New Delhi, May 19: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a significant notification amending the Citizenship Rules of 2009. Under this amendment, individuals applying for Indian citizenship from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh must now provide complete details of their passports, whether valid or expired.
According to the notification released on May 18, 2026, applicants from these three countries are required to clearly state their passport number, date of issue, place of issue, and expiration date in their citizenship application form. Additionally, applicants must declare whether they possess any valid or expired passport from these countries.
A new paragraph (3A) has been added to the notification, mandating that applicants give written consent to submit their passport to the relevant postal superintendent or senior superintendent within 15 days of receiving Indian citizenship. This provision applies to citizens from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh seeking Indian citizenship.
This move by the Ministry of Home Affairs is seen as a response to long-standing demands from security agencies. Officials believe that these measures will effectively curb attempts to obtain citizenship through fraudulent documents and enhance the transparency of the process.
The amendment has been issued under Section 18 of the Citizenship Act of 1955. The notification states that the new rules will come into effect from the date of publication in the official gazette. Gaya Prasad, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, clarified that this change aims to strengthen the existing process.
In 2019, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was introduced to provide citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The new rules may help tighten the scrutiny process for applications under the CAA.
Leave a Comment