You took the oath, got your naturalization certificate and applied for a US passport. Next comes the India side: your Indian passport, your future trips, and your OCI card.
As of November 2, 2026, here's the order, using the Indian government's own guidance. Our guide to the naturalization ceremony covers the US side of that day.
- India's embassy says persons of Indian origin are not allowed to hold dual citizenship.
- Taking another nationality voluntarily ends Indian nationality, and the Indian passport must be surrendered.
- Surrender is filed online and submitted to VFS Global, in person or by courier.
- The embassy lists a $40 government fee and a $3 ICWF fee, plus VFS's service fee.
- OCI applications need the cancelled passport with a surrender certificate if surrendered in or after 2010.
- OCI cardholders can't vote in India or get an Indian passport.
Can you keep Indian citizenship?
No. The Embassy of India in Washington says: "Under the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, Persons of Indian Origin are NOT allowed to hold DUAL Citizenship. If a person had ever held Indian nationality (and Passport) and subsequently voluntarily obtained nationality / Passport of another country, he / she ceases to be an Indian national and is required only to surrender his /her Indian Passport and obtain a surrender certificate" (Embassy of India, Surrender of Indian Passport).
So naturalizing in the US ends your Indian citizenship. What's left is paperwork.
Surrender or renunciation: which one?
Surrender, if you're already a US citizen. The embassy says renunciation "is applicable only to Indian nationals / Indian passport holders and not for those who already hold Foreign" nationality or passport. Renunciation is for someone giving up Indian citizenship before taking another; surrender is for someone who has already taken another.
How do you surrender the passport?
Online, then through VFS Global. The embassy lists three steps (Embassy of India, Surrender of Indian Passport):
- Online application. "Complete the Online Government Application," and once submitted, "Note down the ARN (Application Reference Number) and take a Print out of the Application." The embassy also advises: "Please create a new user account on the Passport Seva Portal before filling out any application (using a new email address)."
- Supporting documents, using the checklist linked from the embassy page.
- Submit to VFS Global, either by booking "an appointment and visit the VFS Centre" or by paying online and sending "the documents to VFS via Courier."
The fee, per the embassy, is "a $40Government fee, $3 ICWF fee, and the baseline VFS service fee." Expired passports are fine: "Yes, expired passports too can be presented for surrendering." But a certificate "will not be issued, for Impounded, Revoked, Suspended, and Cancelled (against Re-issue) passports."
How do you get OCI afterwards?
Apply on the OCI portal with your new passport. India's OCI FAQ lists what to upload, including a "Copy of present valid passport (applicable in all cases), with validity of minimum 6 months," a "Copy of the certificate of registration of citizenship/naturalization," and a "Cancelled/ Surrendered Indian passport with Surrender Certificate (for those who have surrendered Indian passport in or after 2010)" (MHA, OCI Frequently Asked Questions).
That's why surrender comes first. You'll also need evidence of Indian origin; the FAQ lists a "Copy of the Indian Passport" among the accepted documents. Each time you later renew your US passport, our guide to updating OCI with a new passport explains the three-month window.
After you apply online, the FAQ says you bring the originals of your supporting documents to the Indian mission or office concerned for verification. The same FAQ makes a personal interview mandatory for spouse-based OCI applications.
What can't an OCI cardholder do?
OCI is a lifelong visa, not citizenship. The FAQ says "the OCI Cardholder is not entitled to vote, be a member of Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council or Parliament, cannot hold Constitutional posts," and generally can't hold public service posts. And: "Indian Passport is given only to an Indian citizen" (MHA, OCI Frequently Asked Questions).
What if you need to travel to India before OCI arrives?
You'll need an Indian visa, since your Indian passport is no longer valid for you. The OCI portal links to India's visa site for that. Plan naturalization, US passport, surrender and OCI around any trips home.
What this means for you
- US naturalization ends Indian citizenship.
- Surrender the Indian passport and get a surrender certificate.
- File online, then submit to VFS Global with the fees.
- Apply for OCI with your US passport and surrender certificate.
- OCI doesn't include voting or an Indian passport.
Where to start
Citizenship is the end of a long road that usually starts with an employment green card. Our guide to naturalization after an employment green card explains the timing, and our guide to the 2026 naturalization changes covers what's new. If you're earlier in the process, our free evaluation at /evaluate/ checks whether EB-1A or the NIW fits your profile, and Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, helps you build the evidence. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked November 2, 2026.
- Embassy of India, Washington DC, Surrender of Indian Passport and Renunciation of Indian Citizenship. No dual citizenship; surrender steps; fees; expired passports.
- Ministry of Home Affairs, OCI Frequently Asked Questions. OCI documents; surrender certificate; limits on OCI rights.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to surrender my Indian passport after becoming a US citizen?
Yes. The Embassy of India says persons of Indian origin aren't allowed to hold dual citizenship, and anyone who held Indian nationality and then voluntarily took another country's nationality ceases to be an Indian national and must surrender the Indian passport and get a surrender certificate. Expired passports can also be surrendered.
What's the difference between a surrender certificate and a renunciation certificate?
The embassy says renunciation applies only to people who are still Indian nationals and haven't yet taken another nationality; they apply online and then surrender the passport. If you've already become a US citizen, you surrender the passport and get a surrender certificate instead.
How much does it cost to surrender an Indian passport in the US?
The Embassy of India in Washington lists a $40 government fee and a $3 ICWF fee, plus VFS Global's service fee. You file online, then submit documents and fees to VFS Global, either at an appointment or by courier. Check the embassy's page for the current checklist before you apply.
Can I apply for OCI right after naturalizing?
You'll need your US passport first, since the OCI application asks for a current passport valid at least six months and proof of your new citizenship. If you surrendered your Indian passport in or after 2010, you'll also upload the cancelled passport with the surrender certificate. So surrender comes before OCI.
Can OCI cardholders vote in India?
No. India's OCI FAQ says OCI cardholders aren't entitled to vote, hold certain constitutional posts or be members of legislatures, and generally can't hold public service posts. OCI also isn't citizenship: the FAQ says an Indian passport is given only to Indian citizens.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
