A report by The Times of India about an unnamed Indian singer who reportedly acquired US citizenship in 2022 has raised questions over compliance with immigration rules during visits to India. While the report does not identify the singer, its details have drawn attention to Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, who was reported to have acquired US citizenship around 2022.
According to the TOI report published on 28 October 2026, the singer had been visiting India since acquiring US citizenship without his stays being reported through the mandatory Form C. The report did not name the singer, and records confirming the details of his previous visits were reportedly unavailable.
The issue surfaced during the singer’s latest visit to Agra, when hotel staff alerted the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) after he initially failed to provide identification documents.
The singer reportedly checked into a prominent Agra hotel between 4 pm and 6 pm on Monday, 6 October 2026. His Aadhaar card was presented around three hours later. Following a follow-up by FRRO officials, the hotel submitted Form C after midnight on Tuesday, by which time the singer had checked out.
According to the report, the singer told officials that he had never filled out Form C during his earlier visits to India. The Agra filing was reportedly the first time his stay had been formally recorded through the form.
The unnamed singer, described as a former Indian citizen who had acquired US citizenship around 2022, reportedly entered India through Mumbai on a business visa on October 26. He was visiting for scheduled performances in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other cities.
What the Form C rules Require
Under Rule 17 of the Immigration and Foreigners Rules, 2025, accommodation providers must electronically submit Form III, formerly known as Form C, within 24 hours of a foreign national’s check-in and check-out. The requirement applies regardless of the duration of the stay and covers foreign nationals, including Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and minors.
The Bureau of Immigration also requires accommodation providers to take a live photograph of each foreign guest at reception for identity verification. Foreign guests must furnish the details requested by the accommodation provider.
The rules place the responsibility for submitting the form on the accommodation provider, while requiring foreign guests to supply the necessary information.
Questions Over Aadhaar Use and Monument Entry Fees
The report also raised questions about the singer’s use of an Aadhaar card issued when he was an Indian citizen.
A Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) official told TOI that Aadhaar establishes identity, not citizenship. Foreign nationals can apply for Aadhaar after residing in India for 182 days, with its validity linked to their visa.
The official alleged that the absence of a provision requiring people to surrender Aadhaar after a change in citizenship status had enabled its misuse. However, the report did not establish that the singer had deliberately misused the document.
Intelligence sources further alleged that the singer visited an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument in Agra such as the Taj Mahal using an Aadhaar card issued when he was an Indian citizen, thereby avoiding the higher entry fee applicable to foreign tourists.
According to the report, foreign tourists are charged ₹1,100 for entry, compared with ₹50 for domestic tourists. The report did not identify the monument or establish whether an official finding of deliberate fee evasion had been made.
While TOI did not name the singer, Diljit Dosanjh has been the subject of separate reporting about his US citizenship. In an earlier report, The Indian Express covered a question about his citizenship status, to which he responded with a joke about having a green card.
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