Can I travel to India with dual citizenship?
No. India does not allow dual citizenship with India. If you hold foreign citizenship (even dual citizenship of two other countries), you can still travel to India, but you must do so using a tourist visa or an OCI card. When you possess foreign citizenship, then it is not permissible that you also become a citizen of another country under the Indian law.
This does not imply, however, that you cannot travel to India. Special alternatives include the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card or Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card (merged into the OCI card), which are for special privileged foreign citizens of Indian descent and allow them to work, live, and travel to India more easily.
India’s Policy on Dual Citizenship
Dual nationality is not permitted in the Constitution of India. This implies that, when a citizen of India comes forward to gain citizenship in a foreign country, they are required to surrender their Indian passport. They are not supposed to be permitted two passports simultaneously.
In order to retain the connection with those having foreign citizenships who are of Indian origin, India offers special facilities such as the OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card and the PIO (Person of Indian Origin) card (though PIO has been merged into OCI). These are not citizenships but confer numerous advantages as enjoyed by Indian nationals.
OCI Card
The OCI card is not Indian citizenship but a form of long-term residency status. It provides holders with a lifetime, multiple-entry visa to India and several benefits. OCI holders may purchase residential and commercial property in India, but they are not allowed to buy agricultural land. They also do not have political rights such as voting, contesting elections, or holding public office.
Traveling to India with Foreign Citizenship
For example, a person who holds two foreign citizenships (such as American and Canadian, or Australian and British) may choose which passport to use when entering India. However, regardless of the passport used, they must still have a valid Indian visa or an OCI card to be allowed entry but still requires a visa and/or an OCI card to enter India
- With an OCI card: You are not required to have a visa, and you can be in India permanently. The OCI holders have a multiple-entry, lifetime visa to visit India and some privileges over with certain restrictions, particularly regarding property rights
- Without an OCI card: You will have to keep applying for an Indian visa (tourist, business, medical, or e-Visa, depending on your purpose).
Restrictions of Dual Citizenship in India
India does not allow dual citizenship, so you cannot apply for an Indian passport if you still have a foreign citizenship. Doing so may result in penalties. Your entry should always be based on your foreign passport and the Indian visa or OCI card.
Practical Travel Tips
- Please check the Indian visa requirements according to your nationality in advance of booking your trip. India has a streamlined and convenient program of e-visas, which is applicable to a number of countries.
- Apply for an OCI card in case you want to be able to enter India on a continuous and painless basis in the long term and you have an Indian background.
- Make sure that your foreign passport is valid and has at least two blank pages with a validity of at least six months to be issued an immigration stamp.
In summary, the issue of traveling to India based on dual citizenship cannot work in your favor because India does not recognize this. Rather, a foreign passport holder should have either an Indian visa or an OCI card to enter the country. Although India does not recognize dual citizenship, the OCI scheme would allow people of Indian origin to continue their strong ties with the nation and could travel without any trouble.
