Indian passport rules clarified: Passport is not conclusive citizenship proof; Centre explains eligibility

The government has drawn a distinction between holding an Indian passport and having a document that conclusively establishes citizenship. While stating that passports are issued only after verifying an applicant's eligibility as an Indian citizen, the Centre has maintained that the document's primary purpose is to facilitate international travel.

The clarification came in response to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha by MP Abdul Wahab, who sought details on whether an Indian passport could be treated as final proof of citizenship, the criteria for obtaining one, and the impact of acquiring foreign citizenship.

Responding on behalf of the government, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said passports are issued under the Passports Act, 1967, following a prescribed verification procedure.

"An Indian passport is issued as per the Passports Act, 1967, by the Government of India to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India. It is issued after due verification laid out by an established process," Singh said.

However, the government did not explicitly state that a passport by itself can be used as an unquestionable certificate of Indian citizenship.

What the law says

The government reiterated that citizenship is a prerequisite for obtaining an Indian passport, with the Passports Act allowing authorities to deny issuance if the applicant is not an Indian citizen.

At the same time, officials have continued to describe passports primarily as travel documents rather than citizenship certificates.

The issue has gained attention amid wider discussions around documents used to establish nationality and whether any single government-issued document can serve as definitive proof of citizenship.

No dual citizenship under Indian law

The Centre also clarified that India does not recognise dual citizenship.

"The provisions of Article 9 and 11 of the Constitution of India read with Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 do not allow dual citizenship," Singh said.

Under the Citizenship Act, an Indian citizen who voluntarily takes citizenship of another country loses Indian citizenship. Such individuals are required to surrender their Indian passports, which become invalid after the change in nationality status.

MEA's earlier position

The latest response is consistent with the Ministry of External Affairs' earlier stance that passports are issued to enable Indian citizens to travel abroad and are not intended to function as independent citizenship certificates.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had earlier said, "an Indian passport is a document that, as per the Passports Act, 1967, is issued by the Government of India to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India".