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BOI details mandatory process after foreign citizenship is acquired in India
Former citizens must surrender Indian documents and apply for a new visa within 30 days.
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Ankita Baidya - Sat, 11, Jul 2026
- 04:22 EDT
- 21
The Bureau of Immigration has outlined the compliance process for individuals who acquire foreign nationality while in India. / Pexels
The Bureau of Immigration (BOI) has outlined the mandatory steps Indian nationals must complete if they acquire the citizenship or passport of another country while physically present in India, stating that Indian citizenship automatically ceases under the Citizenship Act.
In a post on X, the Bureau of Immigration said that once an Indian national acquires foreign citizenship, Indian citizenship stands terminated automatically under the law. The bureau said individuals in this situation must immediately take steps to regularize their immigration status in India.
Also read: OCI renewal no longer required after passport changes
According to the bureau, the first requirement is the surrender of Indian identity documents. These include the Indian passport, voter ID card and ration card. The post stated that the documents must be surrendered once the person's status changes from Indian citizen to foreign national.
The bureau said the next step is to apply for a new Indian visa through the "Issue of New Visa" service on the e-FRRO portal at indianfrro.gov.in. The application must be submitted within 30 days of acquiring foreign nationality, according to the post.
The e-FRRO portal is the online platform operated by India's Foreigners Regional Registration Offices to process visa applications, registration services and other immigration-related requests for foreign nationals in India, including former Indian citizens who have acquired another country's citizenship.
The bureau's guidance specifically applies to individuals who are inside India when their foreign citizenship takes effect, since both the document surrender process and the visa application must be completed within the country.
What should be done when an Indian national acquires the nationality of a foreign country while in India?
— Bureau of Immigration, Government of India (@BOIndiaOfficial) July 10, 2026
When an Indian national acquires citizenship/ passport of a foreign country, his/her Indian citizenship is automatically terminated as per Citizenship Act.
In such cases,…
According to the Bureau of Immigration, a person who acquires foreign citizenship and remains in India beyond the 30-day period without obtaining an appropriate visa would be considered a foreign national without valid immigration authorization, which could lead to legal and administrative complications.
The Citizenship Act, 1955, governs the acquisition, termination and regulation of Indian citizenship. Under the Act, Indian citizenship automatically terminates when an individual voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country.
The Bureau of Immigration functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs and is responsible for immigration control, including regulating the entry, stay and exit of foreign nationals in India and administering immigration-related services for current and former Indian citizens.
The bureau said the procedure is intended to ensure that individuals who change their nationality while in India comply with the country's citizenship and immigration requirements without interruption to their legal status.
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