With India inching towards its third phase of lockdown, beginning May 4 and ending on May 17, Tamil Nadu government has launched a new portal to help the Tamil population stranded in different parts of the world to return home.
Those wanting to return home can log in to nonresidenttamil.org and fill out the ‘Return to Tamil Nadu’ form. The website also has a form for guests stranded in the state, wanting to return to their respective hometowns, called ‘Return to Other State’ form.
The government’s website has three distinctly coloured buttons for this purpose. Non-Resident Tamils living in other countries who wish to return home can fill out the form by clicking the blue button. Among their passport and visa details, the form puts forward questions like “Have you been tested for COVID-19?”, “Have any of your family member/person who stay with you have tested COVID-19?”, “On return to your house in Tamil Nadu after proper testing of COVID-19, do you have a separate room with toilet facilities for self-quarantine?”, and “If you are to be quarantined in the interest of your health and of your family members, what would be your choice?”.
For Tamils currently living in the other Indian states and wishing to return home, the ‘Return to Tamil Nadu’ form can be found by clicking the green button. This form requests for their preferred mode of travel, the borders that have to be crossed in order to reach home and if they have access to a separate room with toilet upon return and if requested to home quarantine themselves.
The third button in red is for the guests from other states currently stranded in Tamil Nadu. This form requests their proposed travel details and if they have been tested for COVID-19 by the state.