Madras High Court ruled in favor of 44‑year‑old Vivek Saravanamuthu, born in Sri Lanka and raised in India, who faced a passport surrender notice from the Indian Embassy. The court stayed the notice until July 22, 2026, granting him nine months to secure Sri Lankan citizenship and avoid statelessness.
Key Takeaways
- Madras High Court stayed the Indian Embassy’s notice to surrender the passport.
- The petitioner’s birth in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the question of Indian citizenship.
- The court granted nine months for the petitioner to secure Sri Lankan citizenship to avoid statelessness.
In a landmark ruling, Justice Mohammed Shaffiq of the Madras High Court sided with 44‑year‑old Vivek Saravanamuthu, born in Sri Lanka, raised in India, and residing in the U.S. since 2014.
Vivek obtained an Indian passport in 2004 without a Sri Lankan birth certificate. In 2024 he secured his Colombo birth certificate, authenticated it in Sri Lanka, and presented it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which issued him a green card listing Sri Lanka as his country of birth.
Background of the Passport Dispute
Amid debates over whether an Indian passport is proof of citizenship or merely a travel document, Vivek’s case gained prominence. When his passport was set to expire in November 2025, he transparently updated his birthplace to Colombo in the embassy’s database.
Court’s Decision and Next Steps
The court stayed the embassy’s “surrender your passport” notice until July 22, 2026, and ordered the Ministry of External Affairs to file a detailed counter‑affidavit. By granting nine months, Vivek is given a window to obtain Sri Lankan citizenship and thereby avoid being declared stateless.
This ruling underscores the intricate interplay of citizenship, passports, and international law, illustrating that timely, transparent documentation can prevent statelessness.
