February 10, 2024
At LONG last the day had arrived. I was heading back to India. Over these past 4 agonizing years I really didn’t know if I would ever get back here. I carried this sadness in my heart thinking that may be the reality. But here I am. I am on day 31 of my long journey back. Today I felt to write of the process of getting here. It was laced with excitement, exhaustion and transformation. Little did I know the traumatic experience that was awaiting me at Delhi Immigration.
I book my own flights, to save cash. So it was a super long journey to get to India, Vancouver-Calgary-Delhi…with a 2.5 hour stopover in Calgary and a 9 hour wait in Charles de Galle airport outside of Paris. Needles to say I was pretty tired by the time I reached India. I managed to catch some good sleep on the last flight on Vistara Airlines. If anyone wants to fly an impressive airline, Vistara is it. I have never had such delicious food served on a plane, steaming hot and tasty. And as I was to find out in the near future amazing customer service.
So let’s get on with it…I arrive at Indira Ghandi Airport, Delhi…walking down the plank to the terminal the smells of India were intoxicating for me. My heart was full my eyes filling up. I am back:))
Walking amdist the crowds towards immigration we were greeted with beautiful art along the wall of golden hand mudras. Such beauty. I proceed to the line up and awaited my turn to present my passport, and my boarding ticket. Taking note that they are now digitally fingerprinting each individual upon entry. Hmmmm
I move forward presenting my passport, card and boarding pass. I have 3.5 hours til my next flight to Bangalore. At least, that was my plan, but not so.
As the officer looked at my passport he glanced back at me several times, then he took the passport and went into an office. I could feel my pulse increasing, what was the issue? He then came out with another officer. Hmmmm. After a few very long minutes, with me tyring not to be concerned. Waiting patiently and humbly. My entrance to this land can only be granted through these very serious, and not too friendly men. I don’t think they have an iota of a sense of humour. But I won’t try them. So I pray.
Eventually, the officer comes back with my passport only to inform me that my 10 year visa has been cancelled. Null and Void. I in shock ask “how” “why”…basically WTF. I am given two different reasons so still unsure. My 10 year visa, in my passport, was valid until February 2027. I have been back and forth to India twice already on it. But no more. Cancelled whether it’s due to post covid, or the latter being Trudeau and Modi confict..who knows? But it doesn’t do my any good right in this moment!
I am instructed to sit down over there, facing the beautiful mudras, and I pray. One officer comes and tells me I must immediately go back to Canada. Wait here. And leaves me in my despair. I am in shock and panic. What am I going to do? I pray profusely for a different outcome. I wanted to disappear into a puff of smoke. This couldn’t be happening. Why wasn’t I informed? I felt so inadequate, I am good with details. How could I make this mistake? I felt foolish. Everything was up for me.
I had many different officers coming to me telling to wait they were checking the airlines. “Don’t book yet, they said, we are looking for a flight” I was crushed…and I prayed and prayed. There’s got to be a blessing here is all i could think, as I sat and wept…deep inside I knew God was in charge. But this was challenging on every level?
Then an angel appeared in the form of the manger from Vistara Airlines, the airlines I flew in on. He asked me about the situation, I stifling my sobs, explain to him they are sending me back to Canada…at my charge btw He didn’t understand why I couldn’t go on to Nepal and apply for an evisa there. All I could see was the expense and what was I going to do?!? Why didn’t they give me that option. So off he went. And I waited and I prayed.
He then came back and led me to another area, where all the rejected visa people were situated. And there were quite a few of us. Not just from Canada, eveywhere. It was a visa gong show. The stories, as we got to share alot were all over the map….literally.
I don’t think I ever cried so much. I was distraught, not knowing what to do. I called my sister, waking her up in the middle of the night but I was a mess and I needed to hear her voice. I think I cried through the whole call. Next I called a dear friend, she knows who she is:) She was my angel. I was not financially set up to fly to Nepal and back to India….and apply for an Evisa. She offered her help without delay or judgement. I am eternally grateful. That part was taken care of. A huge blessing.
Still I was unsure what the next step was. The lovely man from Vistara made sure I had food and water. He was so kind. After about 10 hours I was told I could take a flight to Kathmandu and apply for an evisa there.
I proceeded to go online and managed to book a Vistara flight for the next day. I waited in this holding area for 28 hours. Attempting a bit of shut eye, maybe an hour or two, on the lounge chairs.
With all the intense happenings in this life I don’t think anything has shaken me to this level. It had to be for a reason. I knew eventually it would show up. but for now I was just bone tired.
I met some interesting people on the long wait, all with a variety of visa challenges. There was the lovely elderly indian couple who started chatting with me asking what my situation was. They too had a suprising cancelled long term visa. Had lived in Canada 28 years and now resided in the States. I felt for them as they were told they had to immediately go back to the states. I think my saving grace was the airline I flew in on doesn’t fly to Canada. I caught this leg of the flight from Paris. So the policy, if I understood correctly is you have to fly out on the same airlines you flew in on or a sister company. Well, I lucked out there.
This lovely couple were waiting for their return flight, they were taking it much better than I was. I still felt for them as it was a huge expense, and disappointment.
I met another young asian woman, living in Chezch Republic, travelling on a British Passport but was born in Hong Kong. Her situation I couldn’t even wrap my head around. We ended up chatting a bit, and were on the same flight to Kathmandu.
So many others with a variety of crazy stories, all denied entry and awaiting flights out to somewhere.
The hours passed slowly, finally the next afternoon I boarded a Vistara flight to Kathmandu. Had booked a hotel online in a central area, good choice, easy to walk around.
It wasn’t long til I was checked into my room and ready to sleep. Bundled up in layers of clothes. This isn’t Kerala. Jokes on me:))