Amid the continuing debate over which government-issued documents can be treated as proof of Indian citizenship, the Centre on Thursday informed Parliament that only Indian citizens are eligible to receive an Indian passport. However, it stopped short of stating whether a passport serves as conclusive proof of citizenship, reiterating instead that it is a travel document issued to regulate the departure of Indian citizens from the country.
In a written response to questions raised by Rajya Sabha MP Abdul Wahab, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said Indian passports are issued by the Government of India under the Passports Act, 1967, after applicants undergo the prescribed verification process.
Wahab had sought clarification on whether an Indian passport is definitive proof of citizenship, the eligibility requirements for obtaining one, the impact of acquiring foreign citizenship on Indian nationality, the process through which foreign nationals who become Indian citizens can obtain a passport, and whether the government intended to review the existing citizenship and passport framework.
The government, however, did not directly answer whether a passport is conclusive evidence of Indian citizenship.
In his reply, Singh said an Indian passport is issued under the Passports Act, 1967, to regulate the departure of Indian citizens from India and is granted only after due verification in accordance with an established process.
The response is the latest instance in which the Centre has avoided explicitly describing an Indian passport as definitive proof of citizenship. Instead, it maintained that the passport is a travel document issued under the Passports Act after verification of an applicant's eligibility.
Only Indian citizens eligible for passports
The minister also clarified that India does not permit dual citizenship, referring to Articles 9 and 11 of the Constitution along with Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
According to Singh, these constitutional and legal provisions do not allow dual citizenship.
Under the Citizenship Act, 1955, an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country automatically loses Indian citizenship. As a result, the Indian passport held by such a person becomes invalid and must be surrendered.
The government's response makes it clear that only Indian citizens are eligible to obtain an Indian passport. However, possessing a passport does not, by itself, establish Indian citizenship. The Centre has also not identified any single government-issued document as definitive proof of citizenship.
Addressing questions on passport issuance, the Ministry of External Affairs said passports are granted under the Passports Act, 1967, and the rules framed under it after completion of the prescribed verification process.
Section 6 of the Passports Act specifies the grounds on which passport authorities must refuse an application, one of which is if the applicant is not an Indian citizen. This reinforces that Indian citizenship is a prerequisite for obtaining a passport, although the passport itself is not treated as standalone proof of citizenship.
The Centre's clarification comes amid renewed debate over whether passports can be regarded as proof of citizenship. While only Indian citizens are eligible to receive them, both the Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs have consistently maintained that a passport is primarily a travel document regulating the departure of Indian citizens from India.
In June, the MEA said passports are primarily travel documents issued to facilitate international travel. The ministry reiterated this position last month when spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that, under the Passports Act, 1967, an Indian passport is issued by the Government of India to regulate the departure of Indian citizens from the country.
