Uncertainty for Goans who took Portuguese citizenship
People from erstwhile Portuguese territories in India (Goa, Daman and Diu), whose Indian passports had been revoked after acquiring Portuguese citizenship, could be stuck in limbo after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) revised its recent circular that had been expected to pave the way for them to apply for an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card.
While a passport “surrender certificate” has so far been mandatory for those who want to apply for OCI, an April 4 office memorandum issued by the MEA had raised hopes that a ‘revocation order’ – a document the memo said would be mandatorily issued to those whose passports were revoked – would also be accepted as an alternative document.
However, a corrigendum by the MEA dated April 30 has brought uncertainty in the matter. While the MEA had said in the April 4 memorandum that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has “decided to accept “revocation certificate” as an alternative document in lieu of “surrender certificate”, the April 30 corrigendum said this is only “under consideration” by the MHA.
The revocation of passports has caused considerable anxiety among people in Goa. In the past 18 months, the issue assumed significance in the state after an even earlier MEA memorandum, dated November 30, 2022, instructed authorities to revoke passports (instead of issuing a “surrender certificate”) of people for “suppressing material information” regarding their Portuguese citizenship.
Passport authorities then stopped issuing surrender certificates to such people, thereby rendering them ineligible to obtain an OCI card.
Portugal offers those 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. Since a Portuguese passport provides the holder visa-free entry to several countries, including the UK and the EU, many 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 overseas.
In response to a written question by AAP MLA Venzy Viegas during the recent Goa Assembly session, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that around 10,129 Indian passports have been surrendered in the past five years by persons who obtained Portuguese citizenship.
Earlier this week, while disposing two petitions where petitioners had been declared ineligible to apply for OCI registration on the ground that their Indian passports were revoked, the High Court of Bombay at Goa referred to the April 4 memorandum and directed the FRRO Mumbai, MEA and the regional passport office in Goa to dispose applications “in accordance with law, including, in particular, the statements made before this court and the OM (office memorandum) dated April 4, 2024”.
Kennedy Afonso, convener of Goans for Goa, a citizens’ collective which has been raising the issue, said people have been suffering due to the uncertainty surrounding the issue. “It has been a month since the MEA circular was issued. While we are awaiting a notification from the MHA, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) is refusing applications stating they are yet to receive official communication regarding acceptance of revocation certificates for OCI card applications,” said Afonso.
Thomas Fernandes, a resident of Candolim in North Goa, who acquired Portuguese citizenship in 2015 and whose Indian passport was revoked last year, said, “The earlier office memorandum said the production of a revocation order would suffice for OCI card application. As per the orders of the High Court, I shall be re-applying for an OCI within four weeks.”
