I was born in Bangladesh.But now i am not a Bangladeshi citizen.10 years before I took Canadian Citizenship.?

Question

Now I am Canadian citizen.My grand parents(maternal) are Indian.My mother is also a Canadian Citizen(not Bangladehi).My Spouse is an Indian Citzen.Held an Indian Passport.Could I apply for Indian Person of Origin Card? My daughter was born in canada,can she also apply for the above card?
Ajoy Chakraborty

Answer 1

What has to be seen whether you are eligible for this Person of Indian Origin card or not? WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Any person:

Who at any time held an Indian Passport; or

he/she or either of his/her parents or grand parents or great grand parents was born in an permanently resident in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 and other territories that became part of India thereafter provided neither was at any time a citizen of any country as may be specified by Central Government from time to time; or

Who is a spouse of a citizen of India or a Person of Indian Origin as mentioned above.

The scheme is broad-based, covers up to four generations and also the foreign spouse of a citizen of India or a PIO

As per the eligibility requirements as mentioned above I feel you are eligible for this PIO card & although "Person of Indian Origin" means a foreign citizen [not being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries as may be specified by the central government from time to time] but since you are spouse of an Indian Citizen on this basis itself you can apply, (further you are no more Bangladeshi any more but Canadian Citizen now) & get this privilege.

Answer 2

I thought India does not allow dual citizenship? I was right.

You are NOT entitled to Indian citizenship unless one of your parents was born in India and has Indian citizenship. Your grandparents do not count.

And you cannot apply for an IPO if you were ever a citizen of Bangladesh or Pakistan (former territories of India, and now sort of enemies to India).

see below for details. (taken from wikipedia)

Overseas citizenship of India
There now exists a provision for a new form of Indian nationality, the holders of which are to be known as Overseas Citizens of India. The Constitution of India does NOT permit dual citizenship or dual nationality, except for minors where the second nationality was involuntarily acquired. Indian authorities have interpreted the law to mean a person can't have a second country's passport simultaneously with an Indian one — even in the case of a child who is claimed by another country as a citizen of that country, and who may be required by the laws of the other country to use one of its passports for foreign travel (e.g., a child born in the United States to Indian parents) — and the Indian courts have given the executive branch wide discretion over this matter.

Therefore, Overseas Citizenship of India is not a full citizenship of India and thus, does not amount to dual citizenship or dual nationality.

The Central Government may, on application, register any person as an Overseas Citizen of India if that Person is of Indian Origin and is from a country which allows dual citizenship in some form or the other. Broadly speaking, a "Person of Indian Origin" is a citizen of another country who:

was a citizen of India on 26 January 1950 or at any time thereafter; or
was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26 January 1950; or
belonged to a territory that became part of India after the 15th day of August, 1947; or
is the child or grand-child of a person described above; and
has never been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh.


More info here from the US embassy.

The Indian government recently launched a program called "Overseas Citizens of India" or "OCI". This program often has been mischaracterized as "dual nationality" or "dual citizenship." However, a person who holds an OCI Card in reality is granted an Indian visa, NOT Indian citizenship. Thus, an American citizen who obtains OCI status remains a citizen only of the United States. The OCI Card is a special visa which grants the holder the right to indefinitely visit, study or work in India, and also the right to own most types of property in India (excluding certain agricultural and plantation properties). A holder of an OCI card also need not register with local police/immigration authorities, unlike other holders of Indian visas. An OCI holder, however, does NOT receive an Indian passport, and has no other political rights in India, including the right to vote or eligibility for government employment.

The OCI card is similar to a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card, except that PIO cards are not granted for life, and PIO Card holders may be required to register with police/immigration authorities under certain circumstances.

Answer 3

I am doubtful . However, since you have been married to an Indian(never mind if he is a Canadian now) you can apply for Indian citizenship. Sonia Gandhi is a citizen of India even if she is an original Italian.Leave aside the political propaganda we Indians consider her as one of us after her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi.Again now a days GOI is extending simultaneous citizenship to NRIs.

You are our 'bahoo'. You are welcome to your home.

Answer 4

Please do Canada a favor and go back to Bangladesh.