Famous in India, foreign on paper
Hover a name for more, click for its sources
Famous in India, foreign on paperThe citizenship stories behind some of India’s most recognisable names.
- One passport only. India does not allow dual citizenship: take another country’s and you stop being Indian.
- OCI card. A lifelong visa for people of Indian origin: live, work, study and own a home in India.
- But no vote. OCI holders cannot vote, stand for election, hold government jobs or buy farmland.
India4names with that passportgave it up to become Indiantaken up by an Indiantwo citizenships
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Hold a foreign passportNot Indian citizens on paper, so they cannot vote in India
Gave one up to become IndianIndia made them citizens after they renounced their old passport
Often said, but not soClaims that do not hold up, or have no record behind them
Citizenship as reported up to 15 October 2026. Photos: Wikimedia Commons and press.
Sources for every name visualized.in/passports
Every name, with sources +
| Name | Status | What is known | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alia BhattActor | United KingdomTheir own statement or an official record | British through her mother, Soni Razdan, who was born in Birmingham. She said in 2014 that she could not vote in India because she holds a British passport. | The Quint: stars who can’t vote in IndiaRepublic: Soni Razdan on her British citizenship |
| Soni RazdanActor and director | United KingdomTheir own statement or an official record | Born in Birmingham to an Indian father; has lived in India since she was three months old. She says she holds an OCI card and pays tax in India. | Republic: Soni Razdan on her British citizenship |
| Katrina KaifActor | United KingdomReported by several outlets | Born in British Hong Kong to a Kashmiri father and a British mother; reported to hold a British passport. | The Quint: stars who can’t vote in IndiaOdisha Bytes: why Alia, Katrina and others don’t vote |
| Amy JacksonActor | United KingdomReported by several outlets | British; born in Douglas, Isle of Man, and raised in Liverpool. Known for Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. | Wikipedia: Amy JacksonSheThePeople: non-Indian actors in Bollywood |
| Imran KhanActor | United StatesReported by several outlets | Born in Madison, Wisconsin; American by birth. Aamir Khan’s nephew, he made his debut as a lead in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na (2008). | Wikipedia: Imran Khan (actor)Business Today: celebrities without an Indian passport (2024) |
| Nargis FakhriActor | United StatesReported by several outlets | American; raised in New York, to a Pakistani father and a Czech mother. | SheThePeople: non-Indian actors in BollywoodAsianet: actors who learnt Hindi |
| OrrySocialite | United StatesTheir own statement or an official record | Orhan Awatramani said in November 2024 that he is a US citizen, posting his overseas absentee ballot packet and a voting confirmation from Boulder County, Colorado. How and when he became American has not been reported. | Deccan Herald: Orry reveals US citizenship and vote (2024)WION: Orry reveals his US citizenshipBusiness Today: celebrities without an Indian passport (2024) |
| Sunny LeoneActor | CanadaReported by several outlets | Born Karenjit Kaur Vohra in Sarnia, Ontario; Canadian by birth and also American. One profile says she holds an OCI card. | Wikipedia: Sunny Leone |
| Nora FatehiActor and dancer | CanadaReported by several outlets | Born in Toronto to Moroccan parents; Canadian. Some listings add Moroccan citizenship, but no reliable source confirms it. | Wikipedia: Nora FatehiSiasat: actors who can’t vote in India |
| Lisa RayActor and model | CanadaReported by several outlets | Born in Toronto to a Bengali father and a Polish mother; Canadian. | Wikipedia: Lisa Ray |
| Kalki KoechlinActor | FranceReported by several outlets | Born in Puducherry to French parents and raised in India; French, as Wikipedia records. She won a Special Jury Award at the 63rd National Film Awards (2016) for Margarita with a Straw. | Wikipedia: Kalki KoechlinWikipedia: Margarita with a Straw |
| Elli AvrRamActor | SwedenReported by several outlets | Swedish and Greek: a Swedish mother and a Greek father. Grew up in Stockholm and came to Mumbai in 2012 on a tourist visa, later working on a work visa. | Wikipedia: Elli AvrRamSheThePeople: non-Indian actors in Bollywood |
