India: Passport not proof of citizenship, ministry says, sparking social media debate
Key takeaways
- The Ministry of External Affairs has said that the passport does not prove citizenship in India.
- The remarks were made as the official sought to clarify the legal scope of the document in response to a question at an event held on Wednesday to mark the expansion of passport services.
- "Even though while travelling abroad, passport attests to your nationality, yet it is not a document of your citizenship," The Hindu daily quoted the official as saying in response to its query.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that the passport does not prove citizenship in India. People are now asking on social media how else they can prove that they are Indians. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/5G1gc Indians were left puzzled by the Foreign Ministry's statement, wondering what other than a passport could be proof of citizenship Image: Tetiana Chernykova/Zoonar/IMAGOAdvertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know India's passport is a travel document and not proof of citizenship, says Foreign Ministry India and EU reiterate commitment to protect human rights PM Modi says India ready to extend 'all possible assistance' after deadly Venezuela earthquake Here are the latest developments from India on Thursday, June 25, 2026:
06/25/2026June 25, 2026Passport travel document, not a proof of citizenship, Foreign Ministry saysThe Indian passport is primarily a travel document and should not be treated as a conclusive proof of citizenship, a senior official of India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said, according to Indian media reports.