Centre launches web portal for citizenship seekers; app soon

New Delhi, March 12

A day after notifying the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, the Centre on Tuesday launched a web portal to facilitate the process of applying for Indian citizenship by refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

In a post on X, the Home Ministry said a mobile app, CAA-2019, would also be launched soon.

“The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, under the CAA have been notified. A new portal has been launched and persons eligible under the CAA can apply for citizenship at indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in. Mobile app ‘CAA-2019’ will also be launched shortly,” the Home Ministry posted.

On March 11, the Centre had notified rules for implementing the CAA, just days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.

The web portal provides eligible applicants — persecuted refugees of six communities (Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis) who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — to apply for Indian citizenship.

Under the law, those who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, can apply for citizenship.