Pakistan-born Salma Agha will get Lifetime Indian visa

Pakistan-born Bollywood actor Salma Agha will get Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card that will allow her lifelong multiple entry and exempt her from reporting to police.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decided to grant the card, which includes multi-purpose visa, to the 59-year-old artiste, who acted in films like Nikaah, following scrutiny of her application. A senior MHA official said the decision was taken following due procedure.

Earlier this year, Pakistani singer Adnan Sami was given Indian citizenship. Salma, a British citizen who applied for the OCI card a few days ago, has also met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, apparently to thank him for the MHA decision.

She won Filmfare best female playback singer award in 1982 for



her rendition of “Dil ke armaan aansuon me beh gaye” in Nikaah.

According to the official, the OCI card would give the person same facilities like that of NRIs in financial, economic and educational fields, except in the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.

As per the rule, a foreign national who is a child, grandchild or a great grandchild of Indian citizen is eligible for registration as an OCI card holder.

However, no person, who or either of whose parents, grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan and Bangladesh shall be eligible for registration as an OCI card holder. The official said all official procedures and rules were followed in granting OCI card to Salma.