How to help expat family abroad

[Anonymous]

My family is from a poor Indian village. Through hard work and luck my dad moved abroad on a government job and raised us. I found my way into the US and stayed due to marriage. My family is now in a Gulf country and my dad was laid off 6 months ago. They have no money and are about to be evicted from their apartment due to owing $65k in rent they were unable to pay. The landlord has said he will evict them if they do not pay soon. I have little sisters and a mom who was never educated so she can't work. Both dad and her are 60-65.

I only have 10k in my savings total. I have sent them 1-2k per pay cycle to help with food and other expenses but I do not have a large lump sum to send over and help them. I have told them to go to charitable institutions there to seek help but they haven't yet. I have contemplated doing a Go Fund Me but I doubt it would raise much.

People smarter than me, what can I do to help them?

[Anonymous]

How old are your sisters? Are they working?

You need to relocate them back to India. COL is much lower there, $10k there will go a very long way. Do they own any property there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old are your sisters? Are they working?

You need to relocate them back to India. COL is much lower there, $10k there will go a very long way. Do they own any property there?

Really? You want them to move to Covid Central at this time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old are your sisters? Are they working?

You need to relocate them back to India. COL is much lower there, $10k there will go a very long way. Do they own any property there?

One sister is 27 with a college degree in finance but hasn’t been able to find work due to covid and being an immigrant.
Another is 25 and doesn’t have a a college degree. She hustles using social media and makes $500-1k per month but just recently so.
Another is 18 and just graduated hs but can’t start college due to lack of funds.

I told them to go back but they don’t want to go back to India as poor people there are no opportunities. They also need to pay off their rent and other loans before they can even think of leaving the country.

[Anonymous]

How do they owe $65k?! People with mortgages get foreclosed on way before it gets to that amount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are your sisters? Are they working?

You need to relocate them back to India. COL is much lower there, $10k there will go a very long way. Do they own any property there?

One sister is 27 with a college degree in finance but hasn’t been able to find work due to covid and being an immigrant.
Another is 25 and doesn’t have a a college degree. She hustles using social media and makes $500-1k per month but just recently so.
Another is 18 and just graduated hs but can’t start college due to lack of funds.

I told them to go back but they don’t want to go back to India as poor people there are no opportunities. They also need to pay off their rent and other loans before they can even think of leaving the country.

Can you bring them over to the US on some kind of visa? They can live with you and hopefully find work. Based on what I'm reading a lot of jobs are going unfilled (I know it won't be legal, etc. but millions of people do this all the time so let's not go off on a tangential discussion here). Looks like they intend to be productive citizens wherever they end up given the opportunity.

In the interim, I'd setup a Gofundme page but don't expect a lot of $$ from that. Also look into moving them to India. Covid infections are on a downward trajectory and if they are careful they should be fine. Make sure they are vaccinated before they go back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do they owe $65k?! People with mortgages get foreclosed on way before it gets to that amount.

Rent for a 3 bedroom apartment is very expensive in the Gulf. They couldn't make payments for my sister's school AND rent and it has added up.

[Anonymous]

I'd try to avoid ways to pay that landlord and find a new place after the eviction.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you are the only person working to support the whole family. This is very difficult situation you are in.

[Anonymous]

Would Go Fund Me work? I am a bit embarrassed to let everyone know my family is in such a dire situation.

[Anonymous]

What country is this? Why can't your sisters leave and work in India? Can you parents go back to India without paying the debt? It sounds like your best option is to take out a loan and give them a lump sum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What country is this? Why can't your sisters leave and work in India? Can you parents go back to India without paying the debt? It sounds like your best option is to take out a loan and give them a lump sum.

OP here. I am nervous about putting myself in debt too. As I don't have a great paying job I would be scared to also be drowning in financial chaos.

[Anonymous]

OP, which state are you in? THere are rental relief programs for people who lost income during COVID and there is also a CDC Eviction Moratorium that they can submit to help buy some time.

Are you in MD/VA/DC?

[Anonymous]

No. GoFundMe won’t work. And it certainly can’t sustain them forever.

You think this is a crisis - eviction soon. But really this has been brewing a long time - a family with no/little income will always have trouble paying its bills.

Don’t pay the landlord. It’s just wasted money because they won’t be able to come up with the whole amount and avoid eviction.

If you are a US citizen, start petitioning to bring them over. You can only bring your parents (20 year wait for adult siblings), but it will be something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, which state are you in? THere are rental relief programs for people who lost income during COVID and there is also a CDC Eviction Moratorium that they can submit to help buy some time.

Are you in MD/VA/DC?

The family facing eviction is in the Gulf - Dubai, UAE, etc.