Vedante Prashar went on a holiday to India on March 6 and planned to return to his Melbourne home within three weeks.
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But his plan was crushed when the country closed its borders.
More than two months later, he's one of the hundreds of temporary visa holders who have been unable to return despite having their work, home and partners in Australia.
He's still paying close to $2000 a month rent from India and has applied four times for the exemption offered by Home Affairs to some visa holders who wish to enter Australia.
Despite providing letters from his employer and proof of residence in Australia, all his applications have been rejected - some within two hours of its submission - claiming his circumstances don't meet the criteria for travel until restrictions are lifted.
The main reason listed to be granted a travel exemption is being a spouse, partner or guardian of an Australian citizen.
Additional exemptions are also considered for people with critical skills, diplomats accredited to Australia or foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the federal government.
"Nobody could have predicted that it was going to be this bad (on March 6)," he told AAP.
Mr Prashar said he changed his return flight to Australia through Kuala Lumpur from March 25 to March 17, but had that flight cancelled as Malaysia closed its borders.
He then managed to book another flight to Melbourne on March 20. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the closure of borders on March 19, leaving him stranded.
About 900 people in the same situation have joined a Facebook group that started a petition calling for visa holders to be allowed to return to their homes, families and jobs in Australia.
This petition was signed by 11,700 people and tabled by Greens senator Nick McKim on May 14.
Senator McKim said on Tuesday he had written to Immigration Minister Alan Tudge asking him to allow these visa holders to return to Australia.
Married couple Ankur Kapoor and Prachi Aggarwal share the same uncertainty about whether they'll be able to return to Australia.
They moved to Melbourne in July 2019 under a four-year skilled visa that runs until 2023 and took unpaid leave to visit their family in India for two weeks on March 6.
They remain stuck overseas while paying rent and utilities, with their applications for an exemption to return home also being rejected.
"I don't know why temporary residents are not addressed in their roadmap, whether they'll be able to return or not," Ms Aggarwal and Mr Kapoor said.
"We do have a home in Australia, we do have a job in Australia. Is this not compassionate enough to return to our homes?"
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about 1600 temporary visa holders entered Australia during the month of April.
The Australian Border Force has allegedly rejected 253 visa applications for travel exemptions, SBS reported.
The ABF and the department of home affairs have been contacted for comment.
Australian Associated Press
