Indians are increasingly showing interest in giving up citizenship and settling abroad. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 10,40,860 or 1.04 million Indians voluntarily renounced their passports between 2019 and 2024.
In the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament 2025, in a reply to a question whether Government is aware of the fact that number of Indian who relinquished their Indian Citizenship is increasing since 2019, the MEA replied, the number of Indians who gave up their Indian citizenship was 1,44,017 in 2019; 85,256 in 2020; 1,63,370 in 2021; 2,25,620 in 2022; 2,16,219 in 2023 and 2,06,378 in 2024.
According to the data shared earlier by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 1.75 million (10,75,000) Indians voluntarily renounced their passports between 2011 and June 2023.
Indians have given up citizenship to immigrate to approximately 135 countries around the world, including Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Iceland, and the Vatican, as well as the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The data shows that in 2019, 1,44,017 Indians renounced their citizenship, while the number grew to a record high of 2,25,620 in 2022. Since then, the number of Indians surrendering their Indian passport has remained above 2 lakh.
India currently does not have a policy allowing dual citizenship. Dual citizenship is not permitted under the provisions of Article 9 of the Indian Constitution, read with Section 9 of the Citizenship Act of 1955.
However, according to the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2025, 3,500 Indian millionaires are expected to settle abroad in 2025. 5,100 Indian millionaires were expected to leave India in 2023, with 4,300 expected to leave in 2024 to settle abroad. This shows a declining tendency among Indian millionaires wishing to settle abroad.
Why are Indians settling abroad?
According to the government’s statements, many Indians have chosen to obtain foreign citizenship out of personal convenience. Indian nationals are not restricted from traveling to foreign nations for employment. Some of them settle at their place of employment and obtain foreign citizenship for personal reasons.
According to MEA data shared with parliament earlier, approximately 13 million Indian nationals, including laborers, professionals, and experts, are currently living abroad.
Renouncing Indian citizenship
For renouncing Indian citizenship an applicant has to apply online at the portal indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in.
The District Collector or Consular Officer in Indian Mission needs to verify the original passport and other details.
The competent authority verifies the applicant’s declaration form details and uploads necessary documents for stakeholder agencies of the Government of India to provide inputs within 30 days on the online module.
The competent authority approves a renunciation certificate in the online module after 30 days of acknowledgement, if the applicant’s declaration is correct and no adverse comments from any departments are found.