India updates citizenship rules for Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh passport holders
India just updated its citizenship rules; if you hold a valid or expired passport issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh, you now have to declare and give up your old passport after citizenship approval, within 15 days, to the designated postal officer.
The new rule, announced Monday under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, means you'll need to share all your passport details (even if expired) as part of your application.
OCI applications now fully online
Once you get Indian citizenship, if you hold a valid or expired passport issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh, you have 15 days to hand over your old passport at the post office.
Officials say this will make background checks smoother and keep records cleaner.
Plus, there's a digital upgrade for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards: applications are now fully online with e-OCI cards and mandatory biometric data.
The goal? Make things simpler but also tighten up on security and double passports, even for minors.