Why is US Passport required for Renunciation of Indian citizenship?

[NYCRambo]

I got naturalized in the US recently. When I tried Renunciating Indian citizenship online, VFS site is not accepting my application without US passport number. In due course I should get US passport which I thought is required only for travel outside the US.

So if I don’t intend to travel abroad and not ask for a US passport, ( I am 69 ), I cannot renunciate my Indian citizenship. Doe anyone know the rationale behind requiring US passport for renunciation of Indian citizenship ? Should the certificate of naturalization not be enough ?

[Liberty48]

Indian govt says you have to renunciate within a certain time, but that rule doesn't consider your situation (no plan to get a passport). The intent, I think, is you will want to establish your Indian origin for future travel or for your grandchildren to get OCI. To avoid fraud, they put these rules on time. Check the consulate website and contact them by email.

[NYCRambo]

Thank you, Liberty48, your explanation is logical.

Can anyone help me with email id of VFS customer support ? I couldn’t locate it on their site.

Thanks

[Liberty48]

I guess the consulate for your region is NY

[NYCRambo]

[QUOTE=Liberty48;n802915]I guess the consulate for your region is NY. /QUOTE]

Thank you for the help. Actually I reside in Denver, CO.
I managed to contact the Houston consulate by email today, and
I got a reply from them too.

The Houston consulate address is :
[email protected]

I wish I had applied for citizenship earlier. I came to US in Jan 2000
on H1-B visa, and got my green card (E37 category) in July 2004.
I didn’t bother to apply for citizenship till April this year.

I need to visit India now to care for my old mother and I realized that
traveling on green card might be an issue if I need to stay for longer
period in India depending on my mother’s health / prognosis.

I have applied recently for US passport on expedited basis.

Houston consulate said that if I have plans to apply for OCI,
then I have to first apply for renunciation separately and then
follow up with OCI application. However if I need only a visitor’s
visa to India, and not OCI, then I can apply for visa and renunciation
together.

Thanks

[apurvapatel]

NYCRambo Liberty48
So the only solution is to have the US passport within 90 days and apply for renunciation or get fined?