Student in coma, MEA approaches US for visa to kin

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday took up the case of an Indian family urgently seeking a US visa to reach their critically injured daughter, who is hospitalised in the United States.

According to MEA sources, the ministry has taken up the matter, and the US authorities are reviewing the formalities for expediting the visa process for the applicant’s family.

Nilam Shinde, a 35-year-old postgraduate student at California State University, suffered serious injuries, including fractures, after a four-wheeler hit her on February 14. She has been in coma for the past 10 days. Her father, Tanaji Shinde, from Maharashtra’s Satara district, has been trying to obtain a visa since the incident. The matter was brought to attention by NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.

Sule stated that Shinde urgently needs to visit his daughter due to the medical emergency. She added that he has applied for an expedited visa and requires assistance.

The NCP leader also reached out to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian Embassy in the US, requesting their intervention.

To obtain an emergency US visa, applicants can request an expedited appointment online and submit supporting documents. Emergency visa requests can be made for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons. However, the applicant must first schedule a regular visa appointment and then provide details of the emergency, including the intended US destination. Emergency visa appointment slots, however, are limited.