Passport is a travel document, not proof of citizenship: MEA

A passport is primarily a travel document and should not be treated as proof of citizenship, a senior external affairs ministry official said Wednesday at an event to highlight the expansion of passport services across the country on 14th Passport Seva Divas. The clarification came during a detailed briefing on India's rapidly expanding passport and mobility ecosystem, which highlighted major reforms aimed at making passports more accessible, secure and globally accepted while facilitating overseas employment and international travel for millions of Indians. Under Section 5 of the Passports Act, 1967, a passport authority may issue a passport only after considering the application and making such inquiry as it deems necessary, while Section 6(2)(a) expressly requires the authority to refuse a passport if the applicant is not a citizen of India.
India's passport service network has also witnessed dramatic growth. From a limited footprint a decade ago, the network now comprises 545 passport service centres across the country, representing a six-fold expansion. The government plans to open 20 additional Passport Seva Kendras this year, with the objective of ensuring that at least one passport facility is available in every Lok Sabha constituency by 2027.
Officials noted that the passport network now covers nearly every parliamentary constituency, with only around 30 districts yet to receive a dedicated centre. Special mobile passport teams have also been deployed to remote and difficult-to-access regions, while dedicated outreach camps conducted last year helped issue passports to nearly 300,000 people in underserved areas. Visa access for Indian passport holders has improved steadily, with 27 countries currently offering visa-free entry. An additional 47 countries provide visas on arrival, while 66 nations extend e-visa facilities to Indian travellers.
Under the Passports Act, passports are issued to Indian citizens for international travel. Applicants undergo police verification and scrutiny of multiple government records before the document is granted.The MEA’s latest clarification arguably pushes the debate further. If voter cards are not definitive proof of citizenship and passports too are not, citizens may reasonably ask which document carries that status.