Indian nationals obtaining New Zealand citizenship must surrender their passports to the Indian High Commission, failing which they would be liable for penalties, High Commissioner Avanindra Kumar Pandey said.
Quoting the provisions of the Indian Passport Act (1967), he said that the rule applies to all Indian nationals obtaining citizenship of any country and that they must not use their Indian passports for any purpose including travel.
“Those taking citizenship of other countries cease to be Indian nationals and hence should surrender their Indian passports to our office. Former nationals using Indian passports for travel and other purposes would be liable for fines and other measures including a ban on visiting India,” he said.
Mr Pandey made these comments speaking to the officials of the New Zealand Indian Central Association (NZICA) at his office in Wellington on June 6, 2013.
The Association was represented by Harshad Patel (President), Bhikhu Bhana (Vice-President), Prakash Biradar (Secretary) and Members of the NZICA Indian High Commission Liaison Committee including Paul Patel and Ratilal Champaneri.
No Dual Citizenship
As mentioned in these columns in our earlier issues, India does not offer Dual Citizenship and that all Indians become ‘foreigners’ on obtaining citizenship of another country. We had also mentioned that those who had held Indian passports earlier can apply for the ‘Overseas Citizenship of India’ (OCI) and that children and grandchildren of Indian nationals who left India prior to January 26, 1950 can apply for ‘Person of Indian Origin’ (PIO) cards.
While the former is issued for the holder’s lifetime, the latter is valid for 15 years.
Current and former citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are not eligible to apply for either of these two cards.
According to Indian Government officials, both Cards remain valid at the discretion of the issuing authority and that they can be cancelled or withdrawn at any time by the External Affairs Ministry of Home Ministry if the holder contravenes the conditions under which they are issued.
Surrender fee
Mr Pandey said that each Indian passport surrendered would attract a fee of $225 in the case of those who acquired foreign citizenship after May 31, 2010.
He said that OCI Card holders enjoy the same benefits accorded to Non-Resident Indians in almost all areas.
“But foreign nationals cannot own agricultural or plantation properties; and cannot contest or vote in any election in India. Children born overseas and acquiring foreign passports can apply for OCI Card is one of their parents fulfils the prescribed criteria,” Mr Pandey said.
Read related reports in this Section and under Communitylink.
