Lok Sabha Question No. 3152 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: Renouncement of Citizenship
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Manickam Tagore B, Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 3152

ANSWERED ON- 13/12/2024

RENOUNCEMENT OF CITIZENSHIP

## 3152. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH

## SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

- (a) whether a large number of Indian citizen including highly skilled professionals are renouncing their citizenship;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor indicating the number   of   Indians   who   renounced   their   citizenship   alongwith   the countries of their destination during the last three years, year-wise;
- (c) the manner in which the Government is planning to address this issue to prevent further brain drain;
- (d)   the   estimated   economic   and   tax-revenue   loss   due   to   such renunciation and the manner in which the Government is planning to mitigate these losses;
- (e)   the   reasons   for   not   having   dual   citizenship   policy   alongwith   its implications on Indian living and working abroad;

(f) the number of overseas citizen of India registration cards issued till date alongwith the benefits availed by the holders; and

(g) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to create employment opportunities for Indians abroad and the mechanism put in place to support Indians who have renounced their citizenship?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a to d) - As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indians who gave up their Indian citizenship was 1,63,370 (in 2021); 2,25,620 (in 2022) and 2,16,219 (in 2023). For reference purpose, data was 1,22,819 (in 2011); 1,20,923 (in 2012); 1,31,405 (in 2013); 1,29,328 (in  2014); 1,31,489 (in 2015); 1,41,603 (in 2016); 1,33,049 (in 2017); 1,34,561 (in 2018); 1,44,017 (in 2019); 85,256 (in 2020). List of the countries whose citizenship Indians acquired is placed at Annexure. State-wise distribution of people who renounced Indian citizenship for foreign citizenships is not available.

The   reasons   for   renouncing/taking   citizenship   are   personal.   The Government recognizes the potential of the global workplace in an era of knowledge economy. It has also brought about a transformational

change   in   its   engagement   with   Indian   diaspora.   A   successful, prosperous, and influential diaspora is an asset for India. India stands to   gain   a   lot   from   tapping   its   diaspora   networks   and   productive utilization of the soft power that comes from having such a flourishing diaspora. The Government's efforts are also aimed at harnessing the diaspora potential to its fullest including through sharing of knowledge and expertise.

(e) Dual citizenship is not permitted as per the provisions of Article 9 of the Constitution of India read with Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

(f & g) - As per the information available with the Ministry till date, 51,00,796 Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) Cards have been issued. Benifits availed by OCI cardholders are given below:

(i) Multiple   entry   lifelong   visa   for   visiting   India   for   any   purpose (However   OCI   Cardholders   will   require   a   special   permission   to undertake   research   work   in   India   for   which   they   may   submit   the application to the Indian Mission/ Post/ FRRO concerned).

(ii) Exemption from registration with Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) for any length of stay in India.

(iii) Parity with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in respect of all facilities are available to them in economic, financial, and educational fields

except   in   matters   relating   to   the   acquisition   of   agricultural   or plantation properties.

(iv) Overseas Citizen of India Cardholders are treated at par with NonResident-Indians   in   the   matter   of   inter-country   adoption   of   Indian children.

(v) Overseas Citizen of India Cardholders are treated at par with resident Indian nationals in the matter of tariffs in air fares in domestic sectors in India.

(vi) Overseas Citizen of India Cardholders are charged the same entry fee   as   domestic   Indian   visitors   to   visit   national   parks,   national monuments, wildlife sanctuaries, historical sites and museums in India.

(vii) They   may   engage   in   the   following   professions   in   India,   in pursuance of the provisions contained   in the relevant Acts, namely:doctors,   dentists,   nurses   and   pharmacists;   advocates; architects; chartered accountants;

(viii) They may appear for the All India Pre-Medical Test or such other tests to make them eligible   for   admission   available   to   NRIs   in pursuance of the provisions contained in the relevant Acts.

