E-Paper
Australia grants Indian man special visa to attend father’s funeral
The Australian government, on Friday, granted a special visa to a 26-year-old Indian man who risked being blocked from coming back to the country if he escorted his dead father’s body to India.
In a humanitarian gesture, the Australian government, on Friday, granted a special visa to a 26-year-old Indian man who risked being blocked from coming back to the country if he escorted his dead father’s body to India.
Jaspal Singh was waiting for his father and mother at the Melbourne airport when his father collapsed at the arrival on Monday due to a suspected heart attack. He died at the scene, despite efforts to revive him by the paramedics.
The family was making arrangements for the funeral in India and Singh was planning to escort the body back home. However, Singh’s visa was said to be a complicated one and he was at risk of being blocked to return back to Australia.
According to his lawyers, the visa could only be approved by Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton.
Singh’s visa had expired for three weeks in 2013 after his separation with his former partner and he had applied for a new visa with his new wife.
His lawyers, according to an ABC report, said that he was granted a new visa after an appeal from his family.
The visa will allow him to return to Australia after he escorts his father’s body home to India.
