PANAJI
While concerns have emerged regarding the dual citizenship status of a large segment of the Goan population as they have acquired Portuguese citizenship through a voluntary process known as “Assento de Nascimento”, some sections of these “non-Indians” continue to renew their Indian passports. All this, without realizing what could be the legal implications in the future.
Sources in the MEA have confirmed to The Goan that the impact is not widespread as the affected population appears to be relatively small, but the acquisition of Portuguese citizenship through Assento has raised queries about the documentation these people use when renewing their Indian passports.
It has also been observed that despite acquiring Portuguese citizenship through Assento, some are still choosing to renew their Indian passports, raising questions about their intention.
“Some people, after getting Assento, immediately go for renewal of their Indian passport. I don’t know why. Maybe just to have a dual passport. People are either unaware or indifferent,” remarked the source.
The process of obtaining Assento involves fulfilling a set of criteria voluntarily. However, there seems to be a lack of clarity regarding persons’ expectations during this process and their awareness of becoming Portuguese nationals.
“People are being dishonest. Do they not know they will become a Portuguese national or a foreign national while fulfilling certain criteria of that nation? The law in India has come up for a certain reason and it will have to be fulfilled by each citizen who has dual citizenship,” emphasized the source.
The source further explained that, in the context of citizenship, individuals born to Indian parents are considered Indian citizens. However, for foreigners seeking Indian citizenship, the naturalization process must be followed, involving registration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after which the MHA issues the (citizenship) certificate.
“Every nation has its own rules. Across the world, you cannot have a single document to prove citizenship. People need to be aware of the implications and act responsibly,” the source said.
