India Introduces Stricter Citizenship Rules for Applicants From Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh

India has introduced stricter citizenship requirements for applicants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, requiring them to provide detailed records of all current and previous passports as part of the naturalization process.

According to India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, applicants must now submit complete passport information, including passport numbers, dates of issuance and expiry, and the exact locations where the documents were issued. The updated rules are part of a broader effort to tighten verification procedures for foreign nationals seeking Indian citizenship.

Under the new regulations, individuals who are granted Indian citizenship must surrender their previous foreign passports within 15 days of receiving approval. Indian law does not permit dual citizenship, making the renunciation of prior nationality mandatory.

Officials said the decision was prompted by reports that some successful applicants had retained passports from their countries of origin after becoming Indian citizens, raising legal and administrative concerns over compliance with India’s nationality laws.

The new measures primarily affect religious minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who are eligible to apply under India’s controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Passed in 2019, the Citizenship Amendment Act allows Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from the three neighboring Muslim-majority countries to apply for fast-tracked Indian citizenship if they entered India before December 31, 2014, citing religious persecution in their home countries.

However, the law excludes Muslims, a provision that sparked widespread protests and political debate across India. Critics argue that the legislation violates India’s secular constitution and discriminates on religious grounds, while supporters maintain that it offers protection to persecuted minority communities fleeing neighboring states.

The issue gained renewed attention following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Since then, many Afghan Sikh and Hindu families have fled to India and other countries due to growing security fears, economic hardship, and uncertainty about their future under Taliban rule.

Indian authorities say the updated passport disclosure and surrender requirements are intended to ensure transparency and legal compliance in the citizenship process while addressing concerns over nationality documentation and identity verification.

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