If you consider passport as proof of citizenship then you should read the latest statement of the Ministry of External Affairs. An official of the Ministry of External Affairs has bluntly said that the passport is primarily a travel document and not a proof of citizenship. He also said that in 2025, 1.5 crore passports and related services were given, out of which the number of passports alone was 1.39 crore.
The ministry official said that excluding police verification, it takes six working days for the passport. PSK (Passport Seva Kendra) and POPSK (Post Office Passport Seva Kendra) takes less than 45 minutes. There are 545 passport centers across the country. Whereas 10 years ago there were only 77 passport centres. The number of centers has increased six times. We opened 10 POPSK last year. 10 more will be opened this year.
What else did the ministry tell?
The official said that the number of countries with visa-free entry for Indians is 27, which was 16 in 2019. 47 countries have ‘Visa on Arrival’ facility for Indians and 66 countries provide electronic visa to Indians. Mobility agreements have been signed with most of Europe. These help in easy movement of academics, students, apprentices, common tourists and businessmen. Besides, they also create a system for easy return of illegal immigrants.
What does the law say?
If you were born after July 1, 1987, then birth certificate, passport or Aadhar card alone may not be enough to prove that you are an Indian citizen. According to the law, a person born in India after July 1, 1987 cannot automatically claim citizenship unless at least one of his parents is an Indian.
In the year 2013, Bombay High Court had refused to give relief to 4 people in a case. They were accused of being illegal immigrants, even though they had produced passports (which were later cancelled), Aadhaar cards and birth certificates to prove that they were Indians. Rejecting their petitions, Justice KU Chandiwal said, under the law it is necessary for such an applicant to prove that his parents were Indian citizens. No such evidence has been presented.
Under the law, if a person is born in India on or after 26 January 1950 but before 1 July 1987, he is an Indian by birth. If a person is born after July 1987, he can claim citizenship only if one of his parents is a citizen.
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