HYDERABAD: Students from Telangana studying in Italian universities and currently stranded in the State due to Italy’s travel restrictions are a worried lot. They not only have to worry about the expiry of their travel permits or visas, but also the impact the delay in their return would have on their course.
M Rouf, a student at Sapienza University of Rome who is currently in Telangana and unable to return to Italy, says, “I am doing my thesis, for which I have to be in my college, but because of the travel ban I am stuck here. I have spent years on my studies and now I fear that I will have to face a huge loss.” He said that he has been continuously trying to get in touch with the Italian embassy in India seeking further communication, but has not got any response.
Rubiya Kannavalli, 28, another student of the same university, says she had come back to India when the pandemic was in its initial stages and had planned to go back in a month, but got stuck during the second wave.“All my belongings, including my documents, are in Italy and I don’t know when and how I will get them. My residence permit is going to expire in late August, so if I don’t get back to Italy before that, it will be really difficult for me to return there,” she lamented. She added that almost every day, she had been trying to reach out to the Italian embassy, but their lack of response was disquieting.
Many students also expressed concerns over vaccinations. Another student, Pardhasaradhi Parasaram, says, “There is confusion among the students right now and there is no one to clarify our doubts. Many students do not know what vaccinations they can get, or how they would get their second dose, and whether other countries would accept those vaccinations. We just hope that we at least get a proper response from the embassy officials.” Meanwhile, an online petition on Change.org has been started by several students, urging the Italian and Indian governments to ease travel restrictions on Indians with Italian residence permits and visas.