The trend of Indians renouncing their citizenship in favor of foreign nationalities is on the rise due to factors like better education, job opportunities, medical facilities, and favorable investment climates.
In the past five years alone, 8,34,000 Indians have given up their citizenship.
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Before the COVID-19 pandemic (2011–2019), about 132,000 Indians renounced their citizenship annually. This number surged by 20% to 158,000 per year between 2020 and 2023.
Many Indians are moving abroad not just for higher education and jobs but also for improved financial opportunities and a higher standard of living.
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The need for visas to travel to many countries with an Indian passport contrasts sharply with the visa-free travel offered by passports from countries like the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Singapore, which further motivates Indians to seek foreign citizenship.
Key Statistics:
– From 2018 to 2023, 114 countries saw Indians acquire their citizenship.
– The majority settled in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Germany.
– Over the past six years, 70 people acquired Pakistani citizenship, 130 acquired Nepalese citizenship, and 1,500 opted for Kenyan citizenship.
– India has the second-largest number of international students after China, with 1.5 million students studying abroad.
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Indian law does not permit dual citizenship, so those who acquire foreign nationality lose their Indian citizenship.
Returning to India requires a visa, but the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, introduced in 2006, allows visa-free entry and private employment in India. However, this card only became available in 2015 after the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card was discontinued.
Experts suggest that implementing dual citizenship could potentially reduce the number of Indians renouncing their citizenship.
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