India Dual Citizenship Mega Thread (Merged)

The India Dual Citizenship will be Operational:

  • In 2003

    Votes: 4 20.0%

  • In 2004

    Votes: 11 55.0%

  • Sometime after 2004

    Votes: 4 20.0%

  • I am skeptical if this will happen

    Votes: 1 5.0%
  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
Some Rumors

OK, Treat this for what it is worth, but Information on this topic either comes in heaps or nothing at all. There is no gradual flow of updates, either. However, I do have some Info that I have gathered from a variety of sources. Sorry, no heap or hype. So take it for whats it's worth:

1. The matter is clearly in the hands of India Ministry of Home Affairs. The web site (http://mha.nic.in) has no new information on the matter of Dual Citizenship.

2. Due to the slightly restricted nature of Dual Citizenship, the lingo these days is "Overseas Citizenship". I would have preferred to call it Diaspora Citizenship -- It makes sense.

3. I believe the fee for Overseas Citizenship will be $100. I am not sure if this is the fee for passport or fee for citizenship in addition to the passport. This may be referred to as the "overseas Citizen registration fees". Anyway, it is not as steep as the PIO scheme. But again, we will have to wait and see until the information is officially released.

Still no expectations or updates when one would be able to apply for a passport. Stay tuned......
 
Recently my friend who became an US citizen recently gave a different view. He is not considering applying for Dual Citizenship. The reasons:
1. There is nothing much you get over the PIO card.
2. In case of trouble (particularly in a country outside USA) the US embassy may ask you to go to Indian Embassy for help as you are a dual citizen. This is more so in India.

Any comments
BTW: The PIO card is not a card but looks like a passport:)
 
Well.... it does not look like being a dual citizen of India gives you a whole lot more than being a PIO. The only difference I see is that you need to register in India if your stay exceeds 6 months.

At this point, I will just get a PIO card, once I become a USC. Looks like the Indian govenrment is taking its own sweet time to implement the dual citizenship stuff...:eek:
 
The trips to the police

I agree with Mr. Fitness. I think the primary advantage of the Overseas citizenship over PIO is the avoidance of the trip to the Police station. I also don't like the idea of having to carry the passport and the certificate of registration at the port of entry. I prefer if they simply endorse the passport to indicate the special status. But again we have all these highly qualified so call IAS officers who love to visit foreign countries but cannot learn to be efficient :(
 
Bow to PIO

All,

I bit the bullet and went for the PIO. My rationale was as follows:

- I have an upcoming trip, No need for immediate VISA
- I own property in INDIA, the status of which falls in grey area if I dont do something about it.
- I plan on seeking employment immediately in INDIA (Although, I am gainfully employed)
- I *expect* that when the Citizenship becomes operational that there may be an option to convert PIO to Citizenship. I would not count on it because our bureaucrats are true genuises and for some reasons may not have thought about it.


CM :(
 
Citizenship certificate

All,

I have thought a bit more about the certificate of citizenship. IMHO, it is akin to the Naturalization certificate, so I am ok with it. Afterall obtaining a passport is but optional. However, I am oposed to showing two documents at the INDIA port of entry - The Citizenship Certificate and the Passport. I belv that the Citizenship should be as transparent as possible for the following reasons:

- It does not create a different class of citizens
- Prevents discrimination
- Simplicity

Sound off!

I also urge you to write a brief letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs. My suggestion on the letter is that it should applaud the govertments efforts to include the Indian Diaspora, it should enquire about the status and address the topic of transparency. I could post my letter but then it will appear rote to the minostry. You may right to the following address (sorry no email:

ANIL BAIJAL, HOME SECRETARY
Ministry of Home Affairs,
North Block, Central Secretariat,
New Delhi - 110 001
 
Columbiaman,

So, how long did it take for you to get the PIO card?
Was it straight forward like Visa?

Also, I think as per the new RBI rule, if you were born in
India and later took citizenship of other country then you need
a visa to visit India but to earn money in India/ employment
no special visa is needed! You can simply go for business visa.

SamP
 
PIO REcvd

OK, So I submitted the PIO application on March 1st and today is March 20th. Approximately 3 weeks is what it took for the Houston Consulate to send me my PIO card.

Card itself is grey in color. It has only 4 pages. One of the page has an endorsement on page 3 that says:

"The holder of teh card is entitiled to vusa free entry into INDIA for the duration of its validaity provided that it is accompanied with a valid passport."

Nevertheless if you stay in INDIA for more that 180 days you will need to register with the Foreighner's registration office.
 
Re: PIO REcvd

Originally posted by columbiaman
OK, So I submitted the PIO application on March 1st and today is March 20th. Approximately 3 weeks is what it took for the Houston Consulate to send me my PIO card.

Card itself is grey in color. It has only 4 pages.
Click to expand...
Although called PIO card, it actually is not a card. It is a book which looks similar to Passport. Also, one of the benefits, that separate counters at all international airports in India is not true. In Mumbai (Bombay), there are no separate counters/lines!
 
There are already different colors

I think there are already different colors of passports in India. For example official passports (i.e. the passports given for official visits by govt. officers) are gray.
 
Thanks for the information. It amazes me everytime.....how long do they need to finalize the darn color? :D

But again, the only advantage I see getting an OCI passport is that you do not need to register if your stay exceeds 180 days...
 
