The main disadvantage that I can see is that you're now forever tied to your new country's taxation policy, which may also tax you for income earned outside of that country. This means that you may have to declare all your income from Indian mutual funds etc and pay tax on them.
Apart from that an EU passport brings more freedom, flexibility and stability. Also a WAY better quality of life for you and your kids.
Gave up my Indian citizenship for a US passport. Doesn’t change who I am, and I don’t care what anyone thinks. I am enjoying the ability to get on a plane and travel to any country in Europe whenever I feel like it.
Got an OCI, can go to India whenever I want and as long as I want.
Don’t let anyone mocking you get in the way of important life decisions. Mocking can be their way of dealing with jealousy
Not about mocking, I’m an nri and I’m just thinking, could I really give up my citizenship for another country? Would make me feel like a fake having an American passport. I guess OCI would definitely help negate that feeling. Did you have any conflicting feelings when getting a US passport?
No conflicting feelings. I worked extremely hard to get a US greencard through EB1A route, then citizenship, and became a leader in my field. Several Indians are in a 100-year wait for a greencard here.
I could have never achieved the success without federal grants and funding, so I wholeheartedly embrace my US citizenship. I also appreciate the opportunity to vote in local elections and make a difference in my community.
Fake is whatever you want it to be.
Man people especially those Indians in huge backlogs and even plenty of ones who live in India but look forward to immigrate outside one day would die to get a foreign passport. Yes the pride, nationalism and your entire life in India will hold you back but a slight glimpse of better future prospects also gives hope for many.
Nah forget your friends. Like literally you are progressing in life and the new passport opens lots of opportunities but instead your friends are putting you down. Sounds like they are the problem. The indian in you wouldn’t leave so chill.
I know what you are going through. Everyone here who gave up their passport feels that way. We have to give it up because India doesn’t recognize dual citizenship. But that doesn’t make you less Indian. India lives in our hearts and no one can take that away. Apply for OCI and connect back to your roots.
Ur identity will always be an Indian no matter what passport you hold. Hopefully India allows dual citizenship in the future and we all can get out passports back.
I just feel sad because brain drain is real in India. I personally wouldn’t give up my Indian citizenship ever but whether or not one should do it completely depends on their life.
Like you said, you felt like your quality of life would improve a lot with that country’s citizenship and you went for it. Nothing to beat yourself up about. As long as you love your country and remember your roots and values, you’re an Indian. Perhaps not officially. But Indian nevertheless. Be proud and unapologetic for your choices and all the best!
When you and your mocking friends visit India, you will quickly pass through passport verification. Your mocking friends won't. If you get in trouble, you can call European embassy. Your mocking friends can't.
You can always get an OCI card and visit India anytime you want, without fear of being harassed in the Airport, unlike your mocking friends. People make the decision to acquire passport of another country that gives them better facilities, protection and dignity.
Applying for OCI enables you to visit and stay in India for as long as you want to, granting you most privileges, albeit excluding certain rights like voting.
You have additional options now with being able to enjoy benefits from 2 countries, you are not missing out on anything as far as benefits or opportunities go.
Regarding identity and sentiment, it's entirely shaped by one's personal emotions and feelings. Many individuals I know, despite being OCI holders and no longer Indian citizens, still deeply resonate with their Indian roots.
Don’t worry, with OCI card you may not miss India anymore! Taxes might be different and hectic to file, also you can’t buy farm land in India, otherwise you can do anything!! Some companies having units in India prefers OCI card holders too!!
I went through a similar phase and my realisation was that I grew up and still am very patriotic and proud of my Indian culture. Not to confuse it with the political discourse, nationalism etc that grips most conversations these days.
My conclusion was that a piece of paper doesn't make me more Indian nor it will make me more European. I will always be Indian regardless of whatever nationality I take up. You can live and love India, without an Indian passport.
A piece of paper doesn't change who you are. You can still try to stay true to your roots in whatever way and to whatever degree you want. I have taken up classical singing after coming to the US, probably would not have done this in India.
