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Being an Indian citizen is a matter of immense pride. And the backbone of this pride is the citizenship act, 1955, which lays down the definition of citizenship in an Indian context and tells us how one can become a citizen through several different options. These methods are aimed towards providing the people of the nation with a sense of identity and opening up our citizenship to any foreign national who has approached the government through proper channels.
Becoming a citizen of India:
The citizenship act 1955 lays down the various methods that one can adopt or through which one becomes eligible for Indian citizenship. There are a number of ways that ensure that no person who is naturally deserving of the citizenship of the country is left out of the country.
In the following lines, we will talk briefly about the various options that you have at your disposal to ascertain your claim as a member of this nation. You can pick one to apply for citizenship, or you can get to know by which precedent you are a member of the nation.
By Birth:
The concept of national citizenship by virtue of birth is probably the oldest and still in practice. It lays the foundation of citizenship, as we have come to know it. All the other methods of securing citizenship have come after it. If you are born in India, regardless of the nature of your registration in the country, you are bestowed upon Indian citizenship.
The citizenship act 1955 lays down provisions for any person born in India to be deemed an Indian citizen. Any child, regardless of the nature of the origin of their parents, will be bestowed upon Indian citizenship if they are born within the boundaries of the nation.
By descent:
The concept of national citizenship is also provided for by the concept of descent of the person. If the predecessors of the person were born in India and had been a citizen of India, then the person becomes eligible for citizenship of the nation. All that they have to prove is that their parents or their ancestors have been a citizen of the country.
Their ancestors or predecessors have to be citizens of the country after the adoption of the constitution. And they must be the legal residents of the nation. They must not be illegal immigrants. Having proved their citizenship, the person can become a citizen of the country themselves.
By registration:
The acquisition of citizenship can also be achieved through the process of registration. This method of citizenship is a doorway for people who have married in India. To become eligible for this option of citizenship, you have to be married to an Indian who is still a citizen of the country.
The citizenship act, 1955 calls for establishing beyond doubt that one of the partners is a holder of Indian citizenship. It can either be the bride or the groom’s side of the couple. The other person can apply for Indian citizenship by submitting their proof of marriage to the administration and then undergoing the process of security checks and registration.
By naturalization:
The acquisition of citizenship can also happen through the process of naturalization. However, it might be a bit difficult to prove that one is eligible for this process. But there have been special considerations a few times to provide people with the citizenship of the nation. This decision is taken by the government.
The government of the nation, in certain cases, can bestow the citizenship of the nation upon people who have migrated to the nation. They must prove that they have been naturalized through a stay in the country and are now eligible. The decision to approve of this naturalization is completely upon the discretion of the government.
By incorporation:
The citizenship act, 1955 also has a special provision for providing citizenship to the people who have been added to the nation by the process of acquisition of a foreign territory. Since part of the territory has now been incorporated into the nation, they are provided with Indian citizenships to make them part of the Indian population.
Again, this process has to be approved by the government. It is only after the government has acknowledged the incorporated territory that the people of the territory can become a part of the Indian population.
Conclusion:
The citizenship act, 1955 talks, in great detail, about the various methods by which one becomes an Indian citizen. It also talks about the various tools at the disposal of the government of the nation to control the citizenship of the country. This Act is an integral part of the spirit of the nation. Without it, the very core of our being will fall apart. The Act is also what provides us with the innate sense of being Indians, of being citizens of a country.
