Passport Not Proof of Indian Citizenship, Only a Travel Document: Clarifies Ministry of External Affairs
The Ministry of External Affairs has officially clarified that a passport cannot be considered proof of Indian citizenship, it is only a travel document to be used in foreign countries helping in easy travel and stay abroad.
On the occasion of the 14th Passport Seva Divas, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that Passports can only be used as a travel document, it is not considered an official proof of Indian citizenship. This event was mainly used to focus on the efficiency of passport service and major reforms made by the authorities to ease the process of passport related grievances among the citizens of India.
This statement by a senior Ministry of External Affairs officer, created a lot of stir among citizens who believe that a passport should be considered as a citizenship proof just like other documents. There is an ongoing debate on platforms like X about whether this statement by the Ministry of External Affairs is fair to the people who often use passports as an Indian citizenship proof.
Why is Passport Not Proof of Indian Citizenship?
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, a passport is a document whose primary purpose is to help Indian citizens travel abroad with ease along with providing an identity in foreign countries to permit one’s stay for various purposes such as travel, education, high studies, job, temporary stay etc.
For proof of Indian citizenship, the government only recognises foundational documents. Foundational documents include birth certificate, Aadhar card, PAN card. Passport is created on the basis of these proofs, making it not eligible to be a foundational document.
Government Backs Ministry of External Affairs Statement
The government intervened by issuing a statement on Thursday further backing this claim by Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967 which states the following:
"Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions relating to issue of a passport or travel document, the Central Government may issue, or cause to be issued, a passport or travel document to a person who is not a citizen of India if that Government is of the opinion that it is necessary so to do in the public interest."
-Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1957
The government clearly stated that the passport has never been officially considered to be a foundational proof of Indian citizenship by law. To strengthen their claims further, the government also used the example of a Bombay High Court judgement in 2013 where the ruling stated that the possession of a passport alone does not fully guarantee Indian citizenship of any individual.
Public Reaction to Ministry of External Affairs Statement
There has been an uproar of reactions on social media from citizens expressing their displeasure with the claims. Javed Akhtar, a famous songwriter and lyricist tweeted, saying that its the ministry of external affairs issues a passport to the citizens after proof checking Indian citizenship then are they weakening their own confirmation by questioning passports issued by them.
If the MEA believes Passport is not a document of citizenship:
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) June 24, 2026
1) What do the police verify before granting a passport?
2) Does our country give passports as travel documents to non Indians as well?
3) Wouldn’t this announcement create doubts in the minds of other countries,… pic.twitter.com/p3ebg90A3C
Opposition Party politicians like Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray said that such claims by the Ministry of External Affairs would cause confusion in the minds of foreigners as well who would wonder whether passports are issued to non Indian citizens as well if they are not by default considered proof of Indian citizenship.
Ayukta Zisha is an education journalist with over three years of experience in digital media. A graduate of St. Xavier’s College, she holds a Master’s degree in English along with a certification in Digital Marketing from IIT Delhi. Backed by a strong academic foundation in the humanities, she specializes in creating educational and general knowledge content across history, geography, literature, and current affairs. During her tenure at Jagran Josh, she worked extensively on U.S. news and global developments, curating informative and engaging content for a diverse readership. Her subject expertise and ability to simplify complex topics enable her to make complex information accessible to a wide audience. Beyond journalism, Ayukta is an avid reader and a published author.