Some interesting news on Dual Nationality
--- chanakya

===============
Abducted BJP leader victim of dual nationality tardiness?
RASHMEE Z. AHMED

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2004 08:52:57 PM ]

LONDON : Indian officials here have firmly denied they refused responsibility for the fate of abducted BJP Assamese leader Pratul Chandra Deb, who once lived and worked in the UK and counts a number of British nationals among his close family.

The officials were reacting to a series of highly-public complaints from Deb's London-based lawyer daughter, alleging that the "Indian authorities .said my father is a non-resident Indian so it's not their responsibility".

"It is preposterous to say we have denied help to somebody because he's an NIRI. We give the highest importance to Persons of Indian Origin and NRIs," Navdeep Suri, spokesman for the Indian High Commission here told TNN.

Suri's comments came within hours of Deb's London-based family launching a massive publicity drive here to force either the British or Indian governments (or both) to take responsibility for Deb's fate.

The BJP leader, who once worked as an educational consultant in London , was kidnapped by rebels of the United Liberation Front of Barak Valley while travelling through Assam on his way to Mizoram nearly four weeks ago.

On Thursday, a British Foreign Office spokeswoman told this paper the UK had no consular locus in the case.

Britain had already done as much as it possibly could for a man who was an Indian national, even though several members of his family were British, she said.

Commentators said Deb's family had launched a masterly propaganda drive by enlisting the help of the British press to underline the ambiguous status of people such as the BJP leader, who retained their Indian passports while living in countries such as the UK .

But South Asia observers said Deb's family appeared to believe he would have been helped far more had he been white, or a British national.

Many believe Deb, who once contested the Katlichera assembly poll and currently runs a bamboo business in Mizoram, had a family feud with Assam minister Goutom Roy.

British sources admitted that the situation would have been different for Deb had he even had dual British and Indian nationalities "because we treat dual nationals and British nationals the same".

On Thursday, Deepa Deb was reported to be in despair, along with the BJP leader's wife Shibani and his other daughter Sipra, about both governments' refusal to take responsibility for the kidnapped heart patient.

Deepa accused the British government of hiding behind Deb's Indian nationality to wash its hands off his case.

And the Indian government, she concluded bitterly, refused to help either claiming "my father is a non-resident Indian, so it's not their responsibility. So whose responsibility is it".
Sections of the Indian community often describe people such as Deb, who live in the West and choose to retain their Indian passports, as "nowhere people", without access to their own government's support or that of the foreign country they live in.

Deepa claimed the family had already paid £10,000 in two instalments to the kidnappers, who had so far, offered no proof Deb was alive and well.

She said the family feared Deb had died of heart failure without his medication.

The British spokesman said on a note of finality, "We are aware of the case and have been in touch with the Indian authorities (but) it is not for us to intervene any further".
 
It looks like it may take some months/years till the details of the Overseas Indian Passport are finalized. Till then, Indians like me have two choices:
1. Go ahead and get a visa on the American passport.
OR 2. Get a PIO card.

Right now India visa option is the cheapest!!!

Any suggestions/feedback appreciated.
 
Voting Rights

So the whole issue on INDIA Passports for Dual citizenship has remained stagnant since my last post. Now the idea of voting right sis being considered:

From 123bharath.com:

NRI, India : Votes for NRIs under examination,says Patil :
New Delhi, July 10 :

The UPA Government will consider giving voting rights to the citizens of Indian origins living in foreign countries, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said today.

''This issue was considered by the previous government and it will receive the attention of the present government as well,'' Mr Patil informed delegates of the Indian Merchants chambers, attending a meeting in Singapore through a video-conference.

The Minister said the issue of giving voting rights to the citizens of Indian origin overseas would be examined by the government in all seriousness. ''We will certainly consider how it can be done,'' he said.

Mr Patil said the new government was also in the process of looking at the issue of dual passport to the NRIs. ''We will be able to do something in this matter,'' he said answering a question as to the stand of the present government on dual citizenship.

Chairman of the high-powered Committee L M Singhvi had made certain suggestions in this regard to the previous government.

Certain assurances were also given to the NRIs at the much-publicised 'Parvasi Bharatiya Divas' here early this year.

Allaying fears about security in the country, the Home Minister assured the global investors that their investment would be safe in India.

Answering a question on the potential of investment in the film industry, Mr Patil said if there were any legal hurdles the government could step in. Besides, India provides a big market and has abundant human resource talent.

The legal system in the country, including the arbitration, is strong to take care of the investors, he said.
 
And you want me to believe what this minister says will be done? Pfffffttt...

It will take at least another year. It is just the red tape that does not move things over there. Single window system the minister wants to introduce just will ask more bribing since NRI are supposed to be rich and will rake in more money from the clerks to the very minister who says these things.

Is there a reason to delay this, except stupidity? It is nearly more than 1 year since the law was passed and nobody is in hurry to pass it to president for signature. What do they do in their offices? Do they put their legs on table and smoke beedis like me? Yeah, now I know !

And hey since I am the new US Citizen, I want to work one day for the US Govt and introduce the norm of putting legs on table and smoke beedis! Whaddayya think? :)
 
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