PANAJI
The recent circular from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has ignited a major debate in Goa; particularly since a significant portion of the Goan population has registered their births in Portugal obtaining an Assento de Nascimento, which is now causing complications. A noteworthy number also possess the Bilhete de Identidade.
The matter has gained further significance as some citizens are alleged to have deliberately maintained dual citizenship, while others are entangled in the current predicament of being misled by their passport agents. Those in the process of renewing their Indian passports, with births registered in Portugal, are now confronted with this issue.
Before delving into the multifaceted dimensions of the presently contentious MEA directive, it’s crucial to note the shifts in the surrender of Indian passports in Goa, particularly post-2020 Brexit. In that year, the Regional Passport Office experienced a massive 60 per cent decline, with only slightly above 900 cases”a record low in the preceding eight years.
The subsequent year, 2021, saw a jump with around 2,800 Goans voluntarily surrendering their Indian passports. However, this number dwindled to 1,250 in 2022, at least until the issuance of the circular on November 30, 2022.
The MEA revealed that around 5,400 Goa applicants applied for surrender of their Indian passports since then till date, with around 300 or above encountering passport revocation due to non-compliance. Since 2015, over 23,000 Goans have relinquished their Indian passports having acquired Portuguese citizenship.
According to the MEA, the RPO receives an average of 15-20 surrender applications daily of which at least one application typically faces revocation due to non-adherence to Indian legal procedures. However, there have also been instances wherein among daily applicants; all receive surrender certificates instead of revocation certificates, indicating these applicants are adhering to the existing law.
The fact also remains that the allure of the Portuguese passport is driven by its facilitation of easy access to European Union countries and visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to several nations.
