Surrendering Indian Passport - After 5 Years as UK Citizen

[DollyG]

Hi,

I've just found out that I need to surrender by old Indian passport.

That's because I haven't been to India in last 5 years, and had no reason to look at the embassy website. I didn't use my Indian passport once I received my British passport.

I'm now hoping to get a tourist visa for December, so before that I need to surrender my old passport.

I just want to confirm - will I get penalized for it? On the website it says:

Retention of Indian Passport for more than 3 years after acquiring foreign nationality, for the violation of Passport Rules ranging from a minimum of £145 up to a maximum of £1088

But I am assuming that's for people who kept the passport after 2010, when this law came into being? I became a British citizen in 2008.

Please confirm. Thanks.

[ban.s]

Penalty charges are separate from the renunciation fee. Those obtained foreign citizenship prior to May 2010 will benefit from the reduced renunciation fee. They however still need to pay any applicable penalty charges separately.

[DollyG]

Penalty charges are separate from the renunciation fee. Those obtained foreign citizenship prior to May 2010 will benefit from the reduced renunciation fee. They however still need to pay any applicable penalty charges separately.

Thanks. But how do I know if they are applicable? As I have not used by Indian passport since becoming a British Citizen, would I still have to pay them? It seems bit crazy for Indian embassy to expect all foreign citizens to be aware of their changing laws.

[ban.s]

india doesn't recognise dual citizenship and you should have got your passport cancelled soon after obtaining british citizenship. this is not a new rule. if your last passport was issued in the UK then there should be an endorsement stamp in this regard. unfortunately ignorance of law is normally not a ground for waiver/amnesty.

however issuance of formal surrender certificate is a relatively new process and hence there is a reduced fee for people that acquired foreign citizenship prior May/2010. there is also amnesty on penalty if the last held passport expired prior 2005.

you submit your renunciation application with VFS and then upon reviewing your documents HCI will advise applicable penalty charges.

[DollyG]

india doesn't recognise dual citizenship and you should have got your passport cancelled soon after obtaining british citizenship. this is not a new rule. if your last passport was issued in the UK then there should be an endorsement stamp in this regard. unfortunately ignorance of law is normally not a ground for waiver/amnesty.

however issuance of formal surrender certificate is a relatively new process and hence there is a reduced fee for people that acquired foreign citizenship prior May/2010. there is also amnesty on penalty if the last held passport expired prior 2005.

you submit your renunciation application with VFS and then upon reviewing your documents HCI will advise applicable penalty charges.

Thank you. My last Indian passport was issued in the US, and didn't expire until recently, so 2005 rule won't apply to me. Still, they can still tell from lack of stamps in the passport that it has not been used. But I suppose I will just have to pay whatever penalty to get it done, if there is one.

Do you know if I go to London to do this in person, would it be done on the same day?

[ban.s]

They normally endorse all overseas issued passports with the warning stamp.

It can't be done on the same day. VFS is a processing agency and they'll forward your application to Indian High Commission. If submitted in person at london, it normally takes 3-4 days.

[DollyG]

They normally endorse all overseas issued passports with the warning stamp.

It can't be done on the same day. VFS is a processing agency and they'll forward your application to Indian High Commission. If submitted in person at london, it normally takes 3-4 days.

so if you submit by post, how do you know what to pay? Or do you not pay with your application? But afterwards, when VFS come back to you? I looked on their website, and while there was a fee table, the application form didn't say anything about including fees.

[ban.s]

You need to pay the standard renunciation fee along with the application. Later once notified you need to pay penalty fees (if applicable) and then the surrender certificate will be issued.
If you contact VFS they'll advise if process is any different.

[DollyG]

You need to pay the standard renunciation fee along with the application. Later once notified you need to pay penalty fees (if applicable) and then the surrender certificate will be issued.
If you contact VFS they'll advise if process is any different.

Thank you so much for your help. Appreciate it.

[vivdubes]

Good luck with this...