“I first met Yellaiah when in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic we were distributing food packets for people living on the streets,” says Rupesh Mehta, a volunteer working with Jain Seva Mission. “I spoke to people who I thought were in need of help. And even amongst those who needed help themselves, they all wanted me to make sure that Yellaiah goes back home to his family.”

Rupesh sought help from other civil society organisations to help Yellaiah attain an emergency certificate and an eventual repatriation.

The issuance of an Emergency Certificate or EC (a temporary one-way travel document called a White Passport) was possible only if Yellaiah submitted previous passport details of when he entered the UAE 16 years ago.

Yellaiah had no evidence other than a voter ID card and ration card to prove his nationality.

The search for details about his previous passport were further made difficult by the COVID-19 related restrictions in Hyderabad.

In an e-mail sent to the Regional Passport Officer in Hyderabad, migrant rights activist Bheem Reddy, President Emigrants Welfare Forum, wrote on behalf of Yellaiah’s wife - “Mr Rupesh Mehta sought the cooperation of the Pravasi Mithra Labor Union in Telangana to consult with Mr Yellaiah's family members and co-operate in gathering evidence in this regard.

Representatives of Pravasi Mithra organization brought Mr Yellaiah's wife Mrs Neela Rajavva to the Passport Office in Hyderabad on Monday (27.07.2020). She tried to meet the Regional Passport Officer personally, but due to the Corona situation it was not possible.”

Yellaiah’s wife Rajavva submitted a letter appealing to authorities to search and release details of his passport so that the consulate in Dubai could issue an Emergency Certificate. But there was no response.

When The Lede spoke to Yellaiah’s family through his nephew Raju as well as to Bheem Reddy, conditions seemed difficult to secure a timely repatriation for Yellaiah back home.

“August 18 is the last date,” said activist Bheem Reddy Mandha over phone. “UAE amnesty for over-stayers will end on 18 August 2020. If we don’t get an Emergency Certificate issued before that, Yellaiah may have to face jail time or have to pay penalty.”

With just 13 days left, Yellaiah’s nephew Raju was fast losing hope.

“We are trying to find at least some details about his passport,” said Raju, frustrated and despondent. “We don’t have anything. No copies or anything else. We have been going around for a long time now,” he said.

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Jeff Joseph