Highlights
- Mother and kids stuck in India granted exemption after 12 failed attempts
- The family has been separated over seven months
- The exemption granted on compassionate grounds
Ms Sameera is stuck with her kids in Bellary, Karnataka, the Southern state in India. While her husband is in Sydney employed on a Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482).
“We packed up our life in Johannesburg and were moving to a new life in Australia when COVID-19 pandemic derailed our plans,” Ms Sameera told SBS Hindi from India.
“My husband is employed with the Tata Consultancy Services in Sydney. We decided to go to India for a short holiday while he moved to Sydney to look for accommodation. The plan was to join him at the end of March but the borders shut down before we could make it to Sydney,” Ms Sameera says.
The family have spent the last seven months apart and the separation has taken a big toll on the kids, Ms Sameera says.
“My younger one is very attached to his father and he keeps asking when are we going, are we going at all?”
Her application seeking exemption from the travel ban was finally approved this month after 12 attempts.
“We never gave up. After each rejection, we started the process again. It was draining so my husband and I took turns. If my application was rejected, he would start the next application process. I am relieved we have the exemption now,” she says.
Ms Sameera says she stressed on adhering to quarantining on arrival and cooperating in the process in her last application which was approved on compassionate grounds.
Her message to those still seeking exemption is to make it clear how the family is suffering and how they are willing to follow the quarantine requirements.
“And maybe it was a little bit of luck but we just kept reapplying. So never give up,” she says.
The family hopes to reunite in Sydney soon as the caps on international flights are increasing from next week.
“We are now working towards getting the flight tickets. The kids are thrilled,” she says.
Australia closed its borders to all non-citizens and non-residents on March 20, 2020.
Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family, including spouses, legal guardians and dependents are allowed to enter Australia.
Non-citizens and temporary visa holders who want to travel to Australia need to seek an exemption from current travel restrictions.
According to the ABF, these exemptions are available to visa-holders who are providing critical or specialist medical services, work in a critical sector, are part of armed forces, or need to travel for compassionate and compelling reasons.
Compassionate and compelling reasons include needing to travel due to the death or critical illness of a close family member.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
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