Art. 9 Part II: Citizenship

Persons Voluntarily Acquiring Citizenship of a Foreign State Not to Be Citizens

Exact text — Constitution of India

No person shall be a citizen of India by virtue of article 5, or be deemed to be a citizen of India by virtue of article 6 or article 8, if he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of any foreign State.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

A clear, absolute rule — anyone who voluntarily acquires another country's citizenship automatically stops being an Indian citizen. There's no exception or waiting period built into this Article; it operates immediately and automatically upon voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is the constitutional root of why India doesn't recognise dual citizenship in the full legal sense, unlike some other countries — if you take up another country's citizenship voluntarily, your Indian citizenship ends by operation of this Article, regardless of your personal intent to 'keep both'.

Read alongside this one

Art. 11 — Parliament to Regulate Citizenship by Law

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 9

Does becoming a Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) of another country trigger this Article?

No — permanent residency is not the same as citizenship; this Article is specifically triggered by voluntarily ACQUIRING another country's citizenship, not merely holding residency or work-visa status there.

What about the OCI card — does that mean I have dual citizenship?

No — the Overseas Citizen of India card is explicitly NOT dual citizenship; it's a distinct, long-term visa-like status with certain benefits, precisely because Article 9 doesn't permit true dual citizenship.

← PreviousArticle 8: Rights of Citizenship of Certain Persons of Indian Origin Residing Outside India Next →Article 10: Continuance of the Rights of Citizenship

The text above reproduces Article 9 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.