MEA order may give relief to those who opted for Portuguese Citizenship

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CategoryPolity

Last Updated23/04/2024

MEA could provide relief for people from erstwhile Portuguese territories in India (Goa and Daman & Diu), whose Indian passports were revoked after acquiring Portuguese citizenship.
The Ministry of External Affairs has instructed passport authorities in the country to mandatorily issue a “revocation order”.

Authorities began revoking the passports of people from Goa, who had acquired Portuguese citizenship, for “suppressing material information” about acquiring foreign nationality.
Government has decided to accept ‘revocation certificates’ for those who have acquired Portuguese nationality as per Portuguese Nationality Law.
According to Portuguese law, it offers those born in Goa before December 19, 1961 the day Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule and two future generations the option of registering as Portuguese citizens.

Portuguese India was a colonial state within the Indian Subcontinent from 1505 to 1961.
The Portuguese established trading posts and forts along the Indian coastline, with a significant presence in Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Their influence was limited, unlike the English who expanded their control over larger parts of India.
In 1961, the Indian government annexed the Portuguese territories, marking the end of Portuguese rule in India.
In 1843 the capital was shifted to Panjim, then renamed Nova Goa, it became the administrative seat of Portuguese India.
In December 1961, the Indian military initiated an invasion of Goa.
marked the end of 450 years of Portuguese rule in Goa
Merger of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu (D&D) and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DNH), also erstwhile Portuguese territories, happened in 2019.