NRI Minister - Jagdish Tytler and
President of the NRI Heritage Club - Sri VijayAnand
Ministry of Home Affairs
(Citizenship Division)
- INTRODUCTION
There has been persistent demand and
expectations for dual citizenship for persons of India origin in North America,
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and few other countries. The grant of dual citizenship
was intended to remove for those who have taken foreign passports, the obstacle
in travel to and from india, permit investment in bussiness ventures and foster
a great sense of belonging. This provision is an incentive for people to relate
themselves wirh India, to make investments, to make technology transfer and
such like things. On the occassion of first Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas on 9th
January 2003, Hon�ble Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made an
announcement for grant of dual citizenship to PIOs.
To translate that announcement into
a reality, the necessary Legislation was introdced by the Government of india
in Parliament in May, 2003. It is tribute to the broad vision of this concept,
that it has enjoyed full support across various sections of people in India,
including the full support of all political parties and subsequently, the
Legislation was passed by Parliament unamiously in December, 2003. The concept
of dual citizenship , now phrased as Overseas Citizenship, will grant overseas
citizenship to persons of Indian origin belonging to certain countries as well
as Indian citizens who may take up the
citizenship of these countries in future. At present this facility is being
extended to PIOs of 16 specified countries, namely , Australia, Canada,
Finland, France, Greece, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of
America.
- ELIGIBILITY
The Central Government on
application made in this behalf may register any person as an overseas citizen
of india if:
a)
that
person is of Indian origin of ful age and capacity who is a citizen of a
specified country;
b)
that
a person is of full age and capacity who has obtained the citizenship of a
specified country on or after the commencement of Citizenship (Amendment) Act,
2003 and who was a citizen of India immediatly before such commencement;
c)
The
person registered as an overseas citizen of India shall be an overseas citizen
of india as from the date on which he is so registered.
No person who has been deprived of
his Indian citizenship under this Act shall be registered as an overseas
citizen of India except by an order of the Central Government. For this
purpose, the expression �person of Indian origin� shall mean a citizen of
another country who:
i)
was
eligible to become a citizen of India at the time of the commencement of the
Constitution;
j)
belonged to a territory that became part of
India after the 15th day of August, 1947; and
k)
the
children and grand-children of a person who covered under clauses (i) and (j),
but does not include a person who is or had been at any time a citizen of
Pakistan, Bangladesh or such other country as the central Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, specify.
3.PROCEDURE
The application for registration as
an overseas citizen of India has to be made in the prescribed form. This form
when completed should be submitted in triplicate;
1)
In India
to the Collector within whose
jurisdiction the applicant is ordinary resident for transmission to the Central
Government through the State government or Union Territory Administration, as
the case may be.
2)
Elsewhere
to the Indian Consulate/Embassy
whose jurisdiction the country of which an applicant is a citizen for this for
transmission to the Central Government.
4.BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES
a) Issuance of a registration
certificate on being granted overseas citizenship.
b) Issuance of an overseas citizen
passport.
c) No requirement of visa for travel to
India (bouth passports will be required to be presented while traveling to/from
india).
d) No registration formalities for
staying in the country.
e) No separate documentation required
for admission in colleges/institutions or for taking employement.
f)
Parity
with non-resident Indian in respect of facilities available to the latter in
the economic, financial and educational field. (details separately available).
g) Facilities as available to children
of NRIs for obtain admission to educational institutions in India, including
medical colleges, engineering colleges, institute of management etc. Under the
general category.
h) Facilities under the various housing
schemes of LIC, State Govt. And other government agencies.
5.FEES
The processing fee for an
application for dual citizenship is proposed to be fixed at 100 US $.
6.CONFERMENT OF RIGHTS ON OVERSEAS CITIZEN OF
INDIA
Apart from the benefits and
privilages available to an overseas citizen of India as enumerated above, such
a citizen would also be entitled to other rights which the Central Government
would specify and which be notified in the official Gazette from time to time.
However, there are certain sectors such as public employment, voting rights
etc., where the rights would not be available to overseas citizens.
7.
The detailed Rules, application
forms and other necessary information in connection with the grant of overseas
citizenship would be available very shortly at all Indian Missions abroad, the
MHA, New Delhi and on the official Website of the MHA.
For more detailes please get in touch with:
Any Indian
High Comission/embassy or Consulate
Or
The Ministry of Home Affairs
Foreigners Divisions
Website: http:/mha.nic.in
