More Than 20 Lakh Indians Have Given Up Citizenship Since 2011. Here’s Why
Nidhi | Dec 18, 2025, 15:42 IST
Citizenship
Image credit : Ai
More than 20 lakh Indians have renounced their citizenship since 2011, with numbers surging after the Covid-19 pandemic. Parliamentary data shows a sharp rise from 2022, crossing two lakh exits annually. From lack of dual citizenship to global mobility and wealth migration, this explainer breaks down why Indians are increasingly giving up their passports.
For anyone leaving home for greener pastures, migration is rarely an easy decision. But giving up one’s country for good is an even heavier choice. Yet, that is precisely what a growing number of Indians are doing. Between 2011 and 2024, more than 20 lakh Indians renounced their citizenship, according to data presented in Parliament. What stands out is not just the scale, but the timing. Nearly half of these renunciations happened in the last five years, with annual numbers crossing two lakh consistently since 2022.
This trend marks a significant shift in India’s long-standing migration story and raises deeper questions about mobility, citizenship laws, economic aspirations, and the evolving global Indian identity.
Data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) during the Winter Session of Parliament shows that 2.06 million Indians gave up citizenship between 2011 and 2024. For nearly a decade within this period, the annual number of Indians renouncing citizenship remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 1.2 lakh and 1.45 lakh per year.
That pattern changed after the Covid-19 pandemic.
From 2022 onwards, the number jumped to over two lakh renunciations every year, a sharp rise compared to historical averages. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, close to nine lakh Indians surrendered their Indian passports.
Interestingly, the year 2020 saw a temporary dip, with renunciations falling to around 85,000, largely because consulates were closed, travel was restricted, and immigration processes across the world were frozen. Once borders reopened and administrative backlogs cleared, the numbers surged.
Responding to questions in the Lok Sabha, the MEA stated that the reasons for renunciation are “personal and known only to the individual”, adding that many Indians take up foreign citizenship “for reasons of personal convenience”.
The ministry also acknowledged that India “recognises the potential of the global workplace in an era of the knowledge economy”, indicating official recognition of increased global mobility among Indian professionals and families.
However, beyond official statements, the data points to structural and legal factors that leave many Indians with limited choices.
One of the most significant reasons behind the steady rise in citizenship renunciations is India’s strict prohibition on dual citizenship.
Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, any Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country automatically ceases to be an Indian citizen. This rule has remained unchanged since Independence.
In contrast, most developed countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia allow dual citizenship, enabling migrants to retain their original nationality while gaining full civic rights in their adopted country.
For Indians who have lived abroad for years, foreign citizenship is often not a matter of preference, but a requirement.
Citizenship in many countries determines access to:
India offers Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status as a middle ground. OCI holders enjoy visa-free travel to India and limited economic rights. However, OCI is not citizenship.
OCI holders cannot vote, contest elections, or hold constitutional offices. Their rights remain subject to government policy changes, and the status can be revoked.
For families settled abroad, especially those raising children outside India, foreign citizenship provides certainty that OCI status does not. As a result, many Indians renounce citizenship not because they want to, but because they must.
The pandemic proved to be a turning point.
Covid-19 disrupted global work patterns, accelerated remote employment, and forced families to reassess where they wanted to live long term. Immigration systems that had been stalled during lockdowns began clearing backlogs simultaneously across countries.
This created a clustering effect, where years of pending citizenship applications were finalised in a short span, especially between 2022 and 2024.
At the same time, countries such as Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe actively encouraged skilled migration to address labour shortages, offering faster pathways to permanent residency and citizenship.
India has experienced outward migration since colonial times, from indentured labourers under British rule to skilled professionals like doctors and engineers from the 1970s onward.
However, former media advisor to the Prime Minister, Sanjaya Baru, argues that India has entered a fourth phase of emigration.
In his book Secession of the Successful: The Flight Out of New India, Baru describes this phase as the migration of:
Unlike earlier waves driven by employment or education, this phase is marked by wealth protection, lifestyle stability, and long-term security planning.
Across platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, and diaspora forums, Indians frequently describe the emotional difficulty of renouncing citizenship. Many speak of giving up not just a passport, but an identity.
The Indian passport, for millions, symbolises cultural belonging, family ties, and a sense of home. The fact that renunciation numbers continue to rise despite this emotional cost suggests that structural realities often outweigh sentiment.
