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Surrendering your Indian Passport
- Kesia Yoon
- February 16, 2023

If you are an Indian citizen and have decided to renounce your Indian citizenship, then you need to know about the process of surrendering your Indian passport. Renouncing one’s Indian citizenship is a significant decision and it is important to understand all the ramifications before making such a decision. Once you have gone through the process of renunciation, you need to understand the process of surrendering your Indian passport. This can be done in person or by mail, depending on your residence location.
What is the Renunciation of Indian Citizenship?
Renouncing Indian citizenship is the legal process through which a person voluntarily renounces his or her Indian nationality and acquires citizenship in another country. It is important to note that, in many countries, a person must give up their existing citizenship to become a citizen of that nation. This means that it is not possible to hold two or more citizenships at the same time in most circumstances.
When you renounce your Indian passport and citizenship, you are no longer a citizen of India and are no longer entitled to the rights and privileges of being an Indian citizen, including access to consular assistance from embassies and diplomatic missions abroad. However, citizens born in India, whether by descent or not, have the option of renouncing their residential status in India without losing their Indian passport.
For those who permanently relocate abroad for work or other purposes after renouncing their Indian passport, the government requires a copy of your OCI Certificate (Overseas Citizen of India) before canceling your passport. This document enables you to retain certain rights and privileges under Indian law and is essential if you wish to continue doing business in India or maintain any investments there.
How to Apply for the Surrendering Indian Passport?
The process of surrendering your Indian passport begins with you visiting the Indian consulate or embassy. You will be required to fill up and submit the relevant application forms. Along with the filled forms, you will need to submit documents such as your Indian passport, copies of your valid visas, and a copy of the Renunciation Certificate issued by the Indian Government. Once all this has been submitted, you will have to pay the required fee for processing your application.
Typically, it takes around 10-15 days for the authorities to process a surrendered passport and issue a new one. During this period, you must keep a track of the status of your application so that there are no unexpected delays. It is also advisable to keep a copy of all submitted documents for future reference.
Steps Involved in the Renunciation Process
Once you finish the formalities of renunciation, you will need to surrender your Indian passport to the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate. This process requires several steps:
- Visit the Local Office- You will need to visit your local consulate or embassy to surrender your Passport. During this visit, you will be expected to provide a valid photo ID and proof of address.
- Surrendering your Passport- At the consulate or embassy, you will have to fill out a form that officially confirms that you are surrendering your passport. This form is called a “Renunciation of Indian Citizenship” or “Surrender Certificate”, which can be found on their website and must be filled out in both English and Hindi.
- Provide a Receipt- You must provide a receipt for submission by the consulate/embassy for receiving your passport as evidence of your successful completion of the renunciation process. The consulate/embassy will also provide an acknowledgment that states that they have received your passport from you in exchange for the receipt. Once you receive this acknowledgment, keep it safe as it serves as proof of surrendering the passport. Additionally, if applicable, cancel any visa stamps on the Indian passport with ink before submitting it to the consulate/embassy office.
Eligibility for Surrendering Indian Passport
Eligibility requirements are necessary to surrender an Indian passport. An individual must be a citizen of India and have gone through the process of renunciation to meet the eligibility criteria. The individual must also have valid travel documents – either a foreign passport or some other travel document – to surrender their Indian passport. In addition, the individual must provide certain documents for further processing:
- A declaration in Form XXII (also known as the Oaths Act), signed by the applicant and witnessed by a magistrate
- Proof of valid foreign passport or a travel document
- An undertaking from the applicant that they will not use their Indian passport for any purpose
- An affidavit from two witnesses, who are not related to the applicant, stating that all information provided is true and accurate
- Proof of address in India, such as an Aadhaar card, bank statement, or voter ID card
- A certificate of renunciation or cancelation of previous citizenship
These documents must be submitted with the application form for further processing. Furthermore, it is important to note that tenure restrictions may apply depending on an individual’s age, which may vary from one year (for those aged 18 years old or above) to five years (for those aged below 18 years old).
Requirements to Surrender Indian Passport
Surrendering your Indian passport is an important legal process and must be done following the guidelines laid out by the Indian government. To surrender your Indian passport, you must meet certain requirements and submit the necessary paperwork. Below are the requirements for surrendering an Indian passport:
- Valid Security Clearance Certificate (SCC)
- Proof of renouncing Indian citizenship
- Completed application form (form B)
- Photo I.D.
