A day after notifying rules for implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday launched a portal for people eligible to apply for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019. Back in 2019, Parliament passed the law to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan entered India before December 31, 2014.
The implementation of the CAA 2019 is being seen as a way to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
Besides the online portal, the Centre is also set to launch the mobile app 'CAA-2019' shortly to make the application process even easier.
According to a ministry spokesperson, "The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 under the CAA-2019 have been notified. A new portal has been launched, persons eligible under CAA-2019 can apply for citizenship on this portal indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in."
Rules for application
As per the rules notifies by the Centre after four years of passing the law in December 2019, every single application will have to be submitted in electronic form to an empowered committee through the district-level committee, which may be notified by the central government.
The application should mandatorily be supported by concrete documents such as copy of passport issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh governments, a birth certificate, an identity document of any other kind, land or tenancy records, or any document which proves that either of the parents or grandparents or great grandparents of the applicant were a citizen of one of the three countries.
As per the official statement issued by the Centre, applicants will also have to provide proof of entering India before December 31, 2014 either by submitting a visa and immigration stamp, registration certificate from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), or slip issued by the Census enumerators in India , government-issued licence or certificate or permit in India (including Driving License, Aadhaar number, ration card , or marriage certificate issued in India etc).
The rules also state the applicants will have to provide an eligibilty certificate issued by a locally reputed community institution confirming that he/she belongs to “Hindu/ Sikh/ Buddhist/ Jain/ Parsi/ Christian community and continues to be a member of the community.
