QUALIFICATIONS FOR NATURALISATION
The qualifications for naturalisation of a person 1
*** are―
(a) that he is not a subject or citizen of any country where citizens of India are prevented by law
or practice of that country from becoming subjects or citizens of that country by naturalisation;
(b) that, if he is a citizen of any country, 2
***;
(c) that he has either resided in India or been in the service of a Government in India or partly the
one and partly the other, throughout the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of
the application;
3
[Provided that if the Central Government is satisfied that special circumstances exist, it may,
after recording the circumstances in writing, relax the period of twelve months up to a maximum of
thirty days which may be in different breaks.]
(d) that during the 4
[fourteen years] immediately preceding the said period of twelve months, he
has either resided in India or been in the service of a Government in India, or partly the one and partly
the other, for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 5
[eleven years];
6
[Provided that for the person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian
community in Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, the aggregate period of residence or service of
Government in India as required under this clause shall be read as “not less than five years” in place
of “not less than eleven years”.]
(e) that he is of good character;
(f) that he has an adequate knowledge of a language specified in the Eighth Schedule to the
Constitution; and
(g) that in the event of a certificate of naturalisation being granted to him, he intends to reside in
India, or to enter into, or continue in, service under a Government in India or under an international
organisation of which India is a member or under a society, company or body of persons established
in India:
Provided that the Central Government may, if in the special circumstances of any particular case it
thinks fit,―
(i) allow a continuous period of twelve months ending not more than six months before the date
of the application to be reckoned, for the purposes of clause (c) above, as if it had immediately
preceded that date;
(ii) allow periods of residence or service earlier than 7
[fifteen years] before the date of the
application to be reckoned in computing the aggregate mentioned in clause (d) above.
1. Subs. by Act 6 of 2004, s. 18, for “who is not a citizen of a country specified in the First Schedule” (w.e.f. 3-12-2004).
2. Subs. by s. 18, ibid., for “he has renounced the citizenship of that country in accordance with the law therein in force in
that behalf and has notified such renunciation to the Central Government” (w.e.f. 3-12-2004).
3. The proviso ins. by Act 1 of 2015, s. 6 (w.e.f. 6-1-2015).
4. Subs. by Act 6 of 2004, s. 18, for “twelve years” (w.e.f. 3-12-2004).
5. Subs. by s. 18, ibid., for “nine years” (w.e.f. 3-12-2004).
6. The proviso ins. by Act 47 of 2019, s. 6 (w.e.f. 10-1-2020).
7. Subs. by Act 6 of 2004, s. 18, for “thirteen years” (w.e.f. 3-12-2004).
18
[THE FOURTH SCHEDULE.] Omitted by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005 (32 of 2005), s. 5
(w.e.f. 28-6-2005).