New Delhi, 13 November 2014

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has considered the difficulties being encountered by the minority community nationals of Pakistan and Afghanistan for submitting their applications for grant of Indian Citizenship. Shri Rajnath Singh has permitted the manual acceptance of applications for grant of Indian Citizenship to such individuals who had entered India prior to 31.12.2009.

The eligible applicants, who were facing difficulty in submitting online applications, can now submit their applications offline also with their passports. However, the Long Term Visa (LTV) of the applicant should be valid at the time of submitting citizenship application at the office of the District Magistrate/Collector/Deputy Commissioner. An affidavit filed before the authority prescribed under Rule 38 of the Citizenship Rules 2009 will be considered in lieu of Renunciation Certificate.

The children of minority community, who entered India on the basis of their parents Passport, can apply without Passport for grant of Indian Citizenship after regularization of their stay in India. In the case of children of minority community born in India, they can also apply without Passport for grant of Indian Citizenship after regularization of their stay in India. These children will have to register with the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) of the concerned district for the regularization.

Shri Rajnath Singh approved the above guidelines for the grant of Indian citizenship to the minority community nationals of Pakistan and Afghanistan by the Foreigners Division of the Ministry and hoped that the grievances of these applicants would be suitably addressed.