Students in the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) category are waiting their turn to return home to their families in India from the UK.
According to the regulations issued by the Indian government last month and updated last week, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards, that provide visa-free travel privileges to the people of Indian-origin, have been suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our plight is no different from the struggles being faced by Indian students who hold Indian passports – India is home for all us,” says Tridip, an undergraduate at SOAS University of London.
“Yes, air travel at this point of time may be a risk but we are of course ready to take all precautionary measures and undergo the mandatory quarantine period upon arrival in India,” adds the 18-year-old.
“Having lived in India for the greater part of my life, India is home to me as much as it is to an Indian citizen, and just as any Indian citizen wishes for the comfort of home and family, so do I. I can only hope that the government reviews its policy on OCI holders and appeal to them to include us in their repatriation plans,” says Atulit, an under-graduate student at Imperial College London.
Bianta, a student at Bangor University in Wales, adds: “Along with all of the mental stress, financially the UK is too expensive. In the coming weeks my rental agreement will expire, after which I will have nowhere to go.
“I cannot continue funding myself here in the UK as I only planned to be here till May marking the end of my course. Please help us get home. The colour of my passport does not define where my home is.”
Over 2,200 Indian nationals stranded in the UK due to the COVID-19 related international travel restrictions have been flown back home during the first phase of India’s biggest ever repatriation exercise, Vande Bharat Mission.
As all commercial international flights continue to be grounded, the second phase of the mission with a total of 149 flights is aimed at bringing back Indians from 40 countries.
On landing in India, these travellers have a 14-day quarantine requirement at venues organised by the respective state governments.
