Pakistani singer Adnan Sami, who has spent more than a decade living in Mumbai, will be granted Indian citizenship from January 1, 2016, reported Indian news agency ANI.
A senior official had earlier told Indian media that Sami, who has been living in India since 2001, will be given Indian citizenship under Section 6 of the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955.
The 43-year-old singer — whose earlier request for Indian citizenship was rejected some two years back — made his application to the Foreigners’ Division of the Indian home ministry in March this year.
Sami with his powerful Indian contacts also made several representations to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about his citizenship.
Sami has been living in India on a business and professional visa for many years. In May, he requested the home ministry to extend his stay on humanitarian grounds. His visa had been previously extended from time to time, but his Pakistani passport was about to expire on May 26. When the Pakistani government refused to renew his passport, he was forced to apply for Indian citizenship.
Sami has also applied for a renunciation of his Pakistani citizenship, but was informed by authorities in November that his documentation remained incomplete.
According to Pakistan's laws, when a male citizen denounces his citizenship, any of his children under the age of 21 living abroad also lose their citizenship.
