Twenty-six-year-old Karthik Margabandu, a skilled work visa holder who had been working in Australia for the past three years, went to India in March 2020 for his wedding. He was supposed to return to Australia three weeks later, but has been stranded in India for the past five months due to the COVID crisis.
"I really don't feel like I'm 'just married' as ever since my wedding in March my wife and I have been confined to our homes due to the lockdown conditions in Tamil Nadu," he said.
"Each and every day my conversations with my wife revolve around just one topic, 'How to get back to Australia'? That's it! We've been spending many sleepless nights preparing relevant documents for our travel exemption application.
"We talk, argue, and have been breaking our heads researching ways to be eligible for the exemption criteria. We are unusually stressed, unlike the usual chilled-out newly-wed couples because of the mounting anxiety over our return to Australia."
Karthik Margabandu Source: Supplied
Karthik's claim for travel exemption with Australia's Department Of Home Affairs has been rejected seven times, he says.
"It is really frustrating and we have been going through emotional breakdowns on and off all these months because of this recurrent refusal of travel exemption. As there is no clarity from the Australian government in regard to skilled visa holders' return, it's challenging for us to seek a job in India for a short period of time.
I already could feel the financial strain as I've been managing expenses both in India and Australia all these months.
"I have been spending $1,800 every month paying my house rent, electricity bills, and all other utility bills in Australia to retain my home and other valuables."
Karthik is stuck in Chennai which is one of the COVID hotspots in Tamil Nadu that has recorded over 90,000 COVID cases so far.
Though his exemption was denied Karthik says that applying for the travel exemption is the only way out from India.
"When I arrived in India in March for my wedding, I had no clue that I was going to face so many hardships in the coming days. I had to get special permission from the police for my wedding on March 22 when the nationwide curfew was imposed in India.
"First was the national lockdown for six weeks, then came the Australian border closures to non-permanent residents; India cancelled international flights, the extension of lockdown in India, multiple travel exemption rejections, Australian flight cap - we had to battle such a series of overwhelming barriers one after the other right after our wedding, which is too much for any 26-year-old who just got married with dreams of starting a new life in Australia.
Karthik Margabandu on his wedding day. Source: Supplied
"Covid-19 shattered all our plans and has given us challenges that we were not prepared for. But one thing that this pandemic taught us is persistence - I have been applying again and again for my travel exemptions as it is our only hope to return to Australia."
The IT professional hopes to fly from India to Australia in September despite the current demanding situation.
Until today, I continue to work from India for the Sydney-based company. My sleep schedule has been tossed upside down as I have to be up by 4.30 am every day for work.
"We hope that the Australian government understands the plight of the work visa holders and rethinks their decision of restricting the number of international arrivals as I look forward to getting back to Australia in September."
I am aware COVID cases are high in India, but I want to go home
Ummal Faziria, who came to visit her son in Australia in November 2019 had plans to get back to India in May this year.
But nothing goes to the plan during this pandemic.
The 56-year-old is stuck in Australia is wanting to get back to Tamil Nadu where over 2 lakh COVID cases have been recorded so far.
"Only for the past eight months I have been living here in Sydney but all my life for 56 years I have been residing in a small town, Naachiyaar Kovil, near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu," she told SBS Tamil.
"I was born and brought up there and right from school, college, marriage to raising all three children, I have spent many decades in the same place. So now when the people of my hometown are going through a difficult time during this pandemic, I think I need to be there with my people.
Ummal Faziria came to visit her son in Australia in November 2019. Source: Supplied
Her younger son and daughter are in India and she says she makes calls to them "every couple of hours" to ensure that they are safe.
"I cannot stop worrying about my friends, my children, grandchildren, family members, and my neighbours in Tamil Nadu, who have been facing day-to-day challenges in a state which has been in lockdown for over 130 days now. Recently when one of my relatives passed away in my hometown, I felt helpless sitting here," she said.
Ummal Faziria's return to India could be delayed further as her son Haja Najubudeen says that booking tickets for the available limited flights is a huge task.
"When I looked for flights, all the tickets of repatriation flights are sold out within minutes as thousands stranded in Australia look to return home. Many of my friends' parents, who are also desperate to go to India are planning travel via Dubai where they may stay for a couple of days and then board a flight to India. The one question that plagues the Indians here is "What if we get stuck in Australia for an extended period of time?' and this anxiety pushes them to look for all possible ways to fly back home."
A health worker checks the body temperature of a woman as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Chennai on July 30, 2020. Source: Getty
Ummal is aware that she is wanting to head to a country that has 1.8 million COVID cases but says that doesn't stop her from seeking to return home.
"Many say that Australia is safer than India as per the current situation. To my knowledge, I can say that there is no safer place in the world during a pandemic. Also, the Coronavirus is not going to disappear anytime soon so we have to move on with our lives by adapting to the new changes without complaining.
Everyday watching in the news about the soaring COVID cases in Tamil Nadu is worrisome which is only adding to my anxiety to reach home.
I am hoping to return to India as soon as possible."
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.