It is important to note that citizenship renunciation is not unique to India. Globalisation, mobility of capital, and international careers have increased passport changes worldwide.
However, India’s lack of dual citizenship makes the choice more absolute. Where migrants from many countries can accumulate passports, Indians must replace one identity with another.
The rise in Indians giving up citizenship does not point to a single cause. Instead, it reflects a convergence of factors:
As India continues to integrate with the global economy, this trend is likely to remain a subject of debate, policy discussion, and national introspection.
This trend marks a significant shift in India’s long-standing migration story and raises deeper questions about mobility, citizenship laws, economic aspirations, and the evolving global Indian identity.
A Long-Term Trend That Suddenly Accelerated
India
Image credit : Freepik
Data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) during the Winter Session of Parliament shows that 2.06 million Indians gave up citizenship between 2011 and 2024. For nearly a decade within this period, the annual number of Indians renouncing citizenship remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 1.2 lakh and 1.45 lakh per year.
That pattern changed after the Covid-19 pandemic.
From 2022 onwards, the number jumped to over two lakh renunciations every year, a sharp rise compared to historical averages. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, close to nine lakh Indians surrendered their Indian passports.
Interestingly, the year 2020 saw a temporary dip, with renunciations falling to around 85,000, largely because consulates were closed, travel was restricted, and immigration processes across the world were frozen. Once borders reopened and administrative backlogs cleared, the numbers surged.
What the Government Says
The ministry also acknowledged that India “recognises the potential of the global workplace in an era of the knowledge economy”, indicating official recognition of increased global mobility among Indian professionals and families.
However, beyond official statements, the data points to structural and legal factors that leave many Indians with limited choices.
India Does Not Allow Dual Citizenship
India
Image credit : Freepik
One of the most significant reasons behind the steady rise in citizenship renunciations is India’s strict prohibition on dual citizenship.
Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, any Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country automatically ceases to be an Indian citizen. This rule has remained unchanged since Independence.
In contrast, most developed countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia allow dual citizenship, enabling migrants to retain their original nationality while gaining full civic rights in their adopted country.
For Indians who have lived abroad for years, foreign citizenship is often not a matter of preference, but a requirement.
Citizenship in many countries determines access to:
- Voting rights
- Social security and public benefits
- Public-sector employment
- Unrestricted residence
- Long-term legal stability
OCI Is Not a Substitute for Citizenship
OCI holders cannot vote, contest elections, or hold constitutional offices. Their rights remain subject to government policy changes, and the status can be revoked.
For families settled abroad, especially those raising children outside India, foreign citizenship provides certainty that OCI status does not. As a result, many Indians renounce citizenship not because they want to, but because they must.
Post-Covid Realignment of Lives and Choices
Covid-19 disrupted global work patterns, accelerated remote employment, and forced families to reassess where they wanted to live long term. Immigration systems that had been stalled during lockdowns began clearing backlogs simultaneously across countries.
This created a clustering effect, where years of pending citizenship applications were finalised in a short span, especially between 2022 and 2024.
At the same time, countries such as Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe actively encouraged skilled migration to address labour shortages, offering faster pathways to permanent residency and citizenship.
From Brain Drain to Wealth Migration
Wealth
Image credit : Freepik
India has experienced outward migration since colonial times, from indentured labourers under British rule to skilled professionals like doctors and engineers from the 1970s onward.
However, former media advisor to the Prime Minister, Sanjaya Baru, argues that India has entered a fourth phase of emigration.
In his book Secession of the Successful: The Flight Out of New India, Baru describes this phase as the migration of:
- High net worth individuals
- The children of the wealthy
- Socially and politically influential elites
Unlike earlier waves driven by employment or education, this phase is marked by wealth protection, lifestyle stability, and long-term security planning.
Not Just Numbers, But Identity
The Indian passport, for millions, symbolises cultural belonging, family ties, and a sense of home. The fact that renunciation numbers continue to rise despite this emotional cost suggests that structural realities often outweigh sentiment.
A Global Phenomenon, Not Unique to India
However, India’s lack of dual citizenship makes the choice more absolute. Where migrants from many countries can accumulate passports, Indians must replace one identity with another.
What the Numbers Ultimately Reflect
- Legal restrictions on dual citizenship
- Post-pandemic migration acceleration
- Global demand for skilled and wealthy migrants
- Long-term settlement needs of Indian families abroad
As India continues to integrate with the global economy, this trend is likely to remain a subject of debate, policy discussion, and national introspection.