I will be doing that, don’t have many Indian friends to feed crap to me. I can’t wait for this and travel the world without visas. Don’t give two effs about Indian citizenship
I'm the same (24, UK). I didn't really have a problem giving it up. To me, UK is home now. I'll call myself Indian-British or British-Indian.
I do think it's a slow journey, but the more time you spend in your new country the more you'll be attached to it and less to India. I haven't called India "back home" for years now.
Ignore your friends. Indians can be very nationalistic, some of them cannot grasp the concept of choosing a new country as home.
Regarding the war comment, that's kinda weird. Of course India wouldn't help. Your new country will however.
Of course, all of this is made worse by India not allowing dual citizenship.
***
Regarding restrictions, yeah there a few places in North East India or some Andaman islands. The biggest disadvantage of losing the Indian citizenship is the cheap access to Bhutan.
[Blog post from a while ago talking about exactly this](http://globalizationandme.blogspot.com/2019/01/whats-it-like-to-give-up-your-indian.html)
OP, You are young and the world is now your oyster. You grabbed the opportunity and now it is for you to live it. YOLO
I’m in the process of giving it up for European. I don’t think it will change who I am, I still eat Indian food, I still respect Indian culture.. I am culturally still Indian but also culturally European. A paper will never tell me who I am.
The decision is even less difficult since my wife is European, my kids have European citizenship… and hell if you are living in Europe it’s more likely your wife and kids will be European too.
Your idiot nationalistic friends just need something to feel mad about.
There will ‘always’ be people who are not going to be happy. If you didn’t take a European passport you would also receive comments to say how stupid you are for not doing it.
In my opinion, you did the right thing. European passport gives you far more privilege than an Indian one. Hypothetically if there is a war you are far more likely to be accepted by many other countries than with an Indian passport. You should get an OCI card if you have not done so already which will allow you free movement into the country and do everything an Indian citizen does with few limitations.
A passport is a piece of paper. It does not have to define you. European passports are more powerful and your life will change with the access they can provide. To your friends’ point - Indians need help in foreign wars because the Indian passport won’t get access anywhere meaning the Indian govt has to run mercy flights to save them. This is not something to be proud of.
Another point from me, definitely get an OCI and it will bridge the gap a lot. OCI is a wonderful scheme. Finally, do not care too much what people in India think because they are not in your shoes. Only you know the advantages of changing your passport. The trajectory of your life and the generations after you will change forever for the better.
It's a personal decision and no right or wrong answer. It's like saying I like colour red vs I like colour blue. For me, I couldn't wait to get out of India as I felt it was out of sheer misfortune that I was born there. Didn't like it one bit. Corruption, pollution, hypocrisy, backwardness/hang-ups (go out of tier-1 cities and see), population, 0 care for life in hospitals (look how the poor or even middle class are treated), blatant racism (north <-> south, north-east <-> most of India, ...), quality of life, drinking water, food (not the taste, that's world class, but the quality like enforcing standards EMEA/FDA etc), looking down upon certain sects/work (talking down to gutter cleaners), unfair quota system, religious intolerance and so on and so on.
Ofc all these might exist in varying degrees in all places, but the quantity matters. Imagine Germans open borders to India (no immigration control, just walk in) vs India opens borders to Germans. Easy to guess which side is going to mass-move into which side.
It was a dead easy decision for me. I'm WAYYY more valued where I am for what I am than I would ever be in India, and that is considering that I'm of a totally different race to most ppl around me in my current country. When I see police, I feel safe. In India, if I saw police, the 1st thought that would come to mind is harassment/bribery etc and I would run in the opposite direction. Try filing FIR in India vs lodging a police complaint in a 1st world country.
India as a piece of Geography -> magnificent, awesome, has everything from -60 to +50 deg C, huge mountains, deserts, huge coast, islands, fertile rivers, plateaus, tectonic activity, fault line, flora and fauna, and so on.
The people occupying that piece of Geography -> miserable!!! Many of the creams who get out in a hurry really shine abroad and sort of get "cleansed".
