Context: In a latest development, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) simplified the process for Indians who want to renounce their citizenship.
Key-highlights

• Provisions have been made for applicants to upload documents online, with an upper limit of 60 days for the renunciation process to be completed.
• In 2018, the MHA revised the Form XXII under the Citizenship Rules for declaration of renunciation of citizenship, which for the first time included a column on “circumstances/reasons due to which applicant intends to acquire foreign citizenship and renounce Indian citizenship”.
• Between 2015-19, over 6.7 lakh Indians renounced their citizenship.

The current process

• As per The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, India does not allow dual citizenship.
• Holding an Indian passport or acquiring an Indian passport or travelling on an Indian passport after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties.
• Under the Indian law, persons of Indian origin who have acquired foreign nationality are required to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian mission immediately after acquisition of foreign citizenship.
• According to the process, applicants applying for declaration of renunciation or Surrender Certificate under different scenarios are supposed to complete the legal formalities, which includes a duly filled application form, printed and signed copy of the declaration form to be attached with each application, original Indian passport and self-attested photocopy of all used pages of Indian passport.

Acquisition of Indian Citizenship

• Indian citizenship may be acquired by birth, descent, registration or naturalization as set out in The Citizenship Act, 1955 of India.
• The citizenship act, 1955 prescribes three ways of losing citizenship:

By renunciation

• Any citizen of India of full age and capacity can make a declaration renouncing Indian citizenship
• Such declaration may not be accepted during war.
• Even the minor children of the person who renounces citizenship stands to lose their Indian citizenship. However, when their children attain the age of eighteen, he may resume Indian citizenship

By termination

• If a citizen of India voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country, then he loses the citizenship of India
• However, this provision does not apply during times of war
• By deprivation: Compulsory termination of Indian citizenship by the Central government, in the following conditions:

Obtained the citizenship by fraud

• Citizen has shown disloyalty to the Constitution of India
• Citizen has unlawfully traded or communicated during the times of war
• Within 5 years of naturalization, the said citizen is imprisoned for a term of two years
• Citizen has been ordinarily resident out of India for a period of 7 years.