Urgent intervention of the ministry is required to alleviate the pressing concerns of Indian expatriates in Kuwait- Pravasi Legal Cell

Kuwait : In a petition from the Pravasi Legal Cell, requested to External Affairs Minister Dr Jayashankar, Civil Aviation Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and the External Affairs secretary,should take immediate action to address the concerns of Indian expatriates in Kuwait from the Central Government.The concern of the Indian expatriates is that due to the travel ban imposed on direct entry from India and 33 other countries to State of Kuwait, they are left with no option but to stop at Dubai or other cities in UAE/other countries and return to Kuwait after complying with all the necessary health and other COVID related protocols. It is though been seen that a large section of Indian expatriates who are staying in Dubai and other cities are returning to India from Dubai and other cities due to high medical expenses and travel fare to Kuwait from those cities, and in many cases due to non-availability of flights during the validity period of their visiting visa.The other concern is that many expatriates who are in India and are now not in a position to travel to Kuwait as their visa has expired, have not got their service benefits from the organisations where they were working. Requested ministry to step in the aforesaid issue and make arrangements for stay and compliance of the protocols in other countries (other than UAE) where Kuwait has not imposed a ban.There is also a need to engage in deliberations to reduce the air fare for Indian expatriates from stop destinations (like UAE) to Kuwait. A special direction must also be issued to our Indian Embassy in Kuwait to intervene in cases where an Indian expatriate who is in India and has not got employment benefits receives it. There are also many among the expatriates who are stranded in India and have taken loans from banks and financial institutions in Kuwait. It is requested to the ministry to engage with the Government of Kuwait for granting extension of time for repayment of loan and further for directions to banks and financial organisation in Kuwait to refrain from taking any legal steps for recovery of loan payment. Many among the expatriates stranded in India also have vehicles or other immovable property in Kuwait. The properties they own in Kuwait can only be passed to someone else if they get concession from the Government of Kuwait. A discourse with the concerned authorities in Kuwait by representatives of Indian Embassy in Kuwait and officials of the Ministry will be needed for the same.Furthermore, an intervention is required from the Ministry so that the families of the expatriates who lost their lives due to Covid -19 in Kuwait can get their employment benefits to the earliest.In view of the above mentioned circumstances, the Pravasi Legal Cell, Kuwait chapter, urges quick intervention from your ministry in the aforementioned issues, which affects the livelihood of scores of Indian expatriates who in particular were working in Kuwait but are presently stranded in India. The petition was filed jointly by Pravasi Legal Cell Global President Adv: Jose Abraham and Pravasi Legal Cell Kuwait Country head Mr.Babu Francis