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## ANNEXURE

## LIST OF COUNTRIES WHOSE CITIZENSHIP WAS ACQUIRED BY INDIANS

|   S.No. | Country              |
|---------|----------------------|
|       1 | Albania              |
|       2 | Algeria              |
|       3 | Andorra              |
|       4 | Angola               |
|       5 | Antigua & Barbuda    |
|       6 | Argentina            |
|       7 | Armenia              |
|       8 | Australia            |
|       9 | Austria              |
|      10 | Azerbaijan           |
|      11 | Bahamas              |
|      12 | Bahrain              |
|      13 | Bangladesh           |
|      14 | Belarus              |
|      15 | Belgium              |
|      16 | Belize               |
|      17 | Bolivia              |
|      18 | Bosnia & Herzegovina |
|      19 | Botswana             |
|      20 | Brazil               |

|   21 | Brunei             |
|------|--------------------|
|   22 | Bulgaria           |
|   23 | Cambodia           |
|   24 | Canada             |
|   25 | Chile              |
|   26 | China              |
|   27 | Colombia           |
|   28 | Comoros            |
|   29 | Costa Rica         |
|   30 | Croatia            |
|   31 | Cyprus             |
|   32 | Czech Republic     |
|   33 | Denmark            |
|   34 | Dominica           |
|   35 | Dominican Republic |
|   36 | Ecuador            |
|   37 | Egypt              |
|   38 | Estonia            |
|   39 | Eswatini           |
|   40 | Ethiopia           |
|   41 | Fiji               |
|   42 | Finland            |
|   43 | France             |
|   44 | Gabon              |

|   45 | Georgia    |
|------|------------|
|   46 | Germany    |
|   47 | Ghana      |
|   48 | Greece     |
|   49 | Grenada    |
|   50 | Guatemala  |
|   51 | Guyana     |
|   52 | Hungary    |
|   53 | Iceland    |
|   54 | Indonesia  |
|   55 | Iran       |
|   56 | Iraq       |
|   57 | Ireland    |
|   58 | Israel     |
|   59 | Italy      |
|   60 | Jamaica    |
|   61 | Japan      |
|   62 | Jordan     |
|   63 | Kazakhstan |
|   64 | Kenya      |

|   65 | Kuwait          |
|------|-----------------|
|   66 | Kyrgyzstan      |
|   67 | Laos            |
|   68 | Latvia          |
|   69 | Lithuania       |
|   70 | Luxembourg      |
|   71 | Madagascar      |
|   72 | Malawi          |
|   73 | Malaysia        |
|   74 | Maldives        |
|   75 | Mali            |
|   76 | Malta           |
|   77 | Mauritius       |
|   78 | Mexico          |
|   79 | Moldova         |
|   80 | Mongolia        |
|   81 | Morocco         |
|   82 | Mozambique      |
|   83 | Myanmar         |
|   84 | Namibia         |
|   85 | Nepal           |
|   86 | New Zealand     |
|   87 | Nigeria         |
|   88 | North Macedonia |

| 89 Norway               |
|-------------------------|
| 90 Oman                 |
| 91 Pakistan             |
| 92 Panama               |
| 93 Papua New Guinea     |
| 94 Paraguay             |
| 95 Peru                 |
| 96 Philippines          |
| 97 Poland               |
| 98 Portugal             |
| 99 Qatar                |
| 100 Republic of Korea   |
| 101 Romania             |
| 102 Russia              |
| 103 Saint Kitts & Nevis |
| 104 Saint Lucia         |
| 105 Saudi Arabia        |
| 106 Serbia              |
| 107 Seychelles          |
| 108 Singapore           |
| 109 Slovak Republic     |
| 110 Slovenia            |
| 111 South Africa        |
| 112 Spain               |

| Sri Lanka                         |
|-----------------------------------|
| Sudan                             |
| Suriname                          |
| Sweden                            |
| Switzerland                       |
| Tanzania                          |
| Thailand                          |
| The Holy See (Vatican City State) |
| The Netherlands                   |
| Tonga                             |
| Trinidad and Tobago               |
| Türkiye                           |
| UAE                               |
| Uganda                            |
| UK                                |
| Ukraine                           |
| Uruguay                           |
| USA                               |
| Vanuatu                           |
| Vietnam                           |
| Yemen                             |
| Zambia                            |
| Zimbabwe                          |

*****