A social media post that claims central government has removed the nationality column from the passport is being circulated across social media platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check veracity of the claim made in the post.
Claim: Central government has removed nationality column from the passport.
Fact: Government did not remove the nationality column form the passport. Applicants still have to mention the type of Indian citizenship one holds in the passport application form. Further, when the same claim went viral earlier, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that the government has not removed nationality column and is still maintained in the passport. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
There are no reports of government doing away with the nationality column in the passports of the citizens. Had the government taken any such decision, media would have reported it, however, we could not find any such reports.
Also there is no regulation or any notification in this regard on the passport seva portal. Applicants still have to mention the type of Indian citizenship one holds in the passport application form.
When the same claim went viral on social media back in 2021, Anurag Srivastava, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, speaking to India Today clarified that the government has not removed nationality column and is still maintained in the passport.
“It is absolutely incorrect. In all categories of travel documents issued by the government, the nationality column is maintained, and there has been no change in the same,” said Srivastava in a statement to India Today.
To sum it up, Indian government did not remove the nationality column from Indian passports.
