)
66 Gabon HCI, Libreville
67 Georgia EOI, Tbilisi 0 0 155
68 Germany EOI, Berlin 0 79 16
69 Germany CGI, Frankfurt
70 Germany CGI, Hamburg
71 Germany CGI, Munich
72 Ghana HCI, Accra 0 0 0
73 Greece EOI, Athens
674 Guatemala EOI, Guatemala City 0 0 4
75 Guyana HCI, Georgetown 0 11 5
76 Hungary EOI, Budapest 0 0 0
77 Iceland EOI, Reykjavik
78 Indonesia EOI, Jakarta 0 0 11
79 Indonesia CGI, Medan 0 0 3
80 Indonesia CGI, Bali 20 20 10
81 Iran EOI, Tehran 0 0 0
82 Iran CGI, Bandar Abbas
83 Iran CGI, Zahedan
84 Iraq EOI, Baghdad 0 0 0
85 Iraq CGI, Erbil 0 0 0
86 Ireland EOI, Dublin 0 2 5
87 Israel EOI, Tel Aviv
88 Italy EOI, Rome 2 6 9
89 Italy CGI, Milan
90 Jamaica HCI, Kingston
91 Jamiaca HCI, Kingston
92 Japan EOI, Tokyo 16 11 12
93 Japan CGI, Oska Kobe
94 Japan CGI, Fukuoka 0 0 0
95 Jordan EOI, Amman 59 79 61
96 Kazakhstan EOI, Astana 0 0 0
97 Kazakhstan ROI, Almaty 0 0 0
98 Kenya HCI, Nairobi 1 1 1
99 Kenya AHCI, Mombasa 0 0 0
100 Kuwait EOI, Kuwait
101 Kyrgyzstan EOI, Bishkek
102 Lao PDR EOI, Vientiane 0 0 0
103 Latvia EOI, Riga 0 0 0
104 Lebanon EOI, Beirut 1 5 2
105 Liberia EOI, Monrovia 0 0 0
106 Libya EOI, Tripoli 0 0 0
107 Lithuania EOI, Vilnius 0 0 4
108 Madagascar EOI, Antananarivo 0 0 0
109 Malawi HCI, Lilongwe 1 0 0
110 Malaysia HCI, Kuala Lumpur 1182 1259 1675
111 Maldives HCI, Male 117 194 150
112 Mali EOI, Bamako 0 0 0
113 Malta EOI, Malta 0 0 3
114 Mauritania EOI, Nouakchott 0 0 0
7115 Mauritius HCI, Port Louis
116 Mexico EOI, Mexico City 0 0 0
117 Mongolia EOI, Ulaanbaatar 0 0 0
118 Morocco EOI, Rabat
119 Mozambique HCI, Maputo 0 0 0
120 Myanmar EOI, Yangoon 89 148 1,605
121 Myanmar CGI, Mandalay
122 Myanmar CGI, Sittwe 0 0 0
123 Namibia HCI, Windhoek 0 0 0
124 Nepal EOI, Kathmandu
125 Nepal CGI, Birgunj 0 0 0
126 Netherlands EOI, The Hague 58 11 3
127 New Zealand EOI, Wellington 19 20 6
128 New Zealand CGI, Auckland 0 0 0
129 Niger EOI, Niamey 0 0 0
130 Nigeria HCI, Abuja 0 0 1
131 Nigeria AHCI, Lagos
132 North Korea EOI, Pyongyang
133 Norway EOI, Oslo 0 0 0
134 Oman EOI, Muscat 47 25 25
135 Pakistan HCI, Islamabad 0 0 0
136 Palestine ROI, Ramallah 0 0 0
137 Panama EOI, Panama 0 215 79
Papua New
138 HCI, Port Moresby 1 1 0
Guinea
139 Paraguay EOI, Asuncion 0 0 0
140 Peru EOI, Lima 0 0 0
141 Phillipines EOI, Manila
142 Poland EOI, Warsaw 24 14 12
143 Qatar EOI, Doha 1,414 1,136 796
Republic of
144 EOI, Brazzaville 0 0 0
Congo
Republic of
145 EOI, Conakry 0 0 0
Guinea
146 Romania EOI, Bucharest
