Staying in foreign countries might bring a lot of opportunity and tons of exciting things for different people but there are also so many rules and regulations that need to be followed, that too within a specific period of time. In a shocking incident, Dr. Siavash Sobhani, a doctor in Northern Virginia, is suddenly not recognised as a United States citizen. There is quite a surprising reason behind not considering him as a citizen.
Northern Virginia Doctor Is No More A Citizen Of The US
Dr. Siavash Sobhani, a 62-year-old doctor, has spent all his life in the United States. He was born and brought up there and he completed his education, practising medicine, and everything in the foreign country. After completing his education at a US university, he began his medical practice and continued it for more than three decades, according to a report by The Washington Post. Even after living and spending all his life as a citizen in the US, he is no longer considered one, after over six decades.
In a shocking turn of events, Sobhani is now stateless and holds no passport. According to all the details, his passport was expiring in June 2024. Though his passport was expiring in the next year, he decided to renew it as he had plans to go on a family vacation just after a month. This was not the first time when he was renewing his passport. Just like any other time in the past, the doctor followed the steps and applied for a new passport.
It was February when he applied for it. What happened later was completely beyond his imagination. Sobhani never experienced any such issue while renewing his passport in the past and he expected the same this time as well. Little did the 62-year-old know that this was going to change everything in his life and lead to a complete shift. Not only he did not receive his new passport after applying for it but he also lost his citizenship. In a conversation with The Washington Post, he said, “I’m in limbo”.
Also read: Passport Application Ko Track Kaise Kare? Here’s The Process To Track Your Application
The Reason Behind All These Is Linked To His Father
Sobhani was in utter shock when he got a letter after applying for passport renewal. The US State Department sent the letter mentioning that the doctor never should have received the citizenship from the beginning. The reason behind the statement was how his father worked at the Iranian Embassy. Also, the letter mentioned a website for applying for lawful permanent residence in the country, according to a report by WION.
The 62-year-old doctor shared how he worked and treated patients during the COVID-19 pandemic that put both him and his family at risk. Also, he paid his taxes, voted, and even served his community in Northern Virginia. Despite doing all these things, he is now stateless and also carries no passport. He has applied already for permanent residency. As of now, he spent more than $40,000 on legal fees. Sobhani also said that he is not interested in taking any step that can go against the decisions of the government.
Also read: Govt Asks Online Travel Aggregators To Clear Pending Refunds Of Tickets Booked During COVID-19
What do you think of this shocking incident?
Cover Image Courtesy: https://www.drsobhani.com/
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