286. Surrendering British

Citizenship to get Indian

Citizenship

Q. Hi I have come across a lot of credible information from your website. I am doctor in UK with OCI card and red passport. I would like few clarifications from you regarding the following situations, 1. If, for any reason, I want to get back my Indian passport in the future then will I get anything similar to OCI card to stay and work in UK after surrendering my British passport? or 2. do I need to apply for UK VISA from start? what kind of VISA i will be eligible to apply then? 3.Will it be a easy job to get the Indian passport back and if yes on what basis? Thanks, Kind regards, (Name Withheld) A. To get back your Indian passport you must be living in India, you can then apply for Indian Citizenship once you fulfill the residency requirement period in India. To get an idea of the application process check HERE. UK actually allows dual citizenship but India does not. Once Indian citizenship is approved you will have to renounce your British Citizenship. This will put you in a position where you will have to adjust your residency status in UK, as you would no longer be a British Citizen. There are no provisions where a person can exchange their citizenship status for a immigrant visa in UK. As doctors from Non-EU countries require a work permit to work in the UK, you would might consider consulting an immigration professional before making any final decisions about giving up your British citizenship. As an OCI holder you could practice in India after meeting the required registration guidelines and at the same time keep your British Citizenship. Some UK residents worry that they may lose their UK citizenship if they stay away for an extended time from UK, this is not true.