Morang district has seen a sharp increase in the number of individuals renouncing their Nepali citizenship. According to the District Administration Office, 58 people have given up their citizenship in just eight months (July to mid-February), compared to only 18 in the entire previous fiscal year.
This trend is linked to the growing number of Nepalis seeking permanent residence abroad. Suman Niraula, an employee of the Morang administration’s citizenship branch, notes that a few years ago, renunciations were mainly by those marrying into Indian families. However, more people are now heading to countries like the USA, Australia, and Europe.
Marriage, education, and employment opportunities are the primary reasons for applying to relinquish citizenship. Many Nepalis find that obtaining citizenship in their new country of residence requires renouncing their Nepali citizenship.
Assistant Chief District Officer of Morang, Pradip Sah, confirms this pattern. He also highlights the increasing number of Nepalis in Morang who renounce their citizenship in favor of Indian citizenship.
The administration reports that long-term foreign employment, DV/PR visas, and marriage to foreign nationals living abroad are the most common reasons for relinquishing Nepali citizenship. Nationally, over 800 applications for renunciation are filed annually.
