[Goanet] Bad news for Portuguese passport holders http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoaukextra2/4947477307/ Don’t know what Herald is talking about.. The headline itself is contradictory or rather sensational? It says ‘..Portuguese passports holders for the last three years face the risk of deletion of their names from the electoral rolls’ What risk it is talking about? Portuguese Passport Holders, are they losing their properties or bank balances in Goa or what? Once you are a Foreign National, you do not belong here, I mean, you no longer remain a Indian Citizen here. So, NO VOTING RIGHTS. And that’s as simple as that. What risk we are talking about? Once you acquire Portuguese Passport, your name is automatically stroked off in the electoral roll. If you see details online, you will notice few of the entries are deleted (i.e. line strikethrough the entry/name), which could either mean the person has moved his residence either to another part of Goa/India or moved his residence to the lord or another planet. It could also mean, the person is no longer a Citizen of India. Or moved his residence to Swindon etc
Just found out that you will now see ‘DELETED’ stamp against your entry, which means you are ‘disqualified’ and letter ‘Q’ is marked before the epic No. to denote that. 21year old disqualified? Yes, because he too acquired Portuguese Passport There are about 20 such disqualified persons in my polling area during the last one year or so. Check this extract (randomly selected) http://electionsgoa.nic.in/pdf/EROLL_2009/014/english/final_Roll/part21.pdf So, how do they do that? Once you acquire Portuguese passport (not Billet d’identidade): 1. You go to Indian Passport office to surrender your Indian Passport (if any) for which you are given a receipt or a surrender letter. And you do that not just because it is your duty to do but because you needed a proof to show at the Immigrations etc at the time of leaving the country. Passport Dept will then pass on your info to other Departments including local Election officers/Dept.. 2. As if above is not enough, you are also required to register yourself with the Foreigner Registration Section, Police Head Quarters, Panjim. There again, you give all your newly acquired foreign passport details by filling up forms in triplicates, pay fees etc and you get a rubber stamp on your new passport in return. Usually on last page you will see something like this ‘ Panaji, Goa RC No. 302/PORT/2010 Dated 16/08/2010’ Once your foreign travel itinerary fixed/confirmed, you then go back to FRO to report your Departure and you will have to do this at least one week in advance. They will then issue you a letter which is also required at the immigration. Please note: This auto-deletion in practice for about last 2 years or so. Those left before that may still have their names on the roll. Yet, there may be a few who got away with it. Passport pic http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoaukextra2/4947477307/ Did you find this info any good? It cost me 3 hours though! joego...@yahoo.co.uk for Goa & NRI related info... http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/GOAN-NRI/ For Goan Video Clips http://youtube.com/joeukgoa In Goa, Dial 1 0 8 For Hospital, Police, Fire etc * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Now available in Toronto, a few copies of *Into The Diaspora Wilderness* by Selma Carvalho. Contact Bosco D'Mello bo...@goanet.org (416) 803-7264 http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/