Section 2:
Interpretation.
(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "a Government in India" means the Central Government or a State Government.
1[(b) "illegal migrant" means a foreigner who has entered into India--
(i) without a valid passport or other travel documents and such other document or
authority as may be prescribed by or under any law in that behalf; or
(ii) with a valid passport or other travel documents and such other document or authority
as may be prescribed by or under any law in that behalf but remains therein beyond the
permitted period of time;]
2[Provided that any person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian
community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, who entered into India on or before the
31st day of December, 2014 and who has been exempted by the Central Government by or under
clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 (34 of 1920)
or from the application of the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 (31 of 1946) or any rule or
order made there under, shall not be treated as illegal migrant for the purposes of this Act;]
(d) "Indian consulate means the office of any consular officer of the Government of India
where a register of births is kept, or where there is no such office, such office as may be
prescribed;
(e) "minor" means a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years;
3[(ee) "Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder" means a person registered as an Overseas
Citizen of India Cardholder by the Central Government under section 7A;]
(f) "person" does not include any company or association or body of individuals, whether
incorporated or not;
(g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
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(h) "undivided India" means India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935, as
originally enacted.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person born aboard a registered ship or aircraft, or aboard an
unregistered ship or aircraft of the government of any country, shall be deemed to have been born in
the place in which the ship or aircraft was registered or, as the case may be, in that country.
(3) Any reference in this Act to the status or description of the father of a person at the time of
that person's birth shall, in relation to a person born after the death of his father, be construed as a
reference to the status or description of the father at the time of the father's death; and where that
death occurred before, and the birth occurs after, the commencement of this Act, the status or
description which would have been applicable to the father had he died after the commencement of
this Act shall be deemed to be the status or description applicable to him at the time of his death.
(4) For the purposes of this Act, a person shall be deemed to be of full age if he is not a minor and
of full capacity if he is not of unsound mind.
Notes:
1. Subs. by Act 6 of 2004, s. 2, for clauses (b) and (c) (w.e.f. 3-12-2004).
2.Ins. by Act 47 of 2019, s. 2 (w.e.f. 10-1-2020).
3. Subs. by Act 1 of 2015, s. 2, for clause (ee) (w.e.f. 6-1-2015).
4. Omitted by Act 32 of 2005, s. 2 (w.e.f. 28-6-2005).