As the COVID-19 situation in India worsens, so do the options for Kiwis stuck over there to get home.
The US is just the latest country to ban flights from India, leaving very few routes for New Zealand citizens to get home, and families struggling with the separation are at breaking point.
Every day, Preeti worries about her husband Manish. She worries about how long he'll be stuck in India, worries he'll contract COVID-19, and worries he might never make it home.
"I don't want to think about that, but negative things keep coming and until he comes here it will keep going like that," Preeti says.
Manish travelled to Delhi in February after his father received a terminal diagnosis. But it was only supposed to be a short trip. Three months later it's taking a toll.
"I don't have any family support here, so if something happened to me, or something happened to them, I have nobody," Preeti says.
She's juggling a full-time job and parenting on her own. He's in the midst of a pandemic that's killed hundreds of thousands, including some of their own family.
"It is scary but you just have to go day by day, lock yourself in and take precaution," says Manish.
He should've been home by now but his first flight was cancelled after the Government introduced a travel ban. It has since allowed New Zealand citizens to fly home, but it's not that easy. Travel from India is now banned by so many countries, he can't get the flights.
"We want to request the Government to arrange for a repatriation flight for the Kiwis stuck in India so they can come back home."
Manish says he's communicating with about 200 New Zealanders stuck in India, wanting to get home and willing to pay for it. But they're desperate for the Government to step in.
"Show some kindness. We are part of 5 million. We want to be back with our family, just like Jacinda has her daughter Neve, we have our daughter in Auckland."
His daughter hasn't been well while he's away.
"It's just breaks your heart that your baby has to go to the GP for treatment and you're not there."
Preeti says money's nothing for life and she just wants her husband back.
A Kiwi family forced apart, hoping the Government will help their dad leave the danger zone that is India.
