Indian minister to the rescue on Twitter for emergency UAE visa
dubai — Tweets from Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj helped an Indian woman expedite a visit visa, to visit her critical husband admitted at a hospital in Dubai, UAE.
Diplomatic missions, prompted by a tweet from the Swaraj, intervened to help process a UAE visit visa for Garima (Twitter handle: @agg_garim) over the weekend. Garima’s tweets addressed to the minister revealed that her husband had suffered a brain stroke and required an urgent visa under medical emergency.
Garima, who has been actively tweeting about her husband’s situation since January 17, revealed that her husband could’ve suffered an Ischaemic stroke.
She tweeted @SushmaSwaraj on Thursday night, “Dear @SushmaSwaraj mam, my husband is in critical condition in Dubai, brain stroke.
I applied for an urgent visa under medical emergency. Though I hope the visa should come any moment, mam, please help. Mam, tomorrow UAE embassy is closed for Friday. Please help.”
Her tweet was retweeted over 1,500 times, and the minister replied to her tweets early Saturday morning, saying: “I am sorry to know this. Rest assured we will definitely help you.” Tagging the Consulate General of India’s Twitter handle, Swaraj urged Consulate General Vipul to look into the matter. She tweeted again saying, “I have also asked Vipul our @ cgidubai to provide all help to your husband in the hospital and keep you informed.”
Officials at the CGI revealed that Garima’s visa was processed and she travelled to the UAE after just a couple of hours. An official at the Consulate said, “Our representatives have also visited the hospital and met their relatives.”
Replying to Khaleej Times, Garima also revealed that her husband’s condition has improved since Friday afternoon.