MHA issues first citizenship certificates under CAA, granting Indian citizenship to 14 individuals

Enacted in December 2019, the CAA aims to provide refuge and citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from neighboring countries who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday (May 15) announced the issuance of the first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), granting Indian citizenship to 14 individuals. 

This marks the commencement of the process to confer Indian nationality upon persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla personally handed over the certificates to the 14 recipients, whose applications were processed through a designated online portal. This move highlights the government's commitment to streamline and expedite the citizenship application process.

Enacted in December 2019, the CAA aims to provide refuge and citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from neighboring countries who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

The eligible groups include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians facing religious persecution in their home countries.

Despite receiving presidential assent shortly after its enactment, the rules governing the grant of Indian citizenship under the CAA were only formulated and issued by the MHA on March 11, 2023, after a delay of over four years. This delay had led to uncertainties among applicants and raised questions about the expeditious processing of citizenship requests.

With the issuance of the first set of citizenship certificates, the government signals its commitment to uphold the spirit of the CAA and provide a path to citizenship for those facing religious persecution in neighboring nations.