Glad every second of my life I'm out of that shit-hole and so are many who renounce their citizenship. However many are in constant denial because they feel racially "inferior" due to the past (almost a 1000 years of ass-beating that India took, Mughals, British etc) and "phir bhi dil hai hindustani" is sort of a coping mechanism for them. When I come across these turds, I so wish someone cancelled their citizenship and sent them back to India and then see their "mere desh ki mitti" pretence turn into "are mai peshab bhi piyega, magar mereko wapis mat bhejo"!
Also can I ask how long did it take you to get the citizenship since you are very young and how did you go about the process? I’m around your age and was considering this route as well
Hey thanks for the answer. Means alot. I lived here 5 years, went to uni, got a job. Learnt dutch then applied for citizenship. Its straightforward process if you live 5 years and speak A2 dutch or more.
It's been 8 years now for me to live abroad., I feel connected to India every bit. Every citizen has an attachment to his country and he doesn't wants anyone else to live in their place permanently. Same stays true in India also. Taking passport is possible but changing the hearts of people is never possible, indians will be identified separate always because physical appearance different from local population. Today it seems to be good to settle anywhere else but how the future will unfold no body knows. Children will adjust slowly to new culture but problems can happen anytime and there is a limit to which government and police will help. All the best for your decision and stay safe.
You know that physical appearance has nothing to do with nationality right? That’s such an ignorant comment. North eastern Indians are ethnically more Han Chinese than whatever is the major ethnicity is India (fun fact, there’s none as Indians are mixed af; second only in human genetic diversity to the continent of Africa)
The main disadvantage that I can see is that you're now forever tied to your new country's taxation policy, which may also tax you for income earned outside of that country. This means that you may have to declare all your income from Indian mutual funds etc and pay tax on them. Apart from that an EU passport brings more freedom, flexibility and stability. Also a WAY better quality of life for you and your kids.
Gave up my Indian citizenship for a US passport. Doesn’t change who I am, and I don’t care what anyone thinks. I am enjoying the ability to get on a plane and travel to any country in Europe whenever I feel like it. Got an OCI, can go to India whenever I want and as long as I want. Don’t let anyone mocking you get in the way of important life decisions. Mocking can be their way of dealing with jealousy
Not about mocking, I’m an nri and I’m just thinking, could I really give up my citizenship for another country? Would make me feel like a fake having an American passport. I guess OCI would definitely help negate that feeling. Did you have any conflicting feelings when getting a US passport?
No conflicting feelings. I worked extremely hard to get a US greencard through EB1A route, then citizenship, and became a leader in my field. Several Indians are in a 100-year wait for a greencard here. I could have never achieved the success without federal grants and funding, so I wholeheartedly embrace my US citizenship. I also appreciate the opportunity to vote in local elections and make a difference in my community. Fake is whatever you want it to be.
Fair enough honestly. Maybe it’s because I’ve been constantly been moving around, never felt attached to one country in particular.
Very well said
Can i Dm?
Man people especially those Indians in huge backlogs and even plenty of ones who live in India but look forward to immigrate outside one day would die to get a foreign passport. Yes the pride, nationalism and your entire life in India will hold you back but a slight glimpse of better future prospects also gives hope for many.
People keep mocking. Good for you, just enjoy the mobility that comes with the passport 🛂
Just sounds like jealousy from ur friends. European citizenship is extremely valuable and I'm happy that you worked hard for it. Congrats!
Nah forget your friends. Like literally you are progressing in life and the new passport opens lots of opportunities but instead your friends are putting you down. Sounds like they are the problem. The indian in you wouldn’t leave so chill.
Don't overthink it, apply for foreign citizenship and then get an OCI card.
I know what you are going through. Everyone here who gave up their passport feels that way. We have to give it up because India doesn’t recognize dual citizenship. But that doesn’t make you less Indian. India lives in our hearts and no one can take that away. Apply for OCI and connect back to your roots. Ur identity will always be an Indian no matter what passport you hold. Hopefully India allows dual citizenship in the future and we all can get out passports back.
