‘CAA Applicants Must Declare Passport Status’: MHA Notifies Stricter Rules After Beng
‘CAA Applicants Must Declare Passport Status’: MHA Notifies Stricter Rules After Bengal Polls
M.U.H
19/05/202621
Weeks after the Bengal polls, the Union Home Ministry has notified amendments to the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The CAA was an electoral issue in the Bengal elections.
PASSPORT STATUS MADE COMPULSORY
A gazette notification dated May 18, 2026 said the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published under Section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, have inserted a new paragraph into Schedule IC of the 2009 rules.
“The new provision, paragraph (iiiA), obliges applicants to state whether they hold a valid or expired passport issued by any of the three neighbouring countries. Those who possess such passports must provide passport details – number, date and place of issue, and expiry – and agree to surrender the document to the Senior Superintendent of Post or Superintendent of Post concerned within 15 days of citizenship," the notification stated.
PROCEDURES STRICTER?
MHA officials called the move procedural. “The amendment aims to streamline documentation and strengthen procedural clarity in citizenship applications involving individuals from these (Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan) countries," they said.
Officials said that some cases have emerged where CAA applicants were found to be in possession of a passport. Indian laws do not allow dual citizenship or an Indian citizen holding a passport of any other country.
SURRENDER PASSPORT OR DECLARE NON-POSSESSION
The CAA legislation provided Indian Citizenship Avenues for persecuted minorities (Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs) in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who had to flee, sometimes, without any documentation or proof of citizenship.
So far, passport disclosure and surrender undertaking was not explicitly included in Schedule IC/Form IIIA of the Citizenship Rules.
The Affidavit under CAA rules required applicants to declare under point (iv) that all information provided is correct—that there is no false representation or concealment of facts and that their Indian citizenship can be revoked if any of the furnished information is found to be untrue.
Now a clause is likely to be added before this provision asking applicants to specify the status of their passport. If in possession, the applicant will have to declare the passport details within 15 days to an SSP or SP rank officer. This is meant to provide further legal safeguard if Indian citizenship is granted.
A number of Pakistani Hindus arrived in India on pilgrim visa before 2014 and subsequently applied for long-term Indian visa on their Pakistani passport. Indian laws do not allow dual citizenship or an Indian citizen holding passport of any other country. The new rules will make it mandatory for such applicants to declare their passport status and details.
