Citizenship rule change: Candidates must declare, give up passports issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh | India Information
2 min learnMight 18, 2026 10:01 PM IST
The Centre on Monday notified draft adjustments to the Citizenship Guidelines, 2009 that might require sure candidates to declare possession or give up passports issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
In a gazette notification issued on Monday, the MHA stated the Citizenship (Modification) Guidelines, 2026, printed underneath part 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, insert a brand new paragraph into Schedule IC of the 2009 guidelines. “The brand new provision, paragraph (iiiA), obliges candidates to state whether or not they maintain a legitimate or expired passport issued by any of the three neighbouring international locations. Those that possess such passports should present passport particulars – quantity, date and place of subject, and expiry – and conform to give up the doc to the Senior Superintendent of Put up or Superintendent of Put up involved inside 15 days of citizenship approval,” the notification stated.
In line with the notification, the foundations will come into pressure on the date of publication within the official gazette.
An MHA official described the modification as an administrative clarification geared toward strengthening verification and record-keeping in citizenship circumstances.
Earlier this month, the Union Dwelling Ministry had notified the Citizenship (Modification) Guidelines, 2026, introducing digital Abroad Citizen of India (e-OCI) playing cards, absolutely on-line purposes and stricter norms on twin passports for minors. “The principles introduce a totally digital OCI framework, mandating on-line purposes, digital data and acknowledgements, whereas phasing out duplicative bodily processes. A brand new provision permits issuance of digital OCI (e-OCI) alongside bodily playing cards, signalling a shift towards paperless id for abroad Indians. Candidates should now consent to sharing biometric information for integration with fast-track immigration programmes, enabling doable computerized enrolment sooner or later,” the MHA official stated.
