MHA to Launch Helpline for CAA-2019 Applicants, Unveils Mobile App and Online Portal. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced plans on Wednesday to introduce helpline numbers to aid individuals applying for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA-2019). The MHA stated that these helpline services would provide free-of-cost assistance, offering information related to CAA-2019. Operating hours for the helpline will be from 8 am to 8 pm, ensuring accessibility across India.
Additionally, the MHA recently issued CAA Rules, 2024, eliminating legal obstacles to the rehabilitation and citizenship of eligible individuals, particularly refugees who have endured prolonged suffering. This move aims to provide a dignified life to those who have faced persecution.
Furthermore, the MHA has launched a web portal where eligible non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, fleeing religious persecution, can apply for Indian citizenship. Alongside this portal, a mobile app named ‘CAA-2019’ is set to be released soon, simplifying the application process for applicants.
The newly introduced rules allow persecuted individuals from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, belonging to six minority communities – Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians – who sought refuge in India before December 31, 2014, to apply for Indian citizenship. The online application process, facilitated through the “Indian Citizenship Online Portal,” requires applicants to upload all necessary documents and photographs. Applications will undergo scrutiny by security agencies before being processed.
Applicants must furnish a variety of documents, including those issued by government authorities in their respective countries of origin, to substantiate their eligibility for citizenship. An “eligibility certificate” from a locally reputed community institution confirming the applicant’s religious affiliation is also required.
Moreover, the online application system offers various categories under which individuals can apply for Indian citizenship, catering to different circumstances such as marriage to an Indian citizen, parentage, or residency in India.
Documents accepted for citizenship application under CAA include passports, birth certificates, educational certificates, identity documents, and residential permits issued by relevant authorities. It’s emphasized that documents establishing the applicant’s origin from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan, regardless of validity period, are considered valid for the citizenship process.
Applicants must also demonstrate their entry into India before the cut-off date of December 31, 2014, as per the CAA regulations.