Facing a surge of social-media claims suggesting passports alone establish citizenship, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified on 14 July that the document “only regulates departure from India” under the Passports Act, 1967 and is not a citizenship certificate. The clarification follows a Supreme Court order earlier in the day that procedural safeguards must be observed before declaring any person a foreigner in Assam. Jaiswal emphasised that nationality in India is determined by the Citizenship Act, 1955 and supporting rules, which may require documentary evidence beyond a passport, such as birth certificates or domicile records. Consulates abroad will therefore continue to ask for additional paperwork when processing citizenship-related services like renunciation or OCI applications. Global mobility managers moving foreign-born Indian passport holders (e.g., children of expatriates) should ensure that employees retain back-up proof of citizenship, especially when applying for long-term visas in jurisdictions that scrutinise origin documents. The statement also reassures overseas Indians that no extra paperwork is required for routine passport renewals, countering misinformation circulating on messaging apps.
Source: ABP Live
