The Hindu : Dual citizenship scheme to have `reasonable' fee structure

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 28, 2003

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Dual citizenship scheme to have `reasonable' fee structure

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI DEC. 27. Though the Government has got the Dual Citizenship Bill passed by Parliament in the just-concluded winter session, it is yet to start framing the rules, procedures and deciding upon the fees for granting dual citizenship to the Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2003 provides for overseas citizenship of India to the PIOs in 16 countries who have acquired citizenship in those countries. Among the 16 countries, the United States tops the list with a total estimated PIO population of 16.78 lakhs, the United Kingdom comes next with 12 lakhs and Canada is on the third spot with 8.51 lakh PIOs.

Other countries are: Australia (1.9 lakh), Finland (1,170), Ireland (1,600), Italy (71,500), Netherlands (2,17,000), Israel (45,300), New Zealand (55,000), Cyprus (300), Sweden (11,000), Switzerland (13,500), France (65,000) Greece (7,000) and Portugal (70,000). These countries come under the category of those specified in the Fourth Schedule. The Government may by notification amend the Schedule by way of addition or omission of any entry.

Sources said that an estimated 10 to 25 per cent of the total PIOs population of about 45 lakhs in these 16 countries could apply for overseas citizenship. As the legislation had secured Parliamentary approval, the Government was working to finalise the application form, procedure and the fees to be levied for granting overseas citizenship. The PIO card with steep fees had failed to click about three years ago and the Government would keep "a reasonable fee" structure in mind while framing the rules, the sources added.

The Bill defines "overseas citizen of India" to mean a person who (i) is of Indian origin being a citizen of a specified country, or (ii) was a citizen of India immediately before becoming a citizen of a specified country and is registered as an overseas citizen of India by the Central Government. An overseas citizen will not be entitled to the rights conferred on a citizen of India and will not have the right to equality of opportunity in matters of public employment, will not have voting rights and also will not be eligible to be a member of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.

Besides overseas citizenship, the Bill has a new Section 14A on the subject of issue of national identity cards, stipulating that the Central Government may compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue the national identity card and the Government may maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens and for that purpose establish a National Registration Authority.

The grant of dual citizenship to the PIOs gained momentum after the Government set up a high-level committee on Indian diaspora under the Chairmanship of Dr. L.M. Singhvi and it made a recommendation to that effect. Dr. Singhvi said before the Standing Committee on Home Affairs that many countries accepted dual citizenship without obliterating the identity of the people. Many countries where PIOs lived did not want dual citizenship, particularly South Africa, where such people were interested only in stronger cultural contacts.

While neighbouring countries were not included in the list for obvious reasons, the issue of constant influx of refugees from the neighbouring countries due to civil commotion and religious persecution was also raised before the Committee. The Home Ministry allayed the apprehension that all those who entered India due to civil disturbances and political developments in the neighbouring countries would be forcibly sent back to their homelands. Refugees who have come to India on or after March 25, 1971 due to religious and political reasons would be dealt with under the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

Armed with the legislation before the second edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas celebration due from January 9, the Government would be able to boast that in less than a year's time it had taken steps to simplify the procedure for acquiring citizenship of India by PIOs. The PIO card, launched three years ago with much fanfare, which facilitated various concessions relating to foreign investments and opening of accounts had proved to be a damp squib, apparently due to steep fees and poor projection.

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