The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a circular to all the passport issuing authorities in India and abroad mentioned that Tibetan refugees availing the Indian Passports should declare to not stay in any Tibetan refugee settlements or enjoying any Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) benefits, privileges or subsidies.
The Office Memorandum issued by MEA, Government of India on Monday directed the Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) to grant passport facilities to Tibetan Refugees born in India between 26.01.1950 and 01.07.1987 and their children who have been declared as Indian citizens by birth under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
While earlier there was a lack of clear guideline on the process for the Tibetan refugees to surrender their Registration Certificates (RCs) and Identity Certificates (ICs), this circulated clearly mentions that a Tibetan Refugee can surrender these documents at the concerned Passport Seva Kenra (PSK)/ Passport Office where the passport application is also made.
However, as declared earlier, this circular clearly demands all those Tibetan refugees applying for Indian Passports to also submit a signed declaration accepting to stay in any of the designated Tibetan refugee settlements nor enjoying any CTA benefits or subsidies.