- Original Indian passport
- Copy of visa, if applicable
- Completed affidavit of renunciation
The applicant must schedule an appointment with their local consulate or embassy for further processing of their application to relinquish their Indian passport once all of these papers have been gathered. The applicant will receive a new passport after all the required documentation has been filed.
Documents Needed to Surrender an Indian Passport
Surrendering one’s Indian passport is a serious matter, and the process needs to be conducted properly. To do so, you’ll need to have several documents in order. Requirements for Surrendering an Indian Passport:
- Original Indian Passport and a photocopy that includes the page with your photograph and personal details
- Completed Indian passport surrender form
- Official letter or document from the foreign government that states the citizenship has been acquired
- Proof of address (valid government-issued ID card or driver’s license)
- Recent passport-size photograph
- A fee of 100 AED or equivalent in local currency, if applicable.
In addition to these documents, applicants will also need to provide a copy of their current visa status if not already done during the renunciation process. Once all necessary documents are in order and submitted, the applicant should expect to receive a new travel document valid for 6 months within 4 – 6 weeks.
Timeline and Cost Involved in Surrendering Indian Passports
Surrendering a passport is a straightforward process. You will need to fill out the relevant paperwork and submit it along with your old passport. The process usually takes about 20-30 days, depending on the Indian Embassy or Consulate you use.
The cost of surrendering an Indian passport varies, but it usually costs approximately ₹3,000 (or equivalent in local currency). This cost includes things like courier fees, postage, and fees for printing your new passport.
Besides paying the fees associated with surrendering your passport and obtaining a new one, there may be additional costs associated with the name and address changes that are required when you surrender your old passport. These may include changes to bank accounts, driver’s licenses, ration cards, etc.
It is important to keep in mind that the process of renunciation will take some time and involve certain costs, so plan to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of submission.
Other Information on Surrendering your Indian Passport
It is important to note that the process of surrendering an Indian passport is different from that of renunciation of Indian citizenship. If a person has already gone through the process of renunciation and wants to know surrender their Indian passport, they will have to adhere to certain regulations laid out by the Government of India. The applicant must ensure they have:
- Completed Form X – Declaration of Renunciation of the Indian Citizenship
- Collected a ‘Clearance Certificate’ from the Embassy/High Commission/Consulate.
- Filled and signed Form XXVII – Renunciation of Indian Citizenship
- An original receipt proving payments for surrender fees (if applicable)
- An original receipt proving payments for visa fees (if applicable)
- A photocopy of all previous passports and/or travel documents issued, if available
- Original or attested copies from all valid visas affixed on any foreign passport.
Once all of these documents are secured, applicants may proceed with the next stage, which involves submitting the required forms and documents to a local passport office in India. Upon submission, applicants will be issued an acknowledgment letter that confirms their application along with a bank draft number and fee amount. After payment is made at any designated bank, applicants will receive an appointment card on which they must provide fingerprint data before being issued with a Cancelation Certificate. After this is done, applicants should submit both original passports and Cancelation Certificates to the camp office for the cancelation process to be complete.
FAQs on Surrendering Your Indian Passport
Renunciation of Indian Citizenship is governed by the Indian Citizenship Act, of 1955, and the registration of renunciation is carried out by the Indian embassy/consulate in foreign countries as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi. After completing the renunciation process, many people have questions about surrendering their Indian Passports. Here are some frequently asked questions related to surrendering your Indian passport:
- How Can I Surrender My Passport? You will need to fill up a form for surrendering your passport and submit it with any required documents to the nearest Indian embassy/consulate or a passport collection center.
- What Documents Will I Need To Submit? When turning in your passport for surrender, you will need to submit proof that you have been residing abroad for at least one year before surrendering your passport (such as an employment letter, residence visa, etc.). You will also need to submit all copies of your expired passport, and two photographs and complete a declaration form stating that all details provided in the form are true and correct.
- How Long Will The Process Take? The process usually takes between two weeks to one month depending on the volume of applications received. Once your application has been accepted, you will receive an acknowledgment letter confirming that your application is being processed.