Under Indian law, Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), who have acquired foreign citizenship, are required to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian Mission / Post immediately after acquisition of foreign citizenship.

Indian Citizenship Act does not allow dual citizenship; to consider an OCI card as an endorsement of dual citizenship, is incorrect.

It has been observed that many PIOs continue to keep valid Indian passports and use them, even after acquiring citizenship of another country. There are yet others who apply for issuance of fresh passports by suppressing the fact that they have already acquired citizenship of another country.

Holding Indian passport / acquiring Indian passport / travelling on Indian passport after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties.

Indian passport must be surrendered within 90 days of obtaining foreign naturalization certificate / document even if the foreign passport is obtained later.

Travelling on Indian Passport after 90 days of obtaining the “Naturalisation Certificate / document” of another country is prohibited by the Indian Passport Act and may attract penalties of varying degrees.

The Government of India has also imposed penalty on a graded scale, for the violation of Passport Rules and for retention of Indian Passport for more than 3 years after acquiring foreign nationality.

All Indian Passport holders, who have acquired or intend to acquire foreign nationality, are requested to contact the High Commission for any clarification, with regard to surrendering of Indian Passport on acquisition of foreign nationality.

GUIDELINES FOR INDIAN PASSPORT HOLDERS WHO HAVE ACQUIRED MAURITIAN CITIZENSHIP

Those who have acquired Mauritian citizenship on or before 31 May 2010 but have not got their Indian passports cancelled, may submit duly filled online application along with  their Indian passports and copy of Certificate of Registration issued by the Government of Mauritius and remit an amount of Mauritian MUR 1150/- plus MUR 95/- surchargetowards renunciation fee. Passport will be returned to the applicant after cancellation.

Those Indian citizens who acquired Mauritian citizenship on or after 01 June, 2010 may submit duly filled online application along with their Indian passports for cancellation along with a copy of Certificate of Registration issued by the Government of Mauritius and cash payment of an amount of Mauritian Rs.5600/- plus MUR 95/- surcharge * towards renunciation fee. Passport will be returned to the applicant after cancellation along with a surrender certificate issued by this High Commission.

The concerned individuals may please contact the Consular Section of the High Commission of India, Port Louis to ascertain details of fees / penalties.

For making online application, applicants may Log on to  https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in