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Neelam Shinde’s family was granted US visa on Friday after MEA took up the matter with the United States, seeking their early travel permit.
Neelam Shinde’s family gets US visa (ANI Image)
After days of struggle to get an urgent visa to the US, Neelam Shinde’s family was granted an urgent travel permit on Friday, bringing them hopes to see their ailing daughter, who is battling for her life in the ICU of a California hospital.
This came a day after the Ministry of External Affairs took up the matter with the US, seeking an early grant of visa to the family.
Neelam, who hails from Maharashtra and has been living in the US for four years, met with an accident on February 14 and underwent brain surgery. She has been in a coma due to a blow to her chest. The family has been seeking an urgent visa, but the next available slot for appointment was next year, prompting them to urge the government for help in the matter.
As they were granted visas today, a day after getting a call from the US Embassy in Mumbai for a visa interview, they expressed gratitude to the central and state governments for their assistance. They also thanked NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule for raising the matter with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
However, they also detailed how they lost hope at one point of not being able to see Neelam again.
Family Thanks Govt
“We have got the Visa, and we will be going (to the US) tomorrow. Both the Maharashtra and Central governments heard us and we got the Visa… When CM Devendra Fadnavis came to know about the incident, he helped us get the Visa. Everyone, including Supriya Sule, helped us,” Tanaji Shinde, Neelam’s father, said.
#WATCH | Accident of Indian student Neelam Shinde in the US | In Mumbai, Tanaji Shinde, Neelam’s father, says, “We have got the Visa, and we will be going (to the US) tomorrow. Both, Maharashtra and Central governments heard us and we got the Visa… When CM Devendra Fadnavis… pic.twitter.com/V7OQaZIg7H— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2025
Notably, Sule had taken up the matter with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, stating that he is “very empathetic” whenever it comes to Indian students abroad.
The victim’s cousin, Gaurav, who would accompany Tanaji Shinde to the US, said that the visa interview process was smooth and thanked the media, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and NCP SP leader Supriya Sule for their assistance in the matter.
He said that they will also be taking a loan of Rs 5-6 lakh to the US as they are not aware of the hospital bills.
“If the government helps us financially, it would be great,” Gaurav told NDTV.
Detailing their struggle to get a visa initially, he said that they were not “entertained” when they earlier came to the office for visa application and were told to be taken away by the police “if we kept waiting here”.
“We then went back home. We thought we would not see her,” he said.
He said that Neelam’s friend provided assistance to the family during this period when they tried to get the visa interview.
“We are thankful to the media. Because of your media and the government, the process was smooth,” Gaurav said.
He also appealed to the government to change the visa process for emergency situations.
