PANAJI
Even as outward migration from the State continues, official figures reveal that an average of 5 people per day surrendered their Indian citizenship in Goa over the past five years, with the overwhelming majority opting for Portuguese nationality.
Data tabled on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant shows that 8,425 persons surrendered their Indian citizenship between 2021 and 2025, of whom 8,370 acquired Portuguese nationality.
Responding to a question raised by AAP MLA Venzy Viegas, Sawant stated that acquiring foreign citizenship is a personal decision. “Acquisition of a foreign citizenship is a personal choice of an individual,” the Chief Minister told the House.
The figures indicate a steady rise in the number of people giving up Indian citizenship in the initial years of the period under review. In 2021, a total of 954 persons surrendered their citizenship, which increased to 1,285 in 2022. The number witnessed a sharp jump in 2023, when 2,095 people opted for foreign nationality.
The trend continued in 2024 with 2,295 people surrendering Indian citizenship, marking the highest number in the five-year period. However, in 2025 the figure declined to 1,797.
Sawant further informed the House that the State government has not undertaken any study to examine the socio-economic profile of those surrendering their citizenship, including details such as their age group, gender, educational qualification, occupation or community background.
The Chief Minister also reiterated that India does not permit dual citizenship, citing Article 9 of the Constitution of India. He noted that citizenship falls under the jurisdiction of the Union government and the rules are applied uniformly across the country.
“The subject of citizenship is a Central government subject and is uniformly followed throughout India without any special exceptions for any State,” Sawant said.
The data also indicates that while Portuguese nationality accounts for the overwhelming majority, a small number of Goans have opted for other countries as well. Besides Portugal, 18 persons acquired citizenship of the United Kingdom, 12 became Canadian nationals, and nine opted for citizenship of the United States.
Additionally, four persons obtained citizenship of the Russian Federation and three chose Germany. A handful of individuals also acquired citizenship in France, Mexico, Thailand, Poland, Ireland, Kazakhstan and Tanzania, according to the information tabled in the Assembly.
The trend of Goans acquiring Portuguese nationality is largely linked to Goa’s colonial history under Portugal, which allows people born in the former territory before 1961 and their descendants to apply for Portuguese citizenship enabling them to live and work across the European Union.
