there is a good news for goans those who have registered their births in Portugal after 1961and also for those who hold Portuguese passports as the central government had maintained status on the issues being raised on Portuguese citizenship and has stated that every one would be treated as Indian citizen till the final decision is taken by the central government itill the time the of the report that is submitted by the three member committee …
It may be noted that that a three member high level committee appointed to deliberate on Goa’s dual citizenship issue, and headed by additional secretary (home) B K Prasad had made certain recommendations to the ministry of home affairs such as Goans born before Goa was liberated on December 19, 1961, and who
registered their births in Portugal after 1961, would not be considered Portuguese nationals as well as goans who hold Portuguese passports will not be considered Indian citizens
Sources from the office of NRI commission of Goa had stated that if such recommendations were accepted then ministry of home affairs would have to amend the Indian Citizenship Act or issue a clarification notification so that those Goans who have registered their births in Lisbon, Portugal, do not lose their Indian citizenship.
The recommendations had come about after the committee held a series of meetings in March this year with lawyers in Goa well-versed with Portuguese law, defence minister Manohar Parrikar, NRI commissioner Wilfred Mesquita and South Goa MP Narendra Savoikar.
Speaking exclusively to goanreporter from delhi over the Portuguese nationality issue south goa mp adv narendra sawaikar said that he had been following up the issue continuously and the committee constituted was about to submit its report in the last week of this or the next month and then the central government would take an appropriate decision in the matter
One of the suggestions received during the meetings was also that Goans who have registered their births in Portugal should be allowed to issue a declaration stating that they are Indian citizens and that they registered their births in Portugal for the better future of their children.
The dual citizenship issue has seen several FIRs filed against persons, including politicians, police personnel, etc.
Children of those born before Goa’s liberation and with their births registered in Portugal are also eligible to register their births in Portugal and to obtain citizenship or a ‘bilhete de identidade’ considered as good as citizenship.
Government statistics show around 40,000 Goans have registered their births in Portugal, but, do not have a Portuguese passport or a ‘bilhete de identidade’.
Adv sawaikar also stated that it was now left to the home ministry either to amend the citizenship act or to and protect the status of the concerned person who name has been registered in portugal as the same had not been done intentionally but done as there was a law in place
