India

Indian Citizenship Renunciation —Statistics, Trends, And Top Destinations

Indian citizenship renunciation has increased, driven by the promise of global opportunities, mobility, and lifestyle advantages.

According to official data, over one million Indians take up passports of other countries, with the pace sustaining above two lakh per year since 2022.

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Indians Renouncing Citizenship – Five-Year Data
Top Destinations for Indians Renouncing Citizenship
5 Reasons Why Are Indians Renouncing Their Citizenship?
Recent Trends and Migration Patterns
Popular Residency Programs Among Indians

Indians Renouncing Citizenship – Five-Year Data

Year	Indians Renouncing Citizenship
2020	85,256
2021	1,63,370
2022	2,25,620
2023	2,16,219
2024	2,06,378
Source:	Ministry of External Affairs

Top Destinations for Indians Renouncing Citizenship

The US, Canada, UK, and Australia remain the major destinations for those giving up Indian citizenship. Here’s a breakdown from recent years:

Country	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Australia	16,990	21,340	13,518	23,533	40,377	16,125
Canada	19,714	25,381	17,093	21,597	60,139	17,993
Germany	2,122	2,157	2,152	2,381	3,179	1,372
Italy	5,227	3,833	2,312	5,986	3,839	2,620
Netherlands	675	728	1,121	2,187	2,345	1,492
New Zealand	4,413	4,123	2,116	4,437	7,911	1,882
Ireland	620	564	357	439	1,192	666
Singapore	2,344	2,241	2,289	2,516	2,695	1,126
Spain	607	718	1,080	1,595	2,241	1,032
Sweden	927	867	1,046	1,841	1,970	1,880
United Kingdom	16,761	14,309	6,489	14,637	21,457	9,815
USA	57,603	61,683	30,828	78,284	71,991	28,230
Source	Rajya Sabha Session, 2023.

5 Reasons Why Are Indians Renouncing Their Citizenship?

Mobility: Access to visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to the EU, UK, and US.
Security: A safety net in times of political or economic upheaval.
Opportunity: Top-tier education, global jobs, and healthcare access.
Tax Planning: Easier wealth and succession planning for HNIs.
Family Futures: Easier student admissions, inheritance, and retirement for dependents.

Recent Trends and Migration Patterns

In 2024, India saw 206,378 citizenship renunciations,
The USA and UAE each hosted 17% of Indian emigrants, with notable flows to Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Germany, New Zealand, and Singapore.
India remains the world’s largest source of migrants (18.5 million in 2024) and the world’s largest diaspora.
The total overseas Indian population, including PIOs and NRIs, is over 34.3 million.

Popular Residency Programs Among Indians

Indians are eyeing pathways like:

Australia National Innovation Visa
UAE Residence by Investment
Portugal Golden Residence Permit
US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Canada Start-Up Visa, and others

Indian’s Global Ambitions

Steady growth in migration and renunciation of Indian citizenship reflects aspirations for better global mobility, security, and access to world-class opportunities. The USA, UAE, Canada, Australia, and the UK draw the highest numbers, and the global Indian diaspora continues to shape the world’s economic and professional landscape.

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