Goa-born people with Portuguese citizenship can apply for OCI card
Overseas Citizenship of India | Wikimedia Commons
In a move that could pave the way for people from Goa with Portuguese citizenship to apply for OCI [Overseas Citizen of India] card, the Ministry of External Affairs reportedly instructed passport authorities across India to mandatorily issue a "revocation order".
"According to the latest office memorandum issued by the MEA to all the passport issuing authorities, they have been instructed to issue ‘revocation certificates’ in all surrender applications where Indian passports were issued by suppression of material information," said Nijo Varghese, Regional Passport Officer, Goa, according to the Indian Express.
What does it mean?
After a November 2022 memorandum by the Ministry of External Affairs, the authorities started revoking the Indian passports of individuals from Goa who had acquired Portuguese citizenship, for "suppressing material information" about acquiring foreign nationality.
The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously. The Government of India, however, grants Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) under certain conditions and restrictions which gives OCI cardholder certain rights. For example, OCI cardholders can purchase residential and commercial properties in India. But they are not permitted to purchase agricultural land, including farmland or any kind of plantation property.
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OCI is not a citizenship but an immigration status. It authorises a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in India for an indefinite period.
What is the row?
Portugal offers individuals born in Goa before December 19, 1961 – the day Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule – and two future generations the option of registering as Portuguese citizens.
Many people in Goa in the last few decades have been transcribing their births in the Central Registry in Lisbon and acquiring Portuguese citizenship to avail employment and educational opportunities available in the European Union.
Also watch |World Tourism Day: How these colorful homes tell the story of India's little Portugal
Earlier this month, two people from Goa filed petitions in Bombay High Courtafter their Indian passports were revoked by the regional passport office, Panaji.
The petitioners denied suppressing any material information and said that they had renewed their Indian passports after transcribing their births in Portugal as it was a prerequisite to apply for a Portuguese citizenship card and Portuguese passport.
The MEA has nowissued instructions to the passport authorities across India to mandatorily issue a "revocation order".