Covid-19: UAE expats long for early reunion with children stuck abroad

Nourhan Sherif was all set to fly home to her family in Dubai on March 24 when the UAE announced the suspension of entry for residency visa holders and airspace closure as a swift move to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Ever since she has been stuck in Budapest where she is doing her masters in Sociology. "The situation is not really good. Almost the whole of Europe is in lockdown. All borders are closed. I was in a panic and wanted to come back to Dubai, but it was too late," Nourhan, 25, told Khaleej Times over the phone.

"I grew up in Dubai and that is my home and where my family is. I miss being in the UAE, where we feel the safest. I think things are well managed in the UAE and I would have access to things like medical care," Nourhan said.

Though she is holding up on her own, Nourhan's father Sheriff Zakaria has been spending sleepless nights in Dubai. "We understand the situation. But, it is a big worry for her, especially since it is the first time that she is staying abroad," said Zakaria from Egypt. "We also worry about her contracting an infection and not able to access good medical care. We just want the situation to normalise as soon as possible. This uncertainty is killing us."
'Hope is all we have'
The anxiety and distress are shared by scores of parents whose children are stranded abroad and unable to return due to international flight suspension in the wake of the global spread of Covid-19. Many have registered on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Twajudi service to expedite the repatriation of their children who have valid resident visas. And the recent announcement of resumption of limited passenger flights by Emirates Airline to select destinations has given renewed hope to many parents.

Rahul Patil, whose 18-year-old daughter Lubdha Rahul is stranded in the UK, said he has asked his daughter to stay in London so that it is easier to take a flight to Dubai when flights resume. "There is hope. That is all we have," said Patil, a long-time resident of Dubai. "I am a distressed father who is worried about the emotional well-being of my daughter. She was crying over the phone but now has accepted the situation."

Patil said he is really concerned that by the time there may be some arrangements, the UK might shut the international borders too.

Hayley Maria James is another Dubai parent, who is pinning her hope on flight resumption to reunite with her daughter stuck in Malaysia. "Our children are not capable of managing these kinds of situations alone. They need to be with their parents in this crisis.

"We understand that there are measures being taken by the UAE government to assist, but we would appreciate if the children are not clubbed with the 29,000 resident visa holders waiting to return. On compassionate grounds, we request the government to consider open a window to allow kids to come back to their families," said Hayley.

Thanks to Botim, WhatsApp and other communication tools, parents are trying to remain in touch and help their children emotionally.

"I am up at 5am every day and I speak to my daughter until late at night. That is the best I can do to keep her spirits up. I know she is really depressed but putting up a brave face in front of me," said Zohra Jabeen, a mother from Abu Dhabi.

Her daughter Rima is in Indiana, US, and was doing her foundation course for medicine. "We are checking the flight schedule every day and is hoping that flights will resume sooner or later. Till then, we are clinging to hope," said the mother.

anjana@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai

Anjana Sankar

anjana@khaleejtimes.com