Devyani Khobragade’s kids eligible for dual citizenship: Ministry of Home Affairs

NEW DELHI: Two months after media reports said diplomat Devyani Khobragade is under government scanner because her two daughters had both Indian and American passports, home ministry documents show that children are eligible for dual citizenship.
“With the approval of competent authority, it is clarified that there is no compelling reason to guard against a minor child having dual citizenship,” says a home ministry document on ‘Grant of Indian Citizenship to Minor Children under Section 4 (1) of Citizenship Act, 1955’.

“It is a conscious provision of law given to a minor so that he/she can decide within six months of completing 18 years of age as to whether he/she prefers Indian citizenship.

If a person does not renounce foreign citizenship or nationality of another country within six months of attaining full age, he/she shall cease to be a citizen of India,” says the 2011 document available with ET.

Khobragade’s daughters, aged four and seven, are now back in India along with their father Akash Singh Rathore, an American citizen.

Official sources told ET that Khobragade had approached foreign secretary Sujatha Singh on the issue based on this document after earlier reports indicted her. A family member of Khobragade told ET that this document affirmed that there was no wrongdoing on her part.