Submitted my application for a surrender certificate
Timeline is as follows:
British Citizenship obtained in February 2000
Indian Passport expired in January 2004
Never travelled on the Indian Passport after British Citizenship obtained
Applied couple of weeks ago for the surrender certificate.
Sent off all the forms and then got a call from VFS Global that HCI London have applied a £145 charge for not surrendering the passport three years after British Citizenship was obtained.
I then said I dont think I have to pay and he goes yes you do as thats what the Indian Embassay have said. Anyway I disagreed and I am waiting for outcome.
Further to this I checked and behold this letter from the Minister of External Affairs Mr A D Singh.
http://www.gopio.net/news_061510.htm
This means that if Indian passport has expired before 1.1.2005 and passport has not been surrendered for over three years since naturalisation then no penalty is payable.
Most Indian Embassay's around the world are obeying this rule but UK Indian Embassay's does not even know about it, even though the above letter was copied to HCI London!
Here are the links to a few more Indian Embassy's showing penalty not payable
http://www.cgitoronto.ca/Passport/passpSurrender.html
Also CGI Birmingham is showing this as well
http://www.cgibirmingham.org/index.php? ... ages&id=25
What do you guys think my next step would be as the HCI London, Edinburgh sites does not show this about passports expired prior to 2005 - are they just milking the PIO's as usual ???
