AROUND 93 people from Chhattisgarh surrendered their Indian passports at the Passport Office or Passport Seva Kendra between January and August this year after acquiring citizenship of other countries, with the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and European nations emerging as the major destinations. Most of those surrendering their passports were from Raipur, Bhilai Nagar-Durg, Korba, Bilaspur and Raigarh. However, passport authorities have also observed an increase in applications from districts such as Bastar (Jagdalpur), Kanker, Rajnandgaon and Surguja (Ambikapur), indicating that the trend is gradually spreading beyond the major urban centres. According to state-wise figures available with the Passport Seva Kendra under the Union Ministry of External Affairs, a steady number of applications are being received from people who have moved abroad and subsequently acquired foreign citizenship. Under Indian law, those who voluntarily acquire foreign citizenship are required to surrender their Indian passports. A significant number of applicants had moved abroad either through IT companies or on student visas to pursue higher education at universities in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore and European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

 

After completing their studies, securing employment and meeting the eligibility requirements for citizenship, many eventually obtained foreign nationality and initiated the passport surrender process. The surrender process does not necessarily require applicants to travel to Chhattisgarh. Depending on their circumstances and the applicable procedure, the formalities can be completed through passport authorities at different locations or through online services. Passport expert Vicky Chandrakar said that under Indian citizenship rules, a person who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country ceases to be an Indian citizen and is required to surrender the Indian passport. The process formally records that the individual is no longer entitled to hold or use an Indian passport, he said. Indrajeet Choudhary, who completed his schooling in Bhilai Nagar and surrendered his Indian passport along with his family in 2023 after acquiring German citizenship, said the decision was taken after considering his personal and professional circumstances. “Once I obtained German citizenship, I understood that I had to surrender my Indian passport as per the rules. The process was not difficult and I completed the formalities quickly. It was an emotional and painful decision, but I took it for a better future,” he said.