Passport is a travel document, not document of citizenship: Govt
The Ministry of External Affairs said a passport is not a document that establishes citizenship, even though it is issued only to Indian citizens. The clarification, made on Passport Seva Divas, has renewed debate over what counts as conclusive proof of citizenship.
A passport is issued only to Indian citizens. However, the Ministry of External Affairs has now clarified that a passport is not a document that establishes citizenship. The MEA chose the 14th Passport Seva Divas to make the announcement.
The statement has triggered a widespread debate on X on what exactly constitutes conclusive proof of citizenship. It is a grey area that has not been clearly tackled by the Centre.
'PASSPORT NOT PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP'
On Wednesday, the MEA stated that passports are primarily travel documents issued by the government to facilitate international travel. It means that possessing a passport does not, by itself, define citizenship.
It flags the irony of the situation as passports are not issued to non-citizens. This has been explained very well by India Today Group Consulting Editor BV Rao in this article.
In fact, receiving a passport does not mean that it is owned by you. A note on the back flap of passports mentions that it is the "property of the Government of India" and shall be surrendered if and when the government so orders.
Earlier this year, during the hearing on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, the Supreme Court affirmed that Aadhaar was not conclusive proof of citizenship. It is just a document of identity.
A voter ID card is also not considered a citizenship document. It is primarily an identity and residence document and allows one to exercise his/her franchise during elections.
Under citizenship laws, a person is an Indian by birth if born in the country on or after January 26, 1950, but before July 1, 1987.
Now, if a person is born after July 1987, he or she can claim citizenship if either parent was a citizen. Those born on or after December 3, 2004, can claim citizenship by birth only if both parents are Indians, or if one parent is a citizen and the other is not an illegal immigrant at the time of birth.
GOVT DISHES OUT DATA
On Wednesday, the MEA highlighted the expansion of India's passport services network and several milestones, including the successful rollout of chip-enabled e-Passports.
"In 2025, 1.5 crore passports and related services were delivered, of which passports alone accounted for 1.39 crore," an MEA official said.
Moreover, the MEA highlighted that the average processing time has also improved, with passports being delivered within six working days, excluding the time taken for police verification. Citizens now spend less than 45 minutes on average at Passport Seva Kendras, the official said.
The reason behind the shorter processing time, the MEA official said, is the six-fold increase in passport service centres. India currently has 545 passport kendras across the country, compared to just 77 a decade ago.