We have all been seeing reports of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas sneaking into our country and fraudulently obtaining Indian passports. Against this backdrop, the Union Ministry of External Affairs has clarified an important point — a passport is merely a travel document for journeying to other countries, and its possession alone does not make someone an Indian citizen. Courts have previously said the same. Moreover, the government has already established that Aadhaar cards and Voter IDs are also not definitive proof of citizenship. Courts have clarified that Aadhaar serves only as proof of address and identity, while a Voter ID is meant solely for the purpose of casting a vote. This has led many people to ask: if none of these qualify, then what is the actual document that proves Indian citizenship?
Five Ways to Obtain Citizenship
Under the Citizenship Act of 1955, a person can acquire Indian citizenship in five ways — by birth in India, by descent, through registration, by naturalization, or through the incorporation of new territory into India.
Under this law, those born in India before July 1, 1987 automatically receive citizenship. For those born after that date, at least one parent must be an Indian citizen. For children born after December 3, 2004, one parent must be an Indian citizen and the other must not be an illegal immigrant.
No Single Document Suffices
The Home Ministry has told Parliament that citizenship is a legal status, and no single card is sufficient to prove it. There is no specific list of certificates designated for this purpose, and cases are examined individually based on their circumstances.