PANAJI
The recent communication from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) may have brought relief to many Goans who feared losing their citizenship and becoming ineligible for OCI cards.
However, there remains ambiguity surrounding the official memorandum issued by the MEA, particularly with several applicants currently in line for OCI status.
The implementation date of the order is of utmost importance, which the official memorandum does not explicitly address. Several Portuguese passport agents too are unclear about it with some of them apprehensive whether the order will take effect immediately or retrospectively, adding to the overall uncertainty surrounding this matter.
“We have been receiving numerous inquiries since the official memorandum was out, but there’s no clarity yet. We are being told to wait till the gazette notification is out,” Consultant Duarte Fernandes said.
Sources said that the FRRO Mumbai could throw more light on the issue.
Dated November 30, 2022, the MEA’s last circular caused widespread panic as it clearly stated that persons holding foreign nationality and attempting to renew their Indian passports would risk having them revoked under Section 10(3)(b) of the Passport Act of 1967.
Since then, numerous applicants, unaware of the consequences, found their passports revoked when seeking renewal at passport offices.
Instead of receiving a ‘surrender certificate,’ they were issued a ‘revocation certificate’ by the Regional Passport Office, making them ineligible for OCI cards.
While the April 4 official memorandum brings some relief, it lacks complete clarity. The memorandum, which asserts that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accepted “Revocation Certificates” as alternative documents instead of “Surrender Certificates,” does not specify the date of decision taken or issuance of the MHA order.
On the contrary, the November 30, 2022, circular prominently features on April 4 official memorandum in the very first paragraph.
Furthermore, although the previous circular is annexed to the current official memorandum, the MHA order is conspicuously absent, leaving room for uncertainty.
“To regulate the surrender cases of Indian passport by an erstwhile Indian citizen on account of the acquisition of foreign nationality, instructions were issued vide official memorandum No. VI/405/04/03/2021 dated November 30, 2022 (copy enclosed)…” the official memorandum states, while this is how it avoids the MHA order details, “…MHA has now decided to accept Revocation Certificate” as an alternative document in lieu of Surrender Certificate in case of Indian nationals hailing from erstwhile Portuguese territories in India….”
