Bipat

Congress party is unlikely ever to offer dual nationality; if BJP succeeds at next election who knows? They promised before, probably because many USA PIOs support them.

pennylessinindia

Unlikely that the common man will get dual citizenship. Interesting the number of folks in position who managed to get it but the average man in the street not allowed it.

From Experience PIO in India takes much longer than in the UK. You are supposed to get it where you are resident

a_f_d

There has been confusion on this for many years (people much more knowledgeable than me have discussed it - search the forums). No-One in India can hold dual nationality (there is much discussion as to whether this is a constitutional restriction) - BUT for some reason the GoI restricted OCI to citizens of countries that did permit dual nationality.
There has been discussion for years about OCI v PIO and this weeks 'clarification' from HMG resolves this.
Any hope of reciprocal 'clarifications' from GoI?

AndyD

Doug.L

thank you for your help, we both hold british passports and wife has oci card ,just would not want to give up any rights if i get pio status or my wife give up her rights

Bo.Al

@Doug
I've been a PIO (UK/US) for a while. I've been told by the respective embassies (US/UK) that they would not be able to intercede for me if I got into any type of situation while in India.

Bo

Bo.Al

@a_f_d

"BUT for some reason the GoI restricted OCI to citizens of countries that did permit dual nationality."


That's not true. OCI is also available to US citizens of Indian origin. The US does not permit dual nationality.

Bo

Chameleons

That's not true. OCI is also available to US citizens of Indian origin. The US does not permit dual nationality.

Bo[/QUOTE]

A friend of mine, in fact standing right next to me, holds both a US and a British passport (British originally, now a US citizen). He says "the US used not to permit it, now they just don't recognize it. A subtle but important difference."

a_f_d

from this site...

AndyD 8-)₹

a_f_d

As I pont out in #3544 HMG have in the past few weeks clarified that British OCI holders can obtain consular support in India. The US position seems somewhat ambivalent but I would be very surprised if consular assistance were not available to US citizens in an emergency.

AndyD 8-)₹

dreadsoc

Hi Bo

I just noticed these are your first posts so welcome to BE and the Goa and India forum.

When you were told by the embassies that you would receive no help in India, did they explain why or elaborate in any way. Would this apply to all happenings whilst in India on PIO status ?

We have many members on here who are either PIO or OCI so this is quite relevant to them. Also there are some here who are PIO due to marriage to an Indian person, but are otherwise of complete non Indian decent - would it be the same for those people ?

Dread - x

Doug.L

well this seems a very grey area, seems every country is confused as well as me

dreadsoc

I struggle with the concept that having a PIO card would lose someone their rights to consular help as a British Citizen.
PIO means 'Person of Indian Origin' and does not mean Indian citizen.
Any British passport holder is a British citizen, and must be recognised as such by the UK government. As a British Citizen the British Consulate has a duty of care to all British citizens whether in the UK or elsewhere and therefore has a duty to act for or intervene that British citizen in situations outside the UK.

I am not sure whether as OCI there could be issues as effectively this does state 'Overseas CITIZEN of India', which by definition could mean that whilst in India they are an Indian citizen in which case may be so under the definition of Indian law and possibly under UK law as well.

Hence I have asked Bo.Al above whether there was any further explanation or detail from his questions of the consulates he/she dealt with.

Dread - x

Bo.Al

@Chameleons

"
A friend of mine, in fact standing right next to me, holds both a US and a British passport (British originally, now a US citizen). He says "the US used not to permit it, now they just don't recognize it. A subtle but important difference.""

Yeah, it's possible to have both passports at some point in time. However, when it comes to renewing your US passport there could be an issue if they ask for evidence of a cancelled copy of your previous passport (from another country e.g. India). This has been the case for several Indian passport holders who have taken up US citizenship. Since May 2011, India also requires renunciation (cancellation) of your Indian passport within three months. Pretty stiff fines (250 US$ for late cancellation and 250 US$ for every trip taken on an Indian passport after another nationality was acquired. I've not had issues with the UK government and passport renewal. When I was renewing my British passport in the US, they warned me that anyone taking US citizenship is required to renounce their previous citizenship and that if I did then I might have issues with renewing my British Passport. Now, I do recall reading that you can get another citizenship from another country after you get US citizenship and the US would probably not know about it and one could possibly get away with it

Bo.Al

@dreadsoc

"When you were told by the embassies that you would receive no help in India, did they explain why or elaborate in any way. Would this apply to all happenings whilst in India on PIO status ?

We have many members on here who are either PIO or OCI so this is quite relevant to them. Also there are some here who are PIO due to marriage to an Indian person, but are otherwise of complete non Indian decent - would it be the same for those people ?"

I think both UK/US governments view OCI/PIO as a sort of dual nationality and treat dual nationality in a similar way. Both countries have granted a person citizenship, so one country would not intercede on behalf of the person holding dual nationality, if the person was involved in a situation in the other country of citizenship. It's like 'hands-off' if the other country of citizenship is involved.

Bo.Al

@dreadsoc,
thanks for the warm welcome