The clarification came on Passport Seva Divas celebrated yesterday, amid discussions over the types of documents that can be relied upon to prove Indian citizenship.
The issue gained attention following questions on whether individuals excluded from the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls could use an Indian passport as proof of citizenship.
Responding to the query, an MEA official said that while a passport serves as proof of nationality for international travel, it is fundamentally a travel document and "not a document of citizenship."
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasised that passports are issued only after extensive verification and due diligence to ensure that applicants are eligible to receive them.
The ministry also highlighted the scale of its passport services, stating that around 1.5 crore passport-related services were delivered in 2025, including the issuance of 1.39 crore passports.
Officials further said that nearly 1.47 crore chip-enabled e-passports have been issued since their rollout last year. The average passport processing time has also been reduced to five to six working days, excluding the time required for police verification.
