BMS Urges Centre to Clarify Passport Status Amid Growing Concerns of Overseas Indians

• BMS Warns Millions of Overseas Indian Workers Could Face Practical Difficulties

• “Passport Should Remain the Primary Citizenship Document Until an Alternative Is Available” – Badal Maharana

• “Government Must Ensure Overseas Indians Are Free from Mental Stress and Uncertainty” – Badal Maharana

• BMS Demands a Permanent Indian Citizenship Identity Card for Indians Going Abroad

• Lakhs of Workers from Odisha, Including Kendrapara and Ganjam, May Be Affected

• BMS Says Clear Policy Will Protect India’s Global Credibility and Overseas Citizens

Hemant Kumar Tiwari, Bhubaneswar.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), India’s largest trade union, has urged the Central Government to immediately clarify the status of Indian passports for overseas citizens and workers following the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement that a passport is only a travel document and not proof of citizenship. The appeal comes amid growing concerns among Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and migrant workers, many of whom fear the statement could create practical difficulties during immigration and official procedures in foreign countries.

Several overseas Indians have contacted Indo Asian Times, stating that immigration authorities in some countries have begun questioning how Indian citizenship can be established if the Government of India itself says that a passport is not proof of citizenship. They fear that the ambiguity may lead to additional documentation requirements, delays and unnecessary hardships for Indians living and working abroad.

Reacting to the issue, BMS Odisha State President Badal Maharana said the Government should officially clarify that, until a permanent and universally accepted proof of Indian citizenship is introduced, the Indian passport should continue to be treated as the primary document establishing Indian citizenship for all practical purposes abroad. He said such a clarification is essential to protect the interests of millions of overseas Indians.

Maharana pointed out that Odisha, along with several other states, sends a large number of workers, skilled professionals, engineers, healthcare personnel and technical experts overseas every year. Districts such as Kendrapara, Ganjam and several other parts of Odisha have lakhs of people employed in Gulf countries and other regions across the world. Any uncertainty regarding the status of passports, he said, could create avoidable complications during immigration checks, employment verification, banking services and other official formalities.

He further urged the Centre to reconsider its position and issue an immediate clarification until an alternative citizenship document is made available. According to BMS, such a step would not only safeguard the interests of overseas Indians but also strengthen India’s credibility before foreign governments and immigration authorities while ensuring that citizens travelling abroad for employment, education and business do not face unnecessary difficulties.

Badal Maharana further said that the Government should formulate a comprehensive mechanism to provide a convenient and universally acceptable Indian Citizenship Identity Card or an equivalent permanent proof of citizenship for all Indians travelling abroad for employment, business, research or higher education. He said such a system would eliminate ambiguity and ensure that Indian citizens do not face avoidable difficulties while dealing with immigration authorities and foreign institutions.

 

He emphasized that it is the Government’s responsibility to ensure that every Indian citizen who has legally travelled overseas on a valid visa remains free from unnecessary mental stress and uncertainty. According to him, a clear and reliable citizenship identification mechanism would not only protect the rights of overseas Indians but also strengthen confidence in India’s documentation system across the world.

About Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)

Founded on 23 July 1955 by Dattopant Thengadi, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is widely regarded as India’s largest trade union. It has an extensive organizational network across almost all states and Union Territories and represents workers from both the organised and unorganised sectors. BMS is committed to safeguarding the economic, social and professional interests of workers while promoting harmonious industrial relations based on the principles of national development, social justice and workers’ welfare.

 

The organisation represents employees and workers from a broad spectrum of sectors, including manufacturing, public sector enterprises, transport, mining, steel, power, banking, insurance, postal services, telecommunications, education, healthcare, agriculture, construction, ports, information technology and other service industries. BMS regularly engages with governments and policy-making bodies on issues such as labour laws, social security, fair wages, employment generation, skill development, occupational safety, labour reforms and the welfare of migrant and overseas workers. It plays a significant role in India’s labour movement and actively participates in national-level consultations on labour and employment policies.