We’ve all heard about it and perhaps read such stories in the news — couples flying into the US and Canada to give birth in a bid to secure a new nationality for their child.
This week’s episode of ‘Bayat: A Solemn Promise’ introduces us to one such couple, Vikram and Zareena, who made a similar decision for their son and are now paying the price as the desperately look towards migrating to a new country.
Their situation is a unique one. Zareena is a Pakistani, while Vikram is Indian. Unsure of how things would politically play out for their son, and in a bid to secure his future, they made the mistake of obtaining a birth nationality in Canada by duping authorities. Years later, the move has cost them a chance to immigrate to Canada.
What works in their favour is that they are financially stable and run their own architectural firm in Dubai. With this in mind, they set up a meeting with Bayat Legal Services for a pro bono consult on how to tackle their unique situation.
It is during this meeting they learn about a third avenue that could be perfect for them – investing in a nationality and biding their time to wrap up their lives in Dubai.
The reality of Zareena and Vikram’s situation won’t be lost on families and individuals who find themselves at the cusp of taking a bold new step by starting afresh in a new country, with hopes and dreams in their eyes.
Whether or not the cross-border love story finds its happy ending, the idea of a new country to call home is one that many hopefuls such as Vikram and Zareena can get on board with.
