New Delhi: A day after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the rules for implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Centre on Tuesday launched a new portal for people applying for citizenship under CAA.
Under the CAA rules, a Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who entered India before December 31, 2014, can now seek Indian citizenship without producing a valid passport of these countries or a valid visa from India.
In a post on X, the MHA spokesperson said, “The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 under the CAA-2019 have been notified. A new portal has been launched, persons eligible under CAA-2019 can apply for citizenship on this portal https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in. A mobile app ‘CAA-2019’ will also be launched shortly to facilitate applications…”
The rules, which pave the way for implementation of the CAA, state “any document” that shows one of the parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents of the applicant was from one of these countries would suffice to prove their nationality. And instead of a visa, even a certificate issued by an elected member of a local body would be enough, they say.
The rules have virtually done away with the centrality of requiring a passport from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan and a residential permit issued by India. Instead, birth or educational institution certificate; “identity document of any kind”; “any licence or certificate”; “land or tenancy records”, or “any other document” issued by these countries, which proves the applicant was their citizen, would suffice as proof of citizenship.
Any document that shows that “either of the parents or grandparents or great-grandparents of the applicant is or had been a citizen of one of the three countries” is also acceptable. These documents will be admissible even beyond their validity period.
Agencies

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