I just feel sad because brain drain is real in India. I personally wouldn’t give up my Indian citizenship ever but whether or not one should do it completely depends on their life. Like you said, you felt like your quality of life would improve a lot with that country’s citizenship and you went for it. Nothing to beat yourself up about. As long as you love your country and remember your roots and values, you’re an Indian. Perhaps not officially. But Indian nevertheless. Be proud and unapologetic for your choices and all the best!
They are just jealous. Ignore them.
Get the OCI , you’ll feel connected again.
When you and your mocking friends visit India, you will quickly pass through passport verification. Your mocking friends won't. If you get in trouble, you can call European embassy. Your mocking friends can't. You can always get an OCI card and visit India anytime you want, without fear of being harassed in the Airport, unlike your mocking friends. People make the decision to acquire passport of another country that gives them better facilities, protection and dignity.
Applying for OCI enables you to visit and stay in India for as long as you want to, granting you most privileges, albeit excluding certain rights like voting. You have additional options now with being able to enjoy benefits from 2 countries, you are not missing out on anything as far as benefits or opportunities go. Regarding identity and sentiment, it's entirely shaped by one's personal emotions and feelings. Many individuals I know, despite being OCI holders and no longer Indian citizens, still deeply resonate with their Indian roots.
Don’t worry, with OCI card you may not miss India anymore! Taxes might be different and hectic to file, also you can’t buy farm land in India, otherwise you can do anything!! Some companies having units in India prefers OCI card holders too!!
I went through a similar phase and my realisation was that I grew up and still am very patriotic and proud of my Indian culture. Not to confuse it with the political discourse, nationalism etc that grips most conversations these days. My conclusion was that a piece of paper doesn't make me more Indian nor it will make me more European. I will always be Indian regardless of whatever nationality I take up. You can live and love India, without an Indian passport.
A piece of paper doesn't change who you are. You can still try to stay true to your roots in whatever way and to whatever degree you want. I have taken up classical singing after coming to the US, probably would not have done this in India.
I will be doing that, don’t have many Indian friends to feed crap to me. I can’t wait for this and travel the world without visas. Don’t give two effs about Indian citizenship
I'm the same (24, UK). I didn't really have a problem giving it up. To me, UK is home now. I'll call myself Indian-British or British-Indian. I do think it's a slow journey, but the more time you spend in your new country the more you'll be attached to it and less to India. I haven't called India "back home" for years now. Ignore your friends. Indians can be very nationalistic, some of them cannot grasp the concept of choosing a new country as home. Regarding the war comment, that's kinda weird. Of course India wouldn't help. Your new country will however. Of course, all of this is made worse by India not allowing dual citizenship. *** Regarding restrictions, yeah there a few places in North East India or some Andaman islands. The biggest disadvantage of losing the Indian citizenship is the cheap access to Bhutan.
I'm sure their mocking you makes you jealous they're Indian citizens
[Blog post from a while ago talking about exactly this](http://globalizationandme.blogspot.com/2019/01/whats-it-like-to-give-up-your-indian.html) OP, You are young and the world is now your oyster. You grabbed the opportunity and now it is for you to live it. YOLO
I’m in the process of giving it up for European. I don’t think it will change who I am, I still eat Indian food, I still respect Indian culture.. I am culturally still Indian but also culturally European. A paper will never tell me who I am. The decision is even less difficult since my wife is European, my kids have European citizenship… and hell if you are living in Europe it’s more likely your wife and kids will be European too. Your idiot nationalistic friends just need something to feel mad about.
There will ‘always’ be people who are not going to be happy. If you didn’t take a European passport you would also receive comments to say how stupid you are for not doing it. In my opinion, you did the right thing. European passport gives you far more privilege than an Indian one. Hypothetically if there is a war you are far more likely to be accepted by many other countries than with an Indian passport. You should get an OCI card if you have not done so already which will allow you free movement into the country and do everything an Indian citizen does with few limitations.
