The Union home ministry on Wednesday authorised district collectors in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura (except tribal areas), and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to grant naturalised citizenship to "fit and proper" applicants ordinarily residing in these regions.

The government notified the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules 2026 on Wednesday, granting district collectors in these states and UTs the authority to process citizenship-seeking applications for "registration or naturalisation".