Reg Indian Citizen

[sathes]

Hi, my son born in USA last month. We are planning to get US citizenship now . Is it possible to take Indian citizenship later . If sowhat is the procedure.

[cool_r2i]

Hi, my son born in USA last month. We are planning to get US citizenship now . Is it possible to take Indian citizenship later . If sowhat is the procedure.

You can get Indian passport by applying at the Indian Consulate in US if you apply before your son is 1 year old. But, there are issues for traveling between India and US. Please see the link below for the disussion.

http://www.immihelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16288&highlight=tamtom

But, if you are getting US passport now, then you also need to get a PIO card now and after he turns 18, he can apply for Indian citizenship provided he has stayed continuously for 7 years before applying.

I am assuming that you are an Indian citizen.

[tamtom]

Hi, my son born in USA last month. We are planning to get US citizenship now . Is it possible to take Indian citizenship later . If sowhat is the procedure.

If you get the child a US passport, it becomes difficult for the child to get Indian citizenship for the rest of childhood. The cause of the difficulty is the US doesn't allow young children to renounce US citizenship.

At 18, the child could get Indian citizenship after renouncing US citizenship. If one parent has been an Indian citizen, the residency requirement is one year (not 7 years as mentioned by cool_r2i).

If you want the child to have Indian citizenship during childhood, it's easier if you start with the Indian passport instead of the US one. The US still considers the child a US citizen in this case.

But as cool_r2i rightly points out, it's hard to hang onto the child's Indian passport if the family needs to make many trips between the US and India. That's because the US expects the child to have a US passport for that, and then India would cancel the child's Indian one.

It is a good idea for you to read the other thread referenced by cool_r2i below. Also you can email or private message me via this forum if you have further questions.

Hope this helps,

Tamtom

[cool_r2i]

At 18, the child could get Indian citizenship after renouncing US citizenship. If one parent has been an Indian citizen, the residency requirement is one year (not 7 years as mentioned by cool_r2i).
Tamtom

Tamtom,
Thanks for correcting. I was under the impression that the 7 year rule holds good for everyone. Is this info on the consulate website? I don't know if I missed it.

[tamtom]

Tamtom,
Thanks for correcting. I was under the impression that the 7 year rule holds good for everyone. Is this info on the consulate website? I don't know if I missed it.

cool_r2i,

It is on the website of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.

Hope this helps,

Tamtom

[cool_r2i]

cool_r2i,

It is on the website of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.

Hope this helps,

Tamtom

Tamtom,

Yes, it helps. I believe you are referring to http://mha.nic.in/citi.htm Right?

[tamtom]

Yes, it helps. I believe you are referring to http://mha.nic.in/citi.htm Right?

Right.

--Tamtom