(Image source from: quora.com)

Narendra Sawaikar, state Commissioner for NRI affairs said on Wednesday that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will not impact the Goans who have obtained the Portuguese passports through a unique law which has been enacted by the government of Portugal for its formal colonials in the Indian territories.

“In fact, they should not worry. The Citizenship Amendment Act should not have any impact on those people. They have registered as Overseas Citizens of India. They should not have any problems,” the reporters of the state Secretariat have been told by Sawaikar.

The NRI Commissionerate of Goa is serving as a liaising agency between the state government and the thousands of Goan expats who are living in the Europe and Middle east.

A Portuguese family which has been for over 450 years, the coastal state of Goa gained independence from the foreign rule in 1961. The Portuguese that was departing offered the choice of Portuguese citizenship to the Goan natives. Availing the Portuguese citizenship was granted to the Goans who had lived in Portuguese-ruled Goa as well as their off-springs for three generations.

This opportunity has been used by thousands of Goans in order to migrate to Portugal and to the UK. The national identity card of Portugal ‘Bilhete de Identidadde’ have also been availed by several expat Goans.

Up-to 30,000 Goans are living in the UK using the Portuguese citizenship rule, according to the rough estimates.

By Shrithika Kushangi