DESPERATION OVER FAMILIES AND JOBS
‘I came to India due to a family emergency’
Rohit Mahajan, 48, is in India since March 8 while his wife Shiwali, 42, daughter Kuhu,
16 and son Kush, 11, are in the UAE. “I came to India due to a family emergency. My father was admitted in ICU. He died on March 10. My wife is finding it difficult to manage on her own. I need to return to UAE,” he said.
His UAE residence visa expired on May 5. “Online I can see it has been extended until end of the year. With the new Indian rule in place, I am not sure now when I can travel. I hope the UAE and Indian governments work together to ensure those with expired visas are allowed to travel as this is an exceptional scenario,” he said.
‘I am on unpaid leave’
Ramakrishna Salunke , an optometrist at a private hospital in Abu Dhabi, came to India with his wife and one-year-old son on March
6 for his father’s surgery. His employment visa is expiring on June 13. “My wife who works as HR officer with another hospital in Abu Dhabi is also concerned with the long wait we are having to face to return home to UAE,” he said.
“I am currently on unpaid leave and I have financial commitments to fulfil there. Our son’s vaccination and health review is due since sometime. With the new Indian rule, we feel we are going to be stuck for a longer period.
“There has to be an urgent solution for people like us who are at no fault,” he added.
‘We need more clarity’
Mohammad Hassan Bengre from Karnataka is in a fix. His visa, and those of his wife and elder daughter are valid, but his two-year-old son’s visa is expiring on June 20. “I don’t know if my son will be allowed to travel back to the UAE. We need more clarity,” he said.
Bengre’s employer in Dubai is also putting pressure on him to return. “I cannot stay in India forever,” he said.
‘When will this end?’
Prashant Pandya, an engineer, is stuck in India for more than two months. His residence visa expired on May 12. “I have not been paid for the last two months, but I continue to pay my rent and utility bills. If this is not stressful enough, now I have to contend with the new Indian rule. I just don’t know when all this will end,” he said.