CAA web portal launched: Heres how to apply for Indian Citizenship online

After implementing rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019, on Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs today launched an online portal for people eligible to apply for Indian citizenship under the same act. This online portal eliminates the initial requirement to visit government facilities physically, and instead, lets people apply for CAA 2019 from anywhere using their smartphone and internet.

This move facilitates the government’s Digital India programme and also makes the process convenient for the people. The Citizenship Amendment Act 2019, lets minority communities persecuted from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh apply for Indian citizenship. Minority communities include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Jains, and Christians.

As per the act, these people from the aforesaid minority communities who fled the mentioned countries and sought shelter in India before December 31, 2014, will be eligible to apply for Indian citizenship.

Now, thanks to the new CAA web portal, the process for applying for Indian citizenship has eased. Let’s see how to apply for Indian citizenship using the government’s ‘Indian Citizenship Online Portal‘.

How to apply for Indian Citizenship via CAA website

Step 1: Open the Indian Citizenship Online Portal by clicking on the link, or copy and paste the following link – https://indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in/ – in the browser. The portal may take some time to load.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap on the dialog box that says ‘Click to Submit Application for Indian Citizenship Under CAA, 2019’.

Step 3: Enter your Email or Mobile number and captcha.

Step 4: Now, enter your name, Mobile number, or Email (depending on the one you didn’t enter earlier), and captcha.

Step 5: You should now receive an OTP on both email and mobile number. Enter both in the pop-up box. Also, enter the Captcha and tap on Verify OTP.

Step 6: You will now have to answer some questions. Once down, you will get a form to fill out, where you would have to enter your details and also attach photographs. That said, be ready with all the required material.

Step 7: Lastly, pay the online application fee of Rs 50 and print out the form.

That’s the online process. Once done, you should be notified of an appointment with a designated officer to verify the details. You will have to carry the printout of the form to the district magistrate or district collector of the area. If the applicant resides out of India, he/she can submit a copy to the Consular General of India.

Upon submission, your documents will then be sent to the state government within 60 days, followed by the central government. The status of your application will be notified to you on your phone and email.