(Image source from: qz.com)
A survey revealed that Indian Americans overwhelmingly are in the favor of dual citizenship from the Indian government whereas Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) prefer proxy voting instead of direct postal ballots.
The survey, compiled by Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) USA, included various topics ranging from immigration issues, investment, dual citizenship, double taxation and transfer of social security funds.
A demand for dual citizenship received a maximum support with 4.4 star rating among the surveyed topics.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies said:
While citizens of many other countries have had the ability to apply for U.S. citizenship without renouncing the citizenship of their home country, non-resident Indians have been requesting this same opportunity from the Indian government for many years without luck.
FIIDS said that the need of India’s influence on the United States immigration policies was the second most important demand the non-resident Indians voted on.
When it came to NRI's voting, 33 per cent preferred the proxy voting as declared by the government while 28 per cent preferred a direct postal voting.
Out of a large number of immigration issues, expediting green card processing received 80 percent of preference while 60 percent preference was on H1/L1 related policies and 30 percent on H4/EAD, the survey said.
Read: Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders May Soon Be Forced out of Work
NRI's revealed that Indian citizens applying for Permanent residency in the United States went through years of painful delays in processing by Immigration department due to country-wise quota policy. They expressed their hope that the Indian government discusses the subject with the Trump administration.
The survey also showed that various financial, investment and taxation accompanying policies were very crucial to the NRIs. Among the financial policies, the highest rating 4.4 stars (out of 5) was for permission to directly invest in India's stock market while allowing investment in farm-land received 3.9 stars (out of 5) rating.
An avoidance of dual taxation received 4.2 star rating while repatriating social security taxes to India received 4.0 star rating.
L M Singhvi, the former Chairman of the High-Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora, on January 8, 2002 had submitted recommendations for dual citizenship. The recommendation was accepted by the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in January 2003, however, the 2005 amendment in Citizenship Act of 1955 gave Overseas Citizenship which is abbreviated of a dual citizenship.
By Sowmya Sangam
