Travel restrictions between India and New Zealand have been loosened but thousands of Indian families are still separated. Katy Gosset hears how the situation has rocked one Christchurch household.

There should be three children in this picture but two of them are stuck in India. New Zealand's border closed just one day before toddlers, Nimrat and Tarman Kaur, were due to join their parents in Christchurch.

Parvinder Kaur is pictured here with her baby daughter, Parvaan, in Christchurch where she lives with her husband, Maninder Singh and their sister and brother in law, Gagandeep Kaur and Pritpal Singh.

The two couples share more than a home: both families have a child living with the same grandparents in Rajasthan.

In both cases the families came to New Zealand hoping to work and establish themselves before sending for their children. Both Gagandeep and Parvinder are partway through the process of gaining their residency.

A year ago they decided they were ready to welcome back their daughters. Visas were arranged for both children and the grandparents who would stay with them while they transitioned back to living with their parents.

"We were very happy that tomorrow morning our daughter will be in the plane and the day after they will be here," Parvinder Kaur said.

They booked a flight for 20 March, 2020 but Covid-19 was about to change their carefully-laid plans.

Just one day before the long awaited flight, the New Zealand government closed its border to non-citizens and residents.

"Everything was planned and packed up and at the time when we called our parents they were just sitting in the car to go to the airport. We said 'Don't go'."

It was a huge blow for the couples and their children and Gagandeep has since seen a change in her daughter's behaviour when they've talked via videocall.

"She doesn't trust us anymore, me and my husband. She just thinks that we're going to lie."

Gagandeep didn't know when she would see her daughter again.

"It is very hard to smile. It is hard. You have a lot of pain in your heart."

She continued to work a split shift each day as a restaurant manager, trying to appear positive for the customers.

"I have to smile to people I'm very happy. Well, I'm not happy.''

Yet she says if she shows her feelings on her face, it will be reflected in the restaurant reviews.

"They will simply review, 'Oh she was very upset, she was tired,' I'm not tired. I'm not upset. I'm just frustrated."…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details