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Now, one-page dual citizen form
A simplified form for members of the Indian diaspora will be issued by the overseas missions and consulates.
A simplified, one-page form for members of the Indian diaspora qualifying for dual citizenship will be issued by the overseas missions and consulates from August this year, a top official said on Monday.
"In normal, straightforward cases, the process would take just two weeks," said S Krishna Kumar, secretary in the ministry of overseas Indian affairs.
"If there are any doubts, the process may take a little longer. But certainly not more than three months," Krishna Kumar said, on the sidelines of a meeting organised by the Forum of Financial Writers here.
Earlier, Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs Jagdish Tytler said officials were studying the mandate given by the cabinet last week to issue an ordinance to amend India's Citizenship Act of 1955 to allow dual citizenship.
He, however, did not give a time frame by which the ordinance will be issued.
Dual citizenship will be available to members of the diaspora who migrated from the country after January 26, 1950 when India became a republic, Tytler said.
It will, however, not be extended to persons of Indian origin, their children and grandchildren who migrated to Pakistan or Bangladesh after January 26, 1950, he added.
"The dual citizenship will be extended to persons of Indian origin who meet these criteria as long as their home countries also allow dual citizenship in some form or the other," Tytler said during an interactive session with journalists.
Earlier, dual citizenship was open to persons of Indian origin in 16 countries - Australia, Britain, Canada, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Cyprus, Sweden, Switzerland and the US.
"We cannot discriminate between persons of Indian origin of one country from another," Tytler said. "They all have their roots in India. It will be open to all. We have also simplified the application forms for this purpose."
The minister felt dual citizenship will facilitate greater inflows of foreign exchange into the country - both in terms of foreign direct investment and remittances.
According to the latest data of the Reserve Bank of India, remittances by non-resident Indians amounted to $33.27 billion in 2003-04.
