MARGAO: In a significant policy shift affecting former Indian nationals from Goa, Daman and Diu who hold Portuguese passports, the Government of India has amended documentation norms to ease procedures linked to visas, exit permits and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) registration.
The changes follow intervention by Commissioner for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Affairs, Narendra Sawaikar, which prompted a review of provisions under a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) circular.
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According to an official communication (No. VII/239/02/2026) dated April 20, 2026, issued by Dr Binoy George, Joint Secretary (CPV), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the MHA has amended provisions of its Circular No. 592 dated June 11, 2024.
The amendment simplifies documentation requirements for individuals who have acquired Portuguese nationality under Portuguese law.
Under the revised framework, the earlier requirement of a “Passport Surrender Certificate” issued by Regional Passport Offices has been replaced with a more flexible provision. Authorities will now accept a “revocation order” issued by Indian Missions or Posts abroad as valid documentation.
Sources indicated that an earlier version of the circular did not adequately account for revocation orders issued by Indian Missions and Posts abroad, leading to practical difficulties for applicants. In several cases, these documents were not being accepted as valid proof in place of a Passport Surrender Certificate, creating procedural hurdles, particularly for those based overseas.
This gap had affected processing of applications for visas, exit permits and OCI registration, especially among individuals from the erstwhile Portuguese territories of Goa, Daman and Diu.
With the revised guidelines, applicants can now submit revocation orders issued by Indian diplomatic missions abroad when applying for these services, streamlining procedures and reducing delays.
Sources indicated that the intervention by the Goa NRI Commissioner played a key role in highlighting these difficulties, leading to a policy-level review at the Centre.
Officials further confirmed that the updated provisions have been communicated to Indian Missions and Posts worldwide for immediate implementation.
The development is expected to bring relief to a large number of affected individuals, particularly within the Goan diaspora in countries such as the United Kingdom, where many former Indian nationals have taken up Portuguese citizenship.
Goans for Goa hails MHA circular
Goans for Goa (GFG) welcomed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for issuing a fresh circular reviewing existing rules to allow a “revocation certificate/order” as valid documentation for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) applications.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the organisation said the latest amendment replaces the earlier requirement of a “Passport Surrender Certificate” issued by Regional Passport Offices with a more flexible provision accepting revocation orders issued by Indian Missions or Posts abroad.
GFG president Kennedy Afonso said the move follows the group’s sustained efforts to address difficulties faced by applicants affected by passport revocation. “We took up this issue both on the ground and in the High Court of Goa to secure relief for many Goans who were unable to apply for OCI cards due to passport revocation,” he said.
The group recalled that the High Court subsequently ruled that a revoked passport certificate would be valid for processing OCI applications, providing relief to affected applicants.
However, GFG pointed out that despite the court order being implemented in several Indian Missions, the Indian Mission in the United Kingdom had not processed OCI applications based on revoked passport certificates over the past two years. According to the group, the mission cited a lack of clarity in the High Court order.
“This affected many Goans in the UK, who approached us to take up the matter with the authorities,” Afonso said.
GFG said it raised the issue with Commissioner for Non-Resident Indian Affairs, Narendra Sawaikar, and followed up through the NRI Commissioner’s office.
“With this fresh circular, we hope the issue will finally be resolved and OCI applications in the UK will be processed without further hurdles,” Afonso added.
The organisation also thanked the NRI Commissioner and his office for their intervention and for taking up the matter with the Union Home Ministry to address what it described as a long-pending issue.