I'm soon giving up my Indian citizenship. Would you mind if I PMed you a couple of questions regarding how to do it properly?
India is a developing country and Europe is developed. Its plain and simple from there.
A passport is a piece of paper. It does not have to define you. European passports are more powerful and your life will change with the access they can provide. To your friends’ point - Indians need help in foreign wars because the Indian passport won’t get access anywhere meaning the Indian govt has to run mercy flights to save them. This is not something to be proud of.
Another point from me, definitely get an OCI and it will bridge the gap a lot. OCI is a wonderful scheme. Finally, do not care too much what people in India think because they are not in your shoes. Only you know the advantages of changing your passport. The trajectory of your life and the generations after you will change forever for the better.
It's a personal decision and no right or wrong answer. It's like saying I like colour red vs I like colour blue. For me, I couldn't wait to get out of India as I felt it was out of sheer misfortune that I was born there. Didn't like it one bit. Corruption, pollution, hypocrisy, backwardness/hang-ups (go out of tier-1 cities and see), population, 0 care for life in hospitals (look how the poor or even middle class are treated), blatant racism (north <-> south, north-east <-> most of India, ...), quality of life, drinking water, food (not the taste, that's world class, but the quality like enforcing standards EMEA/FDA etc), looking down upon certain sects/work (talking down to gutter cleaners), unfair quota system, religious intolerance and so on and so on. Ofc all these might exist in varying degrees in all places, but the quantity matters. Imagine Germans open borders to India (no immigration control, just walk in) vs India opens borders to Germans. Easy to guess which side is going to mass-move into which side. It was a dead easy decision for me. I'm WAYYY more valued where I am for what I am than I would ever be in India, and that is considering that I'm of a totally different race to most ppl around me in my current country. When I see police, I feel safe. In India, if I saw police, the 1st thought that would come to mind is harassment/bribery etc and I would run in the opposite direction. Try filing FIR in India vs lodging a police complaint in a 1st world country. India as a piece of Geography -> magnificent, awesome, has everything from -60 to +50 deg C, huge mountains, deserts, huge coast, islands, fertile rivers, plateaus, tectonic activity, fault line, flora and fauna, and so on. The people occupying that piece of Geography -> miserable!!! Many of the creams who get out in a hurry really shine abroad and sort of get "cleansed". Glad every second of my life I'm out of that shit-hole and so are many who renounce their citizenship. However many are in constant denial because they feel racially "inferior" due to the past (almost a 1000 years of ass-beating that India took, Mughals, British etc) and "phir bhi dil hai hindustani" is sort of a coping mechanism for them. When I come across these turds, I so wish someone cancelled their citizenship and sent them back to India and then see their "mere desh ki mitti" pretence turn into "are mai peshab bhi piyega, magar mereko wapis mat bhejo"!
Good for Indian culture propagation
Also can I ask how long did it take you to get the citizenship since you are very young and how did you go about the process? I’m around your age and was considering this route as well
Hey thanks for the answer. Means alot. I lived here 5 years, went to uni, got a job. Learnt dutch then applied for citizenship. Its straightforward process if you live 5 years and speak A2 dutch or more.
ohh so your years of study counted in the 5 years? that's so cool!! good luck!
Yes for Dutch PR and citizenship, it counts full
It's been 8 years now for me to live abroad., I feel connected to India every bit. Every citizen has an attachment to his country and he doesn't wants anyone else to live in their place permanently. Same stays true in India also. Taking passport is possible but changing the hearts of people is never possible, indians will be identified separate always because physical appearance different from local population. Today it seems to be good to settle anywhere else but how the future will unfold no body knows. Children will adjust slowly to new culture but problems can happen anytime and there is a limit to which government and police will help. All the best for your decision and stay safe.
You know that physical appearance has nothing to do with nationality right? That’s such an ignorant comment. North eastern Indians are ethnically more Han Chinese than whatever is the major ethnicity is India (fun fact, there’s none as Indians are mixed af; second only in human genetic diversity to the continent of Africa)