India has updated its citizenship application rules for certain international nationals applying under the Citizenship Rules, 2009. The changes, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, primarily affect candidates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who are applying for Indian nationality under provisions linked to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The key additions are a new passport declaration requirement and a mandatory passport surrender condition within 15 days of citizenship being granted.
New Passport Declaration Requirement
Under the revised guidelines, applicants are now required to formally declare whether they hold — or have held — a valid or expired passport issued by the government of Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh.
If an applicant still holds a functioning passport from their country of origin, they must provide the following details in their application:
- Passport number
- Date of issue
- Place of issue
- Expiry date
Passport Surrender Required Within 15 Days of Approval
The updated rules make it compulsory for applicants to surrender their valid or expired passport to the relevant postal authority within 15 days of receiving authorisation for Indian citizenship. The passport must be submitted to either the:
- Senior Superintendent of Post
- Superintendent of Post
This surrender condition has been formally added to Schedule IC of the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
Who Is Affected
The updated rules apply to citizens from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who belong to the six non-Muslim religious communities covered under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019:
- Hindus
- Sikhs
- Christians
- Buddhists
- Parsis
- Jains
Background: The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
The Citizenship Amendment Act was passed in 2019. It created a pathway to Indian citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before 31st December 2014. The Act applies exclusively to the six religious communities listed above and does not apply to Muslim nationals from these three countries.
What This Means for Applicants
The updated rules add a new documentation step to an already detailed application process. Applicants planning to apply for citizenship under CAA-linked provisions should:
- Confirm their current passport status before submitting an application
- Prepare to formally declare all passport details as part of the application form
- Be ready to surrender their foreign passport within 15 days of receiving citizenship approval
- Ensure all supporting documentation is in order before filing
Conclusion
India’s updated citizenship rules for Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Afghan applicants tighten documentation requirements at two specific points in the process — the application declaration stage and the post-approval surrender stage. For those who are eligible and actively considering applying under the CAA framework, reviewing passport status and ensuring complete documentation ahead of submission is now more important than before.