Citizenship Matters
The Ministry of External Affairs has conveyed instructions regarding the consular services for renunciation of Indian citizenship and surrender of Indian Passport upon acquiring foreign nationality.
It may be noted that the renunciation of Indian citizenship under Section 8(1) of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the surrender of Indian Passport under the provision of the Passports Act 1967 are two different services, which are governed by two different laws.
“Indian citizens desiring to renounce the citizenship of India may please note that if any person (either FATHER OR MOTHER) ceases to be a citizen of India under sub - section (1) of Section 8 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, every minor child of that person shall cease to be a citizen of India under sub – section (2) of Section 8 of the Citizenship Act, 1955. However, such a child may, within one year after attaining full age, make a declaration in the prescribed form and manner that he/she wishes to resume Indian Citizenship.”
Foreign nationals of Indian origin who have already acquired citizenship of any other country are not eligible to renounce their citizenship, as their citizenship has already been terminated under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act 1955. Only in certain cases, the citizenship of minor children of foreign nationals of Indian origin is not affected under Section 8(2) of the Citizenship Act.
Instances have come to the notice of the Embassy of India wherein Indian nationals have been found to be using their Indian Passport even after acquiring foreign citizenship and obtaining a foreign passport.
If the holder of an Indian Passport acquires nationality of another country, he/she must immediately surrender his/her Indian Passport forthwith to the nearest Indian Mission/Post abroad. Unauthorised possession of an Indian Passport shall constitute an offence punishable under the Indian Passports Act, 1967. Please go through the details regarding the process of renunciation of Indian nationality and surrender of Indian Passport appended below:-
Surrender Certificate for former Indian nationals
1. Applicants needs to fill the application for surrender of Indian Passport through the following link – https://mportal.passportindia.gov.in/gpsp
- Original Indian passport along with Passport Copy (first page and last page) 3.Portuguese Passport copy
- Portuguese Citizen Card
5.Portuguese Birth Certificate copy (all three pages) with endorsement stamp of date of acquisition of Portuguese Nationality.
- A person who has ceased to be Indian citizen is required to surrender the documents which he/she had acquired on the basis of his Indian Citizenship (e.g. Voter ID Card, Aadhar etc.) to the authorities concerned.
- In view of these provisions, Persons of Indian Origin, intending to apply for OCI Cards, should first complete the process of surrender of their Indian passports and then apply for these services.
- For more information Please visit - consular services and fee.docx
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