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Indian Passport Surrender - Beyond 3 years

forevermore76

Hero Member
May 19, 2024
200
57
Just reposting this in case someone with similar experience would like to share how they navigated.

Here's my situation.

2006 - Indian Passport was issued with 10 year validity.
2011 - Acquired first foreign citizenship.
2016 - Indian Passport renewed for 10 year validity from India.
2020 - Acquired second foreign citizenship.

It's been 13 years since 1st foreign citizenship and almost 4 years since 2nd foreign citizenship. The information Indian immigration has provided on their website revolves around a 3 year timeline but nothing past that.

I've used Indian passport once for traveling since 2006(one trip to India in 2016) and have renewed it once between 2006 till now. The current passport expires in 2026. I would like to surrender and be done once and for all but surely it sounds like opening a can of worms.

I have no idea how much financial penalty they will try to impose as there are no clear rules to deal with this situation. Also, if I just traveled to India in 2026 and renewed the passport I would probably be good for another 10 years but if caught, they will probably try to charge me criminally and detain me in India. Honestly don't know if I'll ever travel to India again but I would like to keep the possibility open.

TLDR: Please share your experience surrendering an Indian Passport beyond 3 year standard surrender window.
 

abbas.pasha

VIP Member
Sep 17, 2016
3,505
1,976
Just reposting this in case someone with similar experience would like to share how they navigated.

Here's my situation.

2006 - Indian Passport was issued with 10 year validity.
2011 - Acquired first foreign citizenship.
2016 - Indian Passport renewed for 10 year validity from India.
2020 - Acquired second foreign citizenship.

It's been 13 years since 1st foreign citizenship and almost 4 years since 2nd foreign citizenship. The information Indian immigration has provided on their website revolves around a 3 year timeline but nothing past that.

I've used Indian passport once for traveling since 2006(one trip to India in 2016) and have renewed it once between 2006 till now. The current passport expires in 2026. I would like to surrender and be done once and for all but surely it sounds like opening a can of worms.

I have no idea how much financial penalty they will try to impose as there are no clear rules to deal with this situation. Also, if I just traveled to India in 2026 and renewed the passport I would probably be good for another 10 years but if caught, they will probably try to charge me criminally and detain me in India. Honestly don't know if I'll ever travel to India again but I would like to keep the possibility open.

TLDR: Please share your experience surrendering an Indian Passport beyond 3 year standard surrender window.
That's interesting that you renewed the Indian passport in 2016 even after acquiring foreign citizenship in 2011.
Better to contact the HCI Ottawa or CGI Toronto or Vancouver in this case depending where you are residing