New Delhi : Indian missions abroad will soon circulate a simplified one-page form to facilitate trouble-free grant of dual citizenship to qualifying members of its 25-million diaspora in 110 countries, a top official has said. “We will soon have a one page form for applicants that has been vastly simplified,” said S. Krishna Kumar, secretary in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. “The necessary clearances and notifications for the simplified form are being secured from sections of the government and they will be made available at Indian missions overseas in a couple of months,” Kumar said.

“We have not abandoned the grant of dual citizenship at all,” Kumar clarified, when asked if the process has been temporarily put on hold for a decision to be taken on the new form.

“Since we now have much better procedure to be followed, the Union Home Ministry wants that all applications be filed according to the new form so that there is uniformity in processing of requests.”

Kumar said some changes were also required in the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2003, following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to grant dual citizenship to anyone who has migrated from India after Jan 26, 1950.