India’s Home Ministry has introduced fresh amendments to the country’s citizenship rules, requiring applicants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to disclose details of any passports issued by those countries when applying for Indian citizenship.
The revised provisions were issued as part of amendments to the Citizenship Rules, 2009, which were first notified on February 25, 2009, and most recently updated in March 2024.
Under the new rules, a clause has been added to Schedule IC of the Citizenship Rules, making it mandatory for applicants to declare whether they currently possess, or previously possessed, a valid or expired passport issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh.
Applicants who do not hold such passports must provide a formal declaration confirming this status. Those who do possess or previously held passports from the three neighbouring countries will now be required to submit detailed information, including passport number, date and place of issue, and expiry date.
The amendment also states that applicants whose Indian citizenship requests are approved must surrender such passports to the relevant postal authorities within 15 days of receiving approval.
Officials said the changes are intended to strengthen documentation procedures and improve clarity in citizenship applications involving individuals from the three countries.
The move comes amid continued scrutiny of India’s citizenship and immigration framework, particularly concerning applicants from neighbouring states. Authorities said the updated rules are designed to create a more transparent verification process and ensure accurate record-keeping during citizenship reviews.
The Home Ministry did not announce any broader changes to eligibility criteria for citizenship, and the amendments largely focus on documentation and disclosure requirements.
Legal and administrative experts said the revised process could increase background verification checks for applicants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, while also helping authorities track passport status more effectively after citizenship is granted.
The latest amendments are expected to affect a significant number of applicants seeking Indian citizenship through registration or naturalisation processes. Officials have not yet provided figures on how many pending applications may fall under the updated provisions.
India has periodically revised citizenship regulations in recent years as part of wider efforts to tighten immigration controls and update administrative procedures linked to nationality and residency documentation.
The Home Ministry has instructed applicants to carefully review the revised rules while filing citizenship requests to avoid delays or rejection due to incomplete disclosure.
