BASURI DESAI
Goa has deported 234 foreign nationals between January 2020 and June 2025 — with a staggering 82 deportations in the first half of this year alone — yet, in the same period, the State has booked just 24 cases against accommodation providers who failed to report their stay, as mandated under Section 16 of the Foreigners (Amendment Order), 2016.
This glaring mismatch raises serious questions about accountability and the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms in the State.
Data tabled in the Goa Legislative Assembly reveals that the highest number of deportations were from African nations, led by Uganda with 69, followed by Russia (38), Bangladesh (36), Nigeria (25), and Tanzania (11). Other nationalities include British (2), Ukrainian (4), Nepali (5), Kenyan (10), Bulgarian, Iranian, Yemeni, and many others — totalling 33 different countries. A notable number of deportations in 2025 have been from Bangladesh (26), Russia (26), and Uganda (17), reflecting growing concerns over overstays and illegal activities.
While Russian and African nationals figure prominently in Goa’s crime records — from drug peddling to cultivating narcotics — Bangladeshi nationals, despite ranking among the top in overstays, do not feature in any recorded crimes as per available data.
The Goa Home Department, in its official response, confirmed that deportations are largely based on information from the District Police Module and Leave India Notices issued by the FRRO Mumbai. These are circulated to district Superintendents of Police for action. In addition, the FRRO Goa has conducted six joint drives with local police in 2025 to trace overstaying foreigners. However, these efforts have not translated into legal accountability for the individuals or establishments that enabled such stays.
Under Section 16 of the Foreigners Order, hotels, guest-houses, service apartments, and even private property owners are required to submit C-Forms with details of their foreign guests. Failure to comply is a punishable offence. Despite this, only nine cases have been booked in 2025 so far, and the total number of cases between 2020 and mid-2025 stands at just 24 — a stark contrast to the 234 deportations in the same period. The data suggests a significant enforcement gap: while authorities are deporting foreigners in large numbers, they are failing to hold accommodation providers accountable for hosting them without proper reporting.
Experts cite several reasons for the under-reporting of such violations — ranging from lack of awareness among hosts to deliberate avoidance of legal formalities, particularly in unregistered accommodations, home-stays, and short-term rentals.
Popular coastal belt areas such as Arambol, Morjim, Calangute, and Anjuna are known for attracting long-stay foreign tourists, some of whom engage in unauthorised business activities, including drug trafficking, illegal rentals, or overstaying after visa expiry.
Compounding the issue is the lack of data sharing between the Tourism Department and the Home Department. The Tourism Department has not provided any foreign visitor data over the last five years, making it even harder for enforcement agencies to trace entry points or cross-check visitor patterns. This fragmented inter-departmental approach weakens Goa’s ability to proactively monitor illegal stays and coordinate enforcement action.
The rise in deportations may reflect stronger detection and coordination with FRRO authorities, but without corresponding legal action against those aiding such violations, experts warn the problem will persist. The State risks becoming a safe haven for foreign nationals seeking to exploit loopholes in immigration enforcement and hospitality compliance.
234- deportations
•69- Uganda
•38- Russia
•36- Bangladesh
•25- Nigeria
•11- Tanzania
82deportations
•26- Bangladesh
•26- Russia
•17- Uganda