In August 2024, I got my German citizenship in Berlin. Germany allows dual citizenship and India does not. So I cannot hold dual citizenships and have to give up the Indian citizenship / passport. This guide will explain how I did as the official sources are somewhat contradictory.
Requirements
German citizenship
Printed copies of
Current city registration (Anmeldung)
German Passport
German Naturalisation certificate (Einbürgerungsurkunde)
Indian passport(s)
Form XXII including a section where another Indian citizen (non family member) confirms that your data is accurate. This form is automatically generated after you fill your application form.
Indian passport (expired or valid one)
Fees of 90€ to be paid in cash at the embassy
A copy of a witness' passport - this might be requested, it is better to be on the safe side and bing a copy of the passport whose information you included in your form XXII earlier
Application form
This is the application form for renunciation you need to fill. Initiate a new application and whenever you want to save your application, you must click the "Submit" button with the access code entered. When you save, you get your MHA file number (copy this!). Fill the application like it is mentioned on your Indian passport.
If you press on "Next" button instead, it does not save your application!
Some of the things that I found confusing:
The Circumstances in which or reasons due to which applicant intends to acquire foreign citizenship and renounce Indian citizenship
I mentioned I acquired German citizenshipWhere you would like to submit your declaration of renunciation of citizenship form (Form XXII):
Applying from abroadAt the end of the application, you get the option to pay online. I did not and all of the people who showed up at the embassy paid 90€ in cash.
Form XXII
Once you fill out the application form, you get a MHA file number. Along with this, you can also download the Form XXII which is your declaration of renunciation of citizenship form. This form is auto filled with the data you already included.
There are three signature fields on the form:
1st one is where you sign. This is just before "Made and subscribed this" .... "on day of" .... 20 .... before me.
For 03.09.2024, you would write 03 / September / 24 on the fields above.2nd signature has a * before it and designation following it. Leave it empty.
3rd signature is to be signed by another Indian citizen who is not your family member. Find a friend, a colleague or anyone who you know. They need to sign with date, their name (in capital letters) and their current postal address in Germany. They do not need to come to the Indian embassy with you.
Indian embassy visit
Similar to my experience with renewing Indian passport in Germany, visit the Indian embassy in Tiergarten between 09:30 and 12:30 on working days. Go to the entrance, enter your ID details at the security gate, take a right to go inside the building & then upstairs. There is no waiting number or token system (even though there is a machine there).
There are usually 2 queues formed up there.
To the left is for passport renewal, visa, etc. This is also where you pay your cash at the end.
To the right is renunciation or surrendering your Indian passport.
I went to the queue on the right side. Update: A reader reached out via email saying in December 2024, you should go to the queue on the left.
Hand over your current Indian passport(s) and your copies of documents to the officer who will verify if everything is in order. If yes, they tell you to wait until someone (from the other counter) calls you to pay 90€ in cash. You get a receipt for this. Alternatively, you can also queue up for the queue on the left.
For me, they told me that the current processing time is up to 3 months and that I will receive an email to come pick up the certificate between 16:00 and 17:00 on working days. Only after I get this document, I can then apply for a OCI permit (Overseas Citizen of India). They told me that I can track my application status using this link. I also applied for an e-visa for India.
Renunciation timeline
Surrendered the passport at the Embassy on 07.09.2024 - I was told it would be 3 months of processing
Received an email confirmation on 27.12.2024 that my surrender application has been approved.
Your declaration of renunciation of Indian citizenship under Section 8 of the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 bearing MHA file no. 202400XXXXXX has been accepted and registered by the Competent Authority. The dule signed Renunciation Certificate (RC) will be sent to you by post in due course of time.
Indian Passports that I renounced
