Relief for Goans who took Portuguese citizenship after MHA decision on ‘passport revocation order’

Many Goans had been stuck in limbo after their passports were revoked over the past 18 months following a memorandum by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), dated November 30, 2022, which instructed authorities to revoke passports – instead of issuing a ‘surrender certificate’ – of people who acquired Portuguese nationality for “suppressing material information” regarding their Portuguese citizenship. With a ‘surrender certificate’ being one of the mandatory documents to obtain an OCI card, the revocation of passports rendered many Goans ineligible for OCI, causing considerable anxiety among people in the coastal state.

The latest directions are expected to pave the way for those Goans to effectively apply for OCI – an immigration status authorising a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in India for an indefinite period.

The Indian Express had earlier reported that the MEA, via an office memorandum on April 4, said that the MHA had decided to accept ‘revocation certificate’, a document issued to those whose passports were revoked, as an alternative document in lieu of ‘surrender certificate’. However, a corrigendum from the MEA on April 30 said that this was only “under consideration” by the MHA, leading to uncertainty.

Portugal offers those born in Goa before December 19, 1961 – the day Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule – and two future generations the option of registering as Portuguese citizens. Since a Portuguese passport provides the holder visa-free entry to several countries, including the UK and the EU, many in Goa in the last few decades have been transcribing their births in the Central Registry in Lisbon and acquiring Portuguese citizenship to avail employment and educational opportunities overseas.