President promulgates Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015

New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) The Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015, which seeks to integrate the benefits given to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) has been promulgated by President Pranabh Mukherjee.

"The president has promulgated the Citizenship (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015, Jan 6, with immediate effect," an official release said Wednesday.

The ordinance allows registration as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) of a minor whose parents are Indian citizens.

It also allows registration as the OCI of a child or a grand-child or a great-grandchild of such a citizen, the release said.

The ordinance allows registration as the OCI of the spouse of a citizen of India or the spouse of an OCI registered under Section 7A and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application under this section.

The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, provides for acquisition, termination, deprivation, determination of Indian citizenship and other related aspects.

The act provides for acquisition of Indian citizenship by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory under certain circumstances, and also for the termination and deprivation of citizenship.

At present, one year's continuous stay in India is mandatory for Indian citizenship which has been relaxed, stating that if the central government is satisfied that special circumstances exist, it may, after recording such circumstances in writing, relax the period of twelve months specified up to a maximum of thirty days which may be in different breaks, it added.