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Haryana: Travel Agents Bill gains students support, industry demands clarity
The bill primarily aims to curb unlawful activities in the travel agent industry, particularly those involving the illegal sending of youth to foreign countries
A day after the Haryana Assembly passed the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Travel Agents Bill, 2025, there has been a mixed reaction from the public and industry players. While the bill has been welcomed by students and those affected by illegal immigration activities, industry professionals are calling for clarification and some relaxation on certain provisions.
The bill primarily aims to curb unlawful activities in the travel agent industry, particularly those involving the illegal sending of youth to foreign countries. According to the bill, many travel agents have been exploiting young people by offering them illegal routes to foreign countries. These individuals are often caught by foreign authorities and imprisoned. In response, the bill proposes penalties, including a jail term of up to seven years and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh for agents who operate without a registration certificate.
The bill comes on the heels of a significant development in February, when around 300 Indian migrants, including nearly 110 from Haryana, were deported from the United States in three separate flights. Most of the deportees hail from the state’s rice-growing region, including Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, and Kaithal. Many villages in these districts have seen large numbers of youth leave in search of better financial opportunities abroad, often through dubious travel agencies promising illegal migration routes.
Sushil Kumar, a deportee from Kaithal, expressed his gratitude for the bill, noting, “Many of my unemployed friends still aim to settle in foreign countries despite whatever happened to me. I’ve asked everyone not to take the ‘donkey route’.”
His sentiments are shared by many, including a student from Karnal who plans to shift to Europe. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the student expressed satisfaction that the government is now closely monitoring travel agents, saying, “It’s good to know that agents will be under government supervision.”
The bill has also garnered support from the abroad education industry.
Nischey Sohi, a member of the 15-member core committee from the Association of Abroad Education Consultants (AAEC), Haryana, applauded the government’s efforts to promote ethical practices. “We are hopeful that this bill, once it becomes a law, will help curb illegal businesses,” he said.
However, Sohi raised concerns over two specific clauses in the bill. Clause 6 requires every business, including branch offices, to obtain a separate licence. Sohi pointed out that many agencies have their main offices in one district and branches in nearby districts. “We demand that one licence be allowed for operations across the state,” he said. Another clause, Clause 14, stipulates that the property of an agent can be attached in case of default. Sohi argued that such a provision could harm businesses and called for a court decision in such cases if an agent becomes a Proclaimed Offender. “This clause will impact our businesses largely,” he added.
Arvind Kumar Kadian, an educationist and certified immigration consultant for the Government of Canada, also noted that the bill is “silent” on the qualifications required to practice as a visa consultant or agent. “The bill does not make it mandatory for visa consultants to have the necessary certifications, which would not be effective in controlling illegal immigration,” Kadian explained. He further pointed out that in neighboring Punjab, the “Punjab Travel Professionals Regulations Act, 2012” had failed to effectively address immigration fraud. “The right to grant licenses for visa services lies only with the government of the concerned foreign country,” he added.
