By Rene Otinga
A Kenyan doctor who was recently deported from the United States now needs help get back to the country. Alexander Ondari, jetted back to the US in a bid to complete his last year as a resident physician at the University of Texas on July 6 but was denied entry to the country.
His unfortunate predicament has prompted him to send an urgent plea to the US embassy in Nairobi to intervene on his behalf.
Ondari, who is currently in Kenya following the deportation, holds a valid J1 Visa which was rejected by immigration officers at a US airport.
A J1 Visa is a non-immigrant Visa issued by the United States to research scholars and professors approved to participate in work and study-based programs. Typically, one should expect a processing period of six to 10 weeks before the Visa is received.
“Dr Ondari’s constant efforts as a physician, together with his charitable character, is critical to the well-being of the communities he lives and serves in. Dr Ondari’s objective is to bring value to the US, an aim that has been already accomplished during the last 17 years as a non-immigrant visa holder. It’s is thus a honor to support his efforts to obtain a J1 visa so that he can serve his patients and continue to improve the health of America,”
the petition read. So far, his petition has reached 30,000 people.