MEA clarifies: Passport is issued to regulate departure, not verify citizenship

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a document issued by the government to regulate the departure of Indian citizens from the country, amid an ongoing debate over whether a passport can be treated as proof of citizenship.

According to Hindustan Times, the clarification comes after recent comments by senior MEA officials sparked widespread discussion on the issue.

The debate began during a briefing held on June 24 to mark Passport Seva Divas. According to Hindustan Times, senior officials described the passport as a travel document rather than a document establishing citizenship.

Responding to questions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted in several states, the officials explained that a passport is intended to facilitate the travel of Indian citizens through foreign territories and ports rather than serve as proof of citizenship.

At the Ministry's regular media briefing on Tuesday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked to clarify the government's position. According to Hindustan Times, Jaiswal referred directly to the legal provisions contained in the Passports Act, 1967.

He said, “An Indian passport is a document that, as per The Passports Act, 1967, is issued by the government of India to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India.”

He further explained:

“It is issued after due verification laid out by an established process. The issue of passports to Indian citizens or any other individual is governed by The Passports Act, 1967 and Passports Rules, 1980.”

According to Hindustan Times, Jaiswal also highlighted that fewer than eight percent of Indian citizens currently possess a passport, underscoring that it is not a document held by the majority of the country's population.

The clarification follows controversy generated by the earlier remarks made during the Passport Seva Divas briefing. According to Hindustan Times, the statement that a passport is not a document of citizenship prompted widespread debate, particularly on social media, with the opposition Congress party criticising the government's position.

Government officials also cited a 2013 judgment of the Bombay High Court while explaining the legal distinction. According to Hindustan Times, the court had observed that a passport, by itself, cannot be regarded as conclusive proof of Indian citizenship.

Officials further referred to provisions of the Passports Act, 1967, which permit the Central government to issue a passport “to a person who is not a citizen of India” if doing so is considered necessary in the public interest.

According to Hindustan Times, this provision reinforces the government's argument that while passports are issued after an established verification process, their primary legal purpose is to regulate international travel rather than function as definitive evidence of citizenship.

The clarification comes amid continued public and political discussion over the role of passports in citizenship verification, particularly in relation to the ongoing electoral roll revision process in several states.

According to Hindustan Times, the MEA has maintained that the issuance of passports is governed by the Passports Act, 1967, and the Passports Rules, 1980, with the document serving its intended purpose as an official travel document issued by the Government of India.