Panaji: A 19-year wait is finally over for Brenden Valentine Crasto.
Born in Pakistan, Brenden formally became an Indian citizen on Monday.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant handed over the nationality certificate to Brenden, whose wife and children were also present at the function in Mantralaya (state secretariat), in Porvorim, reported PTI.
The 44-year-old Brenden, who became the third person in the state to get the status under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA), currently lives in Anjuna in North Goa.
Brenden, who traces his roots to Goa, is married to an Indian national.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 entitles Indian nationality to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.
The Goa CM told reporters that state authorities had received application from Pakistan-born Brenden seeking Indian citizenship under the CAA.
“Brenden got married to an Indian citizen, Merilyn Fernandes, in 2014 and is residing in India continuously since December 2, 2006,” the CM said.
He noted that Crasto fulfils all conditions under the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the amended legislation of 2019 to obtain Indian nationality.
CAA rules were notified in March 2024 by the Union Home ministry, paving the way for its implementation five years after enactment.