The visit of a Karachi-born Australian national, who has roots in Goa, has been stalled, pending security clearance from the Union Home Ministry, the State Commission for NRI Affairs said on Thursday.

Pakistan-born Marco Monteiro (21) is one of the eight students who are slated to attend the 12th Know Goa Program organised by the commission, NRI Affairs director Anthony D'Souza said. "However, the Union Ministry for Home Affairs is yet to give security clearance to Marco for his visit to India. The ministry has been very sensitive about national security," D'Souza said.

Marco was born on October 3, 1998 in Karachi and later moved to Australia with his mother, the official said, adding that he now holds Australian citizenship. The Know Goa Program has been organised for the youth belonging to Goan diaspora, who are born abroad and are foreign nationals, but whose parents or ancestors are of Goan origin, the official said.

This year, eight students from Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and Portugal are slated to visit Goa, Delhi and Agra for the programme, which is scheduled to be held from January 4 to 18, he said. Marco's grandfather Jose Monteiro was born at Taleigao town in Panaji on March 13, 1885 and died in 1921, D'Souza added.