MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a): As per information available, as on 31.12.2013, 32,039 Pakistan nationals, 54,150 Afghanistan nationals(including 10,340 persons claiming to be refugees) and 6886 Bangladesh nationals registered with the authority concerned were staying in India. As on 30.6.2014, 5264 Pakistan nationals, 514 Afghanistan nationals and 1356 Bangladesh nationals who had entered the country on valid travel documents were found to be overstaying.
(b): From the year 2011, online system of filing application for citizenship has been introduced. As per data available online, 2008 applications are pending at different stages of processing for grant of Indian citizenship. As regards Long Term Visa, as on 31.10.2014, 1048 applications for grant of Long Term Visa to Pakistan nationals were pending at different stages of processing in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
(c): During the period 2012 to 2014 (up to 31.10.2014), 911 Pakistan nationals, 409 Afghanistan nationals and 107 Bangladesh nationals were granted Indian citizenship. During the years 2013 and 2014 (up to 31.10.2014), 6332 Pakistan nationals were granted Long Term Visa.
(d): Government has set up a Task Force in September, 2014 headed by Joint Secretary (Foreigners) with a view to monitor and expedite the pending applications of LTV/ Citizenship. The Task Force would inter alia undertake the following activities:-
(i) Cases having complete documents and under process in the Ministry of Home Affairs will be expedited so that all processing is completed within two months.
(ii) For cases where reports from security agencies are awaited, a consolidated pending list will be sent to security agencies and the progress will be monitored regularly.
(iii) Cases pending due to deficiency in documents will be analyzed to enable decision to facilitate processing of such cases.
(iv) Where representations are received about specific pending cases with the State Governments, the Ministry of Home Affairs will follow up with the State Governments concerned. Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs may also be sent to coordinate with officials of the State Home Department and Foreigners Registration Officers (FRO) concerned.
Keeping in view the difficulties faced by some applicants who have entered India before 31.12.2009 and whose passports have either expired or lost, Government have issued instructions to State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations on 17.11.2014 granting the following relaxations in submitting their citizenship applications:-
(a) The eligible applicants who are facing difficulty in applying in online system can submit their application through offline.
(b) Children of minority community who entered India on the basis of their parents passport and children of minority community born in India can apply without passport for grant of Indian citizenship after regularization of stay in India. They have to register with the FRO of the concerned district for regularization of stay.
(c) If an applicant files an affidavit before the authority prescribed under Rule 38 of the Citizenship Rules 2009, the affidavit may be considered in lieu of Renunciation Certificate.
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