147 Russia EOI, Moscow 0 35 284
148 Russia CGI, St. Petersburg
149 Russia CGI, Vladivostok 0 0 1
150 Russia CGI, Kazan
151 Russia CGI, Yekaterinaburg
152 Rwanda HCI, Kigali 0 0 0
8Sao Tome and EOI, Sao Tome and
153 0 0 0
Principe Principe
154 Saudi Arabia EOI, Riyadh 29592 5235 4335
155 Saudi Arabia CGI, Jeddah 7542 8831 8921
156 Senegal EOI, Dakar 0 0 0
157 Serbia EOI, Belgrade 2 5 10
158 Seychelles HCI, Victoria, Mahe 0 0 0
159 Sierra Leone EOI, Freetown
160 Singapore HCI, Singapore 21 13 15
161 Slovakia EOI, Bratislava 0 8 27
162 Slovenia EOI, Ljubljana 0 0 0
163 South Africa HCI, Pretoria 0 0 0
164 South Africa CGI Johanesburg 0 0 0
165 South Africa CGI, Cape Town 0 0 1
166 South Africa CGI, Durban 0 0 0
167 South Korea EOI, Seoul 4 0 0
168 South Sudan EOI, Juba 0 0 0
169 Spain EOI, Madrid
170 Spain CGI, Barcelona 0 0 0
171 Sri Lanka HCI, Colombo
172 Sri Lanka AHCI, Kandy
173 Sri Lanka CGI, Jaffna 0 0 0
174 Sri Lanka CGI, Hambantota 0 0 0
175 Sudan EOI, Khartoum
176 Suriname EOI, Paramaribo 0 0 0
177 Sweden EOI, Stockholm 27 16 13
178 Switzerland EOI, Bern
179 Switzerland CGI, Geneva 0 0 0
180 Syria EOI, Damascus 0 0 0
India Taipei
181 Taiwan 0 0 0
Association
182 Tajikistan EOI, Dushanbe
183 Tanzania HCI, Dar-e-Salaam 0 0 0
184 Tanzania CGI, Zanzibar 0 0 0
185 Thailand EOI, Bangkok
186 Thailand COI, Chiangmai 0 0 0
187 Timor Leste EOI, Dili 0 0 0
188 Togo EOI, Lome 0 0 0
Trinidad &
189 HCI, Port of Spain 0 0 0
Tobago
190 Tunisia EOI, Tunis 2 0 0
9191 Turkiye EOI, Ankara 23 10 3
192 Turkiye CGI, Istanbul
193 Turkmenistan EOI, Ashgabat 0 0 0
194 UAE EOI, Abu Dhabi 666 899 1,662
195 UAE CGI, Dubai 2,841 5,221 7,896
196 Uganda HCI, Kampala
197 Ukraine EOI, Kyiv 11 5 5
198 United Kingdom HCI, London
199 United Kingdom CGI, Birmingham 75 33 70
200 United Kingdom CGI, Edinurgh 0 0 0
201 United Kingdom CGI, Manchester 0 0 0
202 United Kingdom CGI, Belfast 0 0 0
203 Uruguay EOI, Buenos Aires 0 0 0
3414 (till
204 USA EOI, Washington 617 1,368 mid Dec
2025)
205 USA CGI, New York 18 26 47
206 USA CGI, Chicago 0 0 0
207 USA CGI, Atlanta 5 14 31
208 USA CGI, Houston 14 42 234
209 USA CGI, San Fransisco 19 17 49
210 USA CGI, Seattle 0 3 31
211 USA CGI, Los Angeles 0 0 0
212 Uzbekistan EOI, Tashkent 0 0 0
213 Venezuela EOI, Caracas 0 14 0
214 Vietnam EOI, Hanoi 0 0 0
CGI, Ho Chi Minh
215 Vietnam
City
216 Yemen EOI, Riyadh 0 0 0
217 Zambia HCI, Lusaka 0 0 0
218 Zimbabwe EOI, Harare 0 0 0
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