'Issued after due verification': MEA clarifies Indian passport rules amid citizenship row

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday clarified that an Indian passport is issued under the provisions of the Passports Act, 1967, following a prescribed verification process, amid a debate over whether a passport serves as proof of Indian citizenship.

Responding to questions during the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the issuance of passports is governed by the Passports Act, 1967 and the Passports Rules, 1980.

'Issued after due verification'

Jaiswal said an Indian passport is a government-issued travel document meant to regulate the departure of Indian citizens from the country.

"An Indian passport is a document that, as per the Passports Act, 1967, is issued by the Government of India to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India. It is issued after due verification laid out by an established process," he said.

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He added that the process for issuing passports to Indian citizens and other eligible individuals is governed by the Passports Act, 1967, and the Passports Rules, 1980.

Jaiswal also noted that less than 8% of Indian citizens currently hold a passport.

Remarks came amid citizenship debate

The clarification comes after earlier remarks by MEA officials that a passport is not a document of citizenship sparked widespread debate, including on social media, and drew criticism from the opposition Congress party.

Government officials had previously cited a 2013 Bombay High Court judgment, which held that a passport is not, by itself, conclusive proof of citizenship. They also pointed to a provision in the Passports Act, 1967, which allows the Central government to issue a passport to a non-citizen in the public interest under specific circumstances.