The Central government has amended the Citizenship Rules, 2009, making it mandatory for certain applicants seeking Indian citizenship to declare the status of passports issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh.
According to the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the amendment applies to applicants from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities covered under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019.
Applicants Must Declare Passport Details
Under the amended rules, applicants must now state whether they possess a valid or expired passport issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh.
If an applicant holds such a passport, they will be required to provide details including passport number, place of issue, date of issue, and expiry date.
Passport Surrender Mandatory After Approval
The revised rules also require applicants to declare that they will surrender their valid or expired foreign passport within 15 days after approval of Indian citizenship. The surrender must be made to the concerned postal authorities specified in the notification.
The new provision has been inserted into Schedule IC of the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
Linked To Citizenship Amendment Act
The amendment relates to provisions under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
The eligible communities under the law include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from the three neighboring countries.
Government Says Move Will Improve Verification
Officials described the amendment as an administrative clarification intended to strengthen verification, documentation, and record-keeping processes in citizenship applications.
The revised rules came into effect immediately after publication in the official gazette.
