Home is where the heart is. Saying ‘Home is where the sustenance is’ is more appropriate in unprecedented times when fears of losing jobs and the visa status are looming large for a sizeable number of H1B visa holders who are currently stuck amid the lockdown in India. They have been interminably waiting, with their fingers crossed, for the lockdown to be lifted and international flights to be resumed.
But it seems that there is yet no hearing on the plight of H1B visa holders in the court of the Almighty, as India further extended the lockdown until May 17 in all COVID19 red zones including major cities with the continued restrictions on international travel.
Picture Credit: Tnls.com
An Atlanta-based NRI family of three members, including an H1B professional, his wife and a 3-year-old daughter, is stuck in India for the most obvious reason – travel restrictions. They are on the verge of losing the legal status in the United States due to the inevitable expiration of H1B visa in June 2020. They have to return to the US before or on June 6. But how? The H1B visa member of the family is not allowed to work remotely, so he has been on unpaid leave to this day.
Nitin Kaushik (name changed) on H1B visa, who came to visit his parents in India and got stuck amid the lockdown, has lost his job in the USA. His dependent wife and kid are in New Jersey and paying the bills from the depleting family savings. He needs to travel back to the US and get a job before his legal status expires in June 2020.
More than 200,000 H1B workers are facing the prospect of losing legal status by the end of June 2020, according to immigration policy analysts.
With the further extension of lockdown in India overshadowing chances for resumption of travel between India and USA, the H1B workers who are stuck in India have started pulling out all the stops to go back to the US and save their jobs or legal status. The plan that they are putting together is to charter a plane to fly back to the US. A charter flight from India to the US will cost them $900,000 (which equals to nearly 7 crore rupees).
An H1B visa professional, who is currently in Hyderabad, got the quote for a charter flight from a California-based company. Hundreds of H1B visa holders stuck across India responded to his social media posts seeking to full up a Boeing 767 with 278 seats. Some of them have been working from India, but they are not sure whether they will be allowed to continue working remotely.
They were not eligible for repatriation flights that the US government arranged for American citizens stranded in India. They have no way other than a charter flight to exit India and enter the US amid the continued travel restrictions. But there is yet no permission for charter flights. The government of India should come to their rescue and coordinate with the US State of Department to find a way out. If Indian government can plan to arrange repatriation flights for Indians stranded in the USA and other countries, why not operate direct Air India flights to the US where there is sustenance for H1B visa holders who are stuck in India?
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Hi guys,
Am very much interested to back to USA.
Pls give us more details on this
Thank you
Hey Vish. Please contact me I might be able to help. My Whatsapp no. Is +1-786-468-1782. Thanks
My situation is also the same. If any flight are scheduled to repartition stranded people in India to USA. Please let me know.
Hello Preeti. I might be able to help you in this situation. Please Email or whatsapp Me at +-786-468-1782. Thanks
Hi,
This is Anil here from Hyderabad. I work in USA and I came to India in Feb end to pay a visit to my ill sister. But I was not able to go back to USA due to lockdown. I have left my wife alone there in USA, and she is currently ill due to sever gastric ulcer problems with no one to take care. I want to reach out this person who is planning a charted flight to USA. Is there any way that I can reach the person out or may be give my contact details to them to reach me out.
My Phone number is +91 9493042359. Please help. My wife needs be there.
Looking for the info on this travel
I came to attend my fathers funeral in March. I am a researcher and cannot work remotely. Consulate is closed so I don’t have H1b visa stamped. The situation is horrific. Government should help!
Similar situation with me. a family of 4 and was visiting an ailing family member. now stuck in India due to lockdown.
same here. any update anybody knows on the travel to US, please post here.
I am very much interested. 3 passengers.
Hi guys,
I am very much interested to back to USA. I have valid visa. I came from USA and I stuck here.
Pls give us more details on this.
Thanks.
I am interested in flying back to USA as well. Please give me more details.
Hello India Eagle
I came to India for VISA stamping and got stuck need to get back to USA please let me know if you have any updates on travel back to US.
Thanks
Netajee Padala
Hi! Many people like you are stuck amid the lockdown in India. FYI, Indian government is allowing those with one year valid visa to travel on outbound flights which are arranged for repatriation of Indian nationals from abroad.
I work in California and am currently in Mumbai.
My passport and visa (dropbox; status shows approved) are still at the US Embassy at Mumbai.
I need to get back to California soon. Anyone in a similar situation?
Hello Vineeta. I might be able to help you in this situation. Please Email or whatsapp Me at +-786-468-1782. Thanks
I came for my brother marriage on mar 1 and struck here. I request govt to resume the flights
Hi Venkata! We’re very sorry for you. Perhaps, you don’t know that you can apply for the outbound flights that Indian government and Air India are arranging for repatriation of Indians stranded abroad. Air India’s special flights for USA are carrying those stuck in India, with at least one-year valid US visa.
Hi,
Does Air India allowing H1 and H4 visa people to travel in vande bharat flights let me know.
I came India for my visa stamping in march and stuck due to lockdown. I have visa till end of this year. Is there any possibility to travel back to US.
does anyone know how easy it is to get on these repatriation flights?
This is good initiative. I am also in the same situation. VISA expiring in Mid-June and wife stuck in US with 1 kid.
Thanks for taking this up
Hello Parikshit. I might be able to help you in this situation. Please Email or whatsapp Me at +-786-468-1782. Thanks
i want to go to USA to be with daughter. i have visa valid for 6 years. i am also interested in joining the chartered flight. Two persons
My husband is stuck in india ,myself and my son are alone in usa waiting for him to come back.
Please let me know if you know any chartered flights to us from india.That will be great help.
Hello! I’m also looking at reuniting with my family in US. I’m not eligible for the repatriation flights as my H4 expires in July 2020. Appreciate any information on the chartered flights.
Thanks!
I’m very much interested , family for 4 (2 adults , 1 toddler , 1 infant).
Im stuck in India as well and searching for options to go back. Please let me know if any options are available
Hi,I am very much interested.I am single and need to return back urgently.Please help.
HI,
I want to travel to India in May 2021. I have to go for VISA stamping. When will the US embassies in India open?
Hi Ethel! FYI, U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the U.S. Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai have resumed some routine services. Hope they will resume operations in a full-fledged manner by the time you will travel to India. Please check this page https://in.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ for more information.
Im interested in traveling back to USA> Please provide details
I need to go back to US. My H1B is valid for another 3months. Please let me know the possibilities.
Hi Srikanth! You can travel to the US under current travel restrictions If your spouse or kid is a US citizen or Green Card holder. Please be advised to go through https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/usa-india-air-travel-restrictions/