HC reprieve for 19-year-old stranded in Dubai amid coronavirus outbreak

The Bombay high court on Wednesday came to the rescue of a 19-year-old woman stranded in Dubai, because of entry restrictions imposed by the Central government,

The Bombay high court on Wednesday came to the rescue of a 19-year-old woman stranded in Dubai, because of entry restrictions imposed by the Central government, given the novel coronavirus outbreak.

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A division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice RI Chagla directed the bureau of immigration to grant a temporary visa to the US national for entering India, primarily given her young age, and the fact that she was stranded in the country without any family member accompanying her.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by the mother of the 19-year-old, seeking a direction to immigration authorities to allow her daughter to enter India. The petitioner woman said while she is an Indian citizen, her daughter was born in the USA, and hence she is an American citizen.

She added that her daughter had boarded a flight from Boston on March 12, but at Dubai, she was not allowed to board her connecting flight to Mumbai, as the entry restrictions imposed by the Central government in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, had come into effect by midnight of March 13.

Under a consolidated travel advisory issued by the Central government on March 11, all visas granted for entry into India have been suspended till April 15 because of the spread of Covid-19. The woman complained that she had requested the Indian diplomatic mission in Dubai to consider her daughter’s situation, but they refused to assist, thus compelling her to move the high court.

The bench allowed the woman’s plea, observing that when it comes to implementing such advisories what need to be considered is the time of departure from the original port, and not the time of arrival.

“The petitioner’s daughter cannot be denied boarding her onward flight to Mumbai, nor can the respondents deny her a visa and leave her stranded in Dubai, away from her family and permanent place of residence in India,” said the bench.

The court directed the bureau of immigration to allow the stranded woman, who is pursuing her higher education in America, to return to Mumbai.