(File photo)
WASHINGTON: Many Indians, mostly on H-1B visa, have said that they feel being left out as their US-born children are ineligible to travel to India due to the restrictions put in place by the Indian government in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Vande Bharat mission, launched last month, is the Indian government’s largest-ever exercise to repatriate its nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown. Over 1.07 lakh people have so far returned to the country under the programme.
Anguraj Kailasam, who is now out of status in the US as her work visa has expired, requested the Indian government to allow minors of Indians with visas to travel in the Vande Bharat mission as well.
The US laws expect her to leave the country as soon as possible, but the current Indian law would not allow her with her US-born daughter.
“She (daughter) has an entry and emergency visa, but due to the current travel visa restrictions, we cannot go back to India since all visas are suspended by the government of India,” Anguraj said.
“The Indian consulate considered my request for an emergency visa and they approved it last week, but even with that I cannot travel unless visa restrictions are relaxed for categories like emergency/entry visa,” she said.
Gop