US travel ban: American Senator helps unite Indian family separated by travel ban

An Indian family members divided because of to the new journey restrictions in see of the COVID-19 instances in India was united above the weekend for the reason that of the particular endeavours produced by a top rated Democratic American Senator Robert Menendez.

Software program options architect Ashu Mahajan, who is on H-1B visa, travelled to India on April 17 to see his ailing father just times in advance of his demise on April 21 from COVID-19. But ahead of he could return property to New Jersey, new pandemic limitations went into outcome forcing the closures of American embassies and consulates located in India.

As a really-qualified immigrant worker with an H1-B visa, Mahajan is needed to have his passport reviewed and stamped at an American embassy or consulate ahead of travelling to the US, but that the earliest he was instructed he could get an appointment was in February 2022.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that will allow US companies to use foreign employees in speciality occupations that demand theoretical or technological skills.

“Having the family members divided for so long would not only be a remarkable hardship-it would jeopardize the incredibly work that makes Mahajan’s H1-B position and his family’s lifetime here in The united states possible,” Menendez, who is Chairman of the potent Senate Overseas Relations Committee, advised reporters at Scotch Plains in New Jersey.

“I am amazingly proud of my staff members in New Jersey and in Washington with the Senate Overseas Relations Committee for doing the job jointly to carry Mr. Mahajan household. They arrived at out to the Condition Office. They made very clear all that was at stake in this situation, and they efficiently secured an expedited appointment at our embassy in New Delhi so that he could get that passport stamp and board a aircraft back again to The usa,” Menendez mentioned.

Menendez was joined by Mahajan along with his spouse Neha and two daughters, 15-yr-outdated Sanaa and nine-12 months-outdated Aishi, at the push convention in the vicinity of their Scotch Plains home to announce his secure return.

“When I was leaving for India, I understood my dad was unwell. I was still debating whether or not I need to go or not. If I go, I realized I would have visa troubles, but nevertheless, I took that choice for the reason that it was linked my dad,” mentioned Mahajan.

“Whilst he was in the hospital, I was not even imagining about visa issues. Following that, it hit me that I would be divided from my spouse and children for much more than a 12 months. At that time, I instructed Senator Menendez I turned so pessimistic about anything, irrespective of whether this is heading to come about or not. But thanks to Senator Menendez and his staff they have been reassuring us all this though and exhibiting us instructions on how to go about this,” he said.

“We seriously want to thank Senator Menendez and his employees. If it had been not for his assist and his office’s aid, I never know when I would see Mahajan,” stated Neha Mahajan.

“When the girls would see him. Every single evening we invested on two unique continents, my women would check with me, ‘When is daddy coming dwelling?’ And I seriously did not have an answer for them. Yesterday was probably the to start with evening when I noticed him and I was ready to rest in peace due to the fact for the duration of a pandemic we are all heading through a large amount. And immigration linked matters are the previous kinds that you have to have to effects and keep us divided,” Neha advised reporters.

Hundreds of Indians on H-1B visas have been going through comparable situations as a final result of the travel limitations imposed on those people coming to the US from India.

The Mahajan’s have been caught for just about a ten years in the immigration backlog following they legally immigrated to the US via the H1-B visa programme and used and capable in 2012 for eco-friendly playing cards, Menendez’s business reported.

Their youngest daughter, Aisha, is an American citizen, which was a element that the US Condition Office viewed as in expediting her father’s case.

“Ironically, had the household gained their green cards and long lasting resident standing in a well timed method, Ashu Majahan hardly ever would have confronted his predicament due to the fact he would not have been needed to get his passport stamped in advance of travelling household to New Jersey,” claimed his office.