| Jacqueline FernandezActor | Sri LankaReported by several outlets | Sri Lankan; born in Manama, Bahrain, to a Sri Lankan father. Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2006. | Wikipedia: Jacqueline FernandezThe Quint: stars who can’t vote in India |
| Ileana D’CruzActor | PortugalReported by several outlets | Born in Mumbai to a Goan Catholic father; an Indian citizen until 2014 and Portuguese since. Portugal lets people born in Goa before 1961, and two generations after them, register as Portuguese. | Wikipedia: Ileana D’CruzHerald Goa: Portuguese passports for Goans |
| The Great KhaliWrestler | United StatesReported by several outlets | Dalip Singh Rana, from Himachal Pradesh; an Indian citizen until 2014. He was sworn in as a US citizen in Houston on 20 February 2014, WWE reported with photos of the ceremony. | WWE: The Great Khali becomes a US citizenWikipedia: The Great Khali |
| Shirley SetiaSinger and actor | New ZealandReported by several outlets | Born in Daman and raised in Auckland, where her family emigrated; a New Zealand citizen. She became known for cover songs on YouTube before acting in Hindi and Telugu films. | Wikipedia: Shirley SetiaIndia Forums: Shirley Setia |
| Vinod AdaniElder brother of Gautam Adani | CyprusReported by several outlets | Dubai-based. Granted Cypriot citizenship in November 2016 under the “golden passport” scheme Cyprus scrapped in 2020, according to leaked records reported by OCCRP and The Indian Express. | Scroll: Vinod Adani among 66 Indians with Cyprus passportsWikipedia: Vinod Adani |
| Mehul ChoksiJeweller wanted in the PNB fraud case | Antigua and BarbudaReported by several outlets | Granted Antiguan citizenship in November 2017 and left India in January 2018; surrendered his Indian passport in 2019. Antigua’s prime minister said in 2019 the citizenship would be revoked, which he has challenged. Arrested in Belgium in April 2025 on India’s extradition request. | Gulf News: Choksi opts for Antigua & BarbudaInvestment Migration Council: Antigua PM on revocationETV Bharat: arrested in Belgium (2025) |
| Prakash AmritrajTennis player | United StatesReported by several outlets | Vijay Amritraj’s son, born in California. He played 10 Davis Cup ties for India until December 2008, when the sports ministry ruled that only Indian citizens could represent India; he kept his American citizenship. | Sowetan: Indian ace floored by new rule (2009)Deccan Herald: ministry firm on its policyGulf Times: India backtracked on passport rule |
| Lalit ModiFounder of the IPL | VanuatuReported by several outlets | He took Vanuatu citizenship by investment and in March 2025 applied at the High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport; India said it would examine the request. Days later Vanuatu’s prime minister ordered his Vanuatu passport cancelled, saying avoiding extradition is not a reason for citizenship; the citizenship commission was reported to be waiting on the courts. No report says either step was completed. If both go through he would hold no passport at all. He says no Indian court has a case pending against him personally. | Vanuatu PMO: Prime Minister orders cancellation of passportDeccan Herald: Lalit Modi seeks to surrender Indian passportIMI Daily: commission to await the courtsTribune: Lalit Modi applies to surrender Indian passportOnmanorama: Vanuatu revokes citizenship (Mar 2025) |
| Akshay KumarActor | Indian, from CanadaTheir own statement or an official record | Took Canadian citizenship in 2011. Applied to become Indian again in 2019 and posted his citizenship certificate on 15 August 2023: “Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani.” | Business Standard: Akshay Kumar gets Indian citizenshipScroll: renounces Canadian citizenship |
| Adnan SamiSinger and composer | Indian, from PakistanTheir own statement or an official record | His Pakistani passport expired in 2015 and was not renewed. The Home Ministry granted him Indian citizenship from 1 January 2016. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020. | The Peninsula: Adnan Sami receives citizenship certificateDeccan Herald: Padma Shri row (2020) |
| Sonia GandhiCongress leader | Indian, from ItalyReported by several outlets | Born in Italy; granted Indian citizenship on 30 April 1983, 15 years after marrying Rajiv Gandhi. A complaint about her name on the 1980 electoral roll, before that date, is before a Delhi court. | The Week: citizenship and the electoral roll (2025)Tribune: court reserves order on the complaint |
