Goa Grants Citizenship to Third CAA Applicant: A 19-Year Journey

Brenden Valentine Crasto, born in Pakistan and residing in Goa, has received his Indian citizenship after a 19-year wait. The 44-year-old met all the criteria under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, making him the third person in Goa to achieve this status.

In a significant development, Brenden Valentine Crasto, originally from Pakistan, received Indian citizenship on Monday after a protracted 19-year wait. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant presented the nationality certificate to Crasto, marking a milestone as he became the third individual in the state to achieve this status under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

Crasto, who resides in Anjuna, North Goa, with his Indian spouse, Merilyn Fernandes, was accompanied by his family at the ceremony held in Porvorim. The 44-year-old satisfied all the requirements of the CAA, 2019, which grants citizenship to individuals from specific communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, residing in India since before December 31, 2014.

Following the event, Chief Minister Sawant confirmed that Crasto's application met all the necessary conditions outlined in the Citizenship Act, 1955, and its 2019 amendment. Previously, in August 2024, Pakistan-born Joseph Francis Pereira was the first in Goa to receive Indian citizenship under this legislation.

(With inputs from agencies.)