Indian Passport: Who Is Eligible to Obtain It? Central Government Clarifies in Parliament The Indian government addressed longstanding debates about the nature of the Indian passport in a parliamentary session on July 31, 2026, clarifying that only Indian citizens are eligible to obtain passports. This clarification came after previous statements by the Ministry of External Affairs, which had asserted that passports are merely travel documents and not proof of citizenship. The issue had sparked widespread discussion, with critics questioning whether the passport serves as an official document validating an individual’s nationality. The government’s response in Parliament emphasized that the passport is a tool for facilitating international travel for Indian citizens. It reiterated that the document is issued under the Passport Act of 1967 and is governed by specific procedures for verification and issuance. However, the clarification did not explicitly confirm whether the passport itself serves as legal proof of citizenship. This ambiguity has persisted despite the government’s recent statements, leaving the question of its role in validating nationality unresolved. The debate gained traction after the Ministry of External Affairs initially stated that passports are not proof of citizenship, a claim that led to public and political discourse. Critics argued that the passport should be recognized as an official document confirming an individual’s nationality, while others maintained that it is solely a travel permit. The government’s latest clarification in Parliament sought to address these concerns but stopped short of providing definitive answers on the passport’s legal status as a citizenship proof.#rajya_sabha #ministry_of_externa_affairs #indian_passport #parliament #kirti_bhadra_singh
