Home Ministry Amends Citizenship Rules 2009; PAB Applicants Must Declare Passport Status

The Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Citizenship Rules, 2009, requiring applicants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh seeking Indian citizenship to declare the status of passports issued by their native countries. The revised rules were notified by the Home Ministry on Monday through a gazette notification introducing additional disclosure requirements for citizenship applicants from the three neighboring nations.

Under the amended provisions, applicants will now need to state whether they possess any valid or expired passport issued by the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh. If an applicant currently holds an active passport, they must provide detailed information, including the passport number, date and place of issue, and expiry date, as part of the citizenship application process.

The notification further states that applicants carrying a valid or expired passport from these countries will be required to submit a declaration promising to surrender the document within 15 days after approval of their Indian citizenship application. According to the revised rules, the surrender process must be completed before the concerned senior superintendent of post or superintendent of post handling the case.

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The amendment forms part of procedural changes under the Citizenship Rules, 2009, and is expected to affect individuals applying for Indian citizenship through specific legal provisions applicable to migrants from the three countries. Officials have not indicated any broader changes to eligibility criteria, but the new disclosure requirements are aimed at strengthening documentation and verification processes linked to citizenship applications.

The issue of citizenship documentation has remained politically and legally significant in India in recent years, particularly after debates surrounding amendments to citizenship laws and rules concerning migrants from neighboring countries. Government authorities have maintained that procedural revisions are intended to improve administrative clarity and ensure accurate identity verification during the application process.

The latest amendment is likely to require applicants and legal representatives handling citizenship cases to provide more detailed records during documentation procedures. Immigration experts say the new declaration requirement could also help authorities track the surrender of foreign travel documents once Indian citizenship is granted, ensuring compliance with Indian citizenship regulations regarding dual nationality and passport possession.

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