Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant today said that the issue of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) is under consideration and final decision will be take by the Home Ministry.
“MEA has already issue a circular, final decision will be taken by Ministry of Home Affairs. Goa government is also following up the issue. We have also said that revocation certificate be considered for OCI registration,” said Sawant while speaking to reporters
The report notes that a circular issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had initially raised hopes by suggesting that a ‘revocation order’ could serve as an alternative document for applying for an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card, in place of the previously required surrender certificate’
However, a subsequent revision published by the MEA, dated April 30, introduced uncertainty by stating that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is still “considering” accepting the revocation certificate as an alternative document
The report notes that this uncertainty has increased the anxiety among some Goans, especially considering the backdrop of a previous memorandum issued by the MEA in November 2022. instructing authorities to revoke the passports of those who allegedly “withheld information about their Portuguese citizenship, instead of issuing surrender certificates. As a result, many found themselves ineligible to obtain OCI cards.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant revealed in a recent Assembly session that over the past five years, approximately 10,129 Indian passports have been surrendered by those who obtained Portuguese citizenship.
Additionally, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, while adjudicating on two petitions, referenced the April 4 memorandum and directed the authorities to process applications for OČI registration “in accordance with the law”.
Speaking with the publication, Kennedy Afonso, the convener of Goans for Goa, a citizens’ collective advocating for resolution, expressed the community’s frustration with the ongoing uncertainty
