Overview
- India’s Home Ministry, in a notification issued Monday, amended the Citizenship Rules, 2009 by inserting a new clause in Schedule IC under Section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
- Applicants covered by the Citizenship Amendment Act must state whether they hold a valid or expired Pakistani, Afghan or Bangladeshi passport, give its number, place and dates, and surrender the document to designated postal authorities within 15 days after their citizenship is approved.
- The rule applies to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian nationals from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014 and seek fast‑tracked citizenship under the CAA framework.
- The updated form adds a warning that giving incorrect information can lead to deprivation of citizenship, and officials describe the change as a verification step after finding some applicants still held foreign passports.
- The move forms part of a 2026 rollout that also introduced electronic OCI cards, fully online OCI applications, biometric consent and stricter rules on dual passports for minors.