# India Citizenship Requirements

India's ordinary naturalisation qualifications separate the immediately preceding year from a longer residence or government-service history, with statutory exceptions.

Scope: Ordinary Section 6 naturalisation for a person of full age and capacity who is not an illegal migrant; special CAA and registration routes are excluded.

Jurisdiction: Indian citizenship. Sources reviewed 2026-09-17; review due 2026-12-16.

General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying.

## Immediately preceding period

Residence in India or service of a government in India throughout the preceding 12 months, or a combination; special circumstances can permit limited relaxation.

Evidence: conditional. [India Ministry of Home Affairs: Citizenship Act 1955 — consolidated text](https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/Documents/UserGuide/Citizenship_Act_1955_16042019.pdf). Source location: Third Schedule (c), PDF page 17.

## Earlier qualifying history

At least 11 years of residence or qualifying government service in the 14 years before that final 12-month period, subject to statutory exceptions.

Evidence: conditional. [India Ministry of Home Affairs: Citizenship Act 1955 — consolidated text](https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/Documents/UserGuide/Citizenship_Act_1955_16042019.pdf). Source location: Third Schedule (d), PDF page 17.

## Language

Adequate knowledge of a language in the Constitution's Eighth Schedule is required. The Act does not express this as a CEFR level.

Evidence: documented. [India Ministry of Home Affairs: Citizenship Act 1955 — consolidated text](https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/Documents/UserGuide/Citizenship_Act_1955_16042019.pdf). Source location: Third Schedule (f), PDF page 17.

## Other qualifications

Good character, qualifying future residence/service intentions and the other Schedule conditions apply. A certificate and oath are needed; qualifying time alone does not confer citizenship.

Evidence: conditional. [India Ministry of Home Affairs: Citizenship Act 1955 — consolidated text](https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/Documents/UserGuide/Citizenship_Act_1955_16042019.pdf). Source location: Section 6; Third Schedule (a), (e), (g).

## Renunciation procedure

This pilot does not establish the current document-level renunciation procedure. Do not treat this route as permission to keep another citizenship or an OCI card as Indian citizenship.

Evidence: not established. [India Ministry of Home Affairs: Citizenship Act 1955 — consolidated text](https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/Documents/UserGuide/Citizenship_Act_1955_16042019.pdf). Source location: Sections 6, 7A–7B and 9; Third Schedule.

## Scope and limitations

- The ordinary route is not a universal 12-year countdown. Registration, OCI-related eligibility, CAA and distinguished-service waivers require their own legal and procedural checks.

## Explore this passport

- [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/india)

- [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/IN)
- [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries)

[Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/india/citizenship)