| Arata IzumiFootballer | Indian, from JapanReported by several outlets | Born in Japan to an Indian father. Gave up his Japanese passport for Indian citizenship on 24 August 2012 and played for India from 2013. | WIFA: Arata now an Indian citizen |
| Ryan WilliamsFootballer | Indian, from AustraliaReported by several outlets | Played once for Australia in 2019. Gave up his Australian passport to play for India, through his India-born mother, in November 2025. | beIN Sports: Williams switches to India |
| Deepika PadukoneActor | MythTheir own statement or an official record | Often listed as Danish because she was born in Copenhagen. She has said she holds an Indian passport, and has voted in India. One 2018 report said she also has a Danish passport. | The Quint: fact check (2024) |
| Rahul GandhiLeader of the Opposition | Unproven claimReported by several outlets | Petitions alleging British citizenship, based on a UK company filing, have been dismissed. The Allahabad High Court let the latest go in 2026 after the petitioners produced no documents. | LiveLaw: Allahabad HC dismisses plea (2026)Deccan Herald: SC dismisses 2019 plea |
| Nirav ModiJeweller wanted in the PNB fraud case | RefusedReported by several outlets | Vanuatu turned down his application for citizenship on probity grounds months before India acted against him in 2018. | The Wire: Vanuatu refused Nirav Modi |
| Zubin MehtaConductor | Kept Indian passportTheir own statement or an official record | Has lived abroad since the 1950s and holds a US green card, but kept his Indian citizenship. “I don’t change my passport,” he said in 2024. | The Week: PTI interview (2024) |
| Amartya SenEconomist, Nobel 1998 | Kept Indian passportReported by several outlets | Has worked in Britain and the US since 1972 and kept only his Indian passport; his CV lists Indian citizenship. | Literary Review: A Professor’s ProgressColumbia: Sen CV (2013)Wikipedia: Indian Nobel laureates |
Sources and method +
- Names: people whose public life is in India and who are reported to hold a foreign passport, or to have given one up to become Indian, from news reports, fact checks, reference works and their own statements, up to 15 October 2026. People known for living abroad, such as Sundar Pichai or Satya Nadella, are left out.
- How sure: their own statement or an official record; reported, where several outlets or reference works agree; a question mark where there is one source only, or sources disagree.
- “Often said, but not so” lists names that are widely said to hold a foreign passport, with what the record shows.
- Law: section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 ends Indian citizenship on taking another; OCI status is granted under section 7A.
- Map: Natural Earth 1:110m countries, with India from the site’s state boundaries. Flags: flag-icons (MIT licence).
- Two flags on a portrait mean two foreign citizenships, where reported: Sunny Leone (Canadian and American) and Elli AvrRam (Swedish and Greek).
- Photos: Wikimedia Commons unless noted, cropped. Alia Bhatt: Gabriel Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 4.0; Soni Razdan: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Katrina Kaif: Silverscreen Media, CC BY-SA 3.0; Amy Jackson: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Imran Khan: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Nargis Fakhri: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Orry: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Sunny Leone: Verghese TK, CC BY-SA 4.0; Nora Fatehi: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Lisa Ray: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Kalki Koechlin: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Elli AvrRam: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Jacqueline Fernandez: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0; Ileana D’Cruz: Supplied by the publisher; The Great Khali: Supplied by the publisher; Shirley Setia: Supplied by the publisher; Mehul Choksi: Supplied by the publisher; Prakash Amritraj: Supplied by the publisher; Lalit Modi: topnews.in, CC BY 3.0; Akshay Kumar: Vice President’s Secretariat, GODL-India; Adnan Sami: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, GODL-India; Sonia Gandhi: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, GODL-India; Arata Izumi: Rudra Nayan Das, CC BY 3.0; Ryan Williams: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0; Deepika Padukone: Narendra Modi, CC BY 3.0; Rahul Gandhi: Himanshu Arya Khowal, CC BY 4.0; Nirav Modi: Supplied by the publisher; Zubin Mehta: Tino Barindelli collection, Public domain; Amartya Sen: Elke Wetzig (Elya), CC BY-SA 3.0.