After 15 days of uncertainty inside Doha’s Hamad International Airport, the Ministry of External Affairs is considering issuing an emergency travel certificate to help a 50-year-old Turkish citizen of Indian origin return to India. The move could end a stalemate triggered by the absence of a valid passport, despite her Qatar residence permit.
Nazneen Mohammed, originally from Maharashtra, appealed to the Embassy of India in Doha for help on humanitarian grounds. She cited recent stomach surgery alongside high BP, thyroid and diabetes. Officials say she cannot enter Qatar without a passport or recognised travel document, even though she holds a valid Qatar ID.
Why the MEA is stepping in
According to officials, the Embassy of India in Doha has taken up Mohammed’s case with the MEA. The ministry is considering issuing an Emergency Certificate, subject to certain formalities, that would allow her to travel to India.
The urgency is amplified by her family circumstances. Two of her children in Doha are minors, and one is autistic and needs constant care and medical therapy. Their younger son, a Grade 12 student, has also seen his studies disrupted.
From investment to impasse
The family’s troubles trace back to a property purchase in Turkiye in 2022. The couple says they invested through legal banking channels, only to later learn the project was tied to an alleged fraud. The developer was arrested by Turkish authorities, and the property was seized by the government.
Seeking to resolve the dispute, Mohammed and her husband, Imtiyaz Malik, travelled to Turkiye on June 16th, saying they had engaged a lawyer to present their documents. Upon arrival in Istanbul, officials reportedly confiscated both passports without explanation. The couple was separated and taken to different detention facilities, according to officials.
While Malik remains in detention in Turkiye, Mohammed was deported to Doha on June 17th without her passport. She was allowed to board because she holds a valid Qatar residence permit. Since landing, she has been unable to clear immigration and remains stranded at the airport.
What officials say so far
Authorities familiar with the matter stress that the proposed Emergency Certificate is being weighed on humanitarian grounds. It is intended solely to enable travel to India and would be contingent on fulfilling specified requirements.
Officials have confirmed the following steps so far:
– Embassy of India, Doha raised her case with the MEA
– MEA is considering an Emergency Certificate, with formalities
– Qatari authorities denied entry without a valid passport
– She has been stranded at the airport for 15 days
Family ties and legal status
Mohammed is a former Indian passport holder who voluntarily renounced her Indian citizenship and acquired Turkish citizenship. Her husband, who works for Qatar Airways, is also a former Indian passport holder and now a Turkish national. The couple has been married since 2002 and has been residing in Doha.
They have three sons, one of whom is an Indian citizen. Two sons are in Doha, including the minor child who is autistic. The family’s separation has left caregiving and schooling in limbo while Mohammed remains stuck without travel documents.
What comes next
If the MEA issues the Emergency Certificate, Mohammed would be able to travel to India despite the missing passport. For now, officials indicate the decision depends on completing certain formalities, with the Embassy of India in Doha continuing to coordinate.
The stakes are immediate: a mother’s health concerns, an autistic child’s therapy, and a Grade 12 student’s studies. The MEA’s decision could determine how quickly the family regains stability after a 15-day standstill in transit.
