Kerala Association of Washington (KAW) is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious organization working for the betterment of Keralites in the Pacific Northwest. KAW touches the lives of well over 2000 Keralites in the Greater Seattle area thru various educative, cultural and sports programs.

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 has impacted the world in a way we have never seen before and our hearts go out to those who have been affected by the pandemic. As you may know, we were planning a KAW inaugural get-together event for 3/14/2020, but out of an abundance of caution, we decided to postpone that event, as well as any other KAW events at least until 4/15/2020. Preliminary planning for 2020 events had started and we will pick those up when it is safe to do so. We will continue to follow the guidance from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Public Health departments to assess the situation and decide when we can plan our events. The safety of our community members and the public are our highest priority.
So far, we have been fortunate, and no COVID-19 cases are reported in our Malayalee community. If any family member of our community gets affected or is in quarantine, we want to ensure that they get the needed support. You can always reach us by calling or texting on any published phone number on KAW website’s team’s page or by sending an email to secretary@kaow.org . Stay safe and continue to follow Public Health department’s directives and guidelines.

• Public Health - Seattle and King County Coronavirus Information Page
• CDC

A 10-point Plan

KAW EC Team has come up with a 10-point plan to keep serving the community even during these challenging and restricted times. Please listen to this video with an overview of the plan from our President, Mr. Ojus John.

The Plan

1. “Ask Our Doctors”: Web conference with Doctors panel
2. DIY (Do It Yourself) video series
3. Learning Resources: Online Books, Videos, Classes
4. Immigration / Visa Helpline: Guidance for Consulate-related queries
5. Community Engagement Channel: Creative platform for online activities
6. KAW Youth Club: Online programs for our youngsters
7. Caring for the Community: extend a helping hand to those affected by COVID-19
8. KAW Website: Updated with Covid-19 related information
9. KAW Toll-free Number
10. KAW Seattle Community Facebook Group: An information sharing platform

KAW Community Facebook Forum

We have started a Facebook Group for the community to come together, share ideas, offer help, and keep in touch with your fellow community members. If you haven't already, please take a look following this link and join the group. We will be publishing regularly through that channel.

News and Events

Ask Our Doctors Organized by KAW

We had a great session with Dr. Deepthi Mani, Dr. Leena Chacko, and Dr. Thankam Nair on 3/19/2020. We thank the doctors for their time and willingness to patiently answer questions from the community. We will share the questions and answers soon through this website as well as our Facebook channels. We also thank the community members for joining the session and making it interactive.

Travel Advisories

There are few things you need to know if you are planning to travel to India. The ban affects OCI card holders too. In view of the rapid spread of coronavirus, the Government of India has issued the following instructions:

1. All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN / International Organizations, employment and project visas, stand suspended till 15 April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT (0800 EST) on 13 March 2020 at the port of departure.
2. Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till 15 April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT (0800 EST) on 13 March 2020 at the port of departure.
3. Any foreign national who might need to travel to India for compelling reasons may contact the nearest Indian Mission / Consulate.
4. All incoming travelers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after 15 February 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT (0800 EST) on 13 March 2020 at the port of departure.
5. All incoming travelers, including Indian nationals, would be subject to medical screening and can be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days on their arrival in India.
6. International traffic through land borders will be restricted to designated check posts with robust screening facilities. Ministry of Home Affairs will separately notify these check posts.

Please click here for an FAQ on new Visa restrictions on travel to India. Most of your questions should be answered there. If you still have questions, please email them to us or call us on our Toll Free Helpline number at 1-866-KAOW-SEA (1-866-526-9732) and we will try to get an answer for you through the FOMAA Helpline. For emergencies, please refer to the following section as well.

What if I have an emergency?

Any foreign national who might need to travel to India for compelling reasons may contact the nearest Indian Mission / Consulate.
In view of the current scenario regarding COVID-19 and subsequent travel restrictions by the Government of India, people who need help for travel in an emergency/compelling reason may contact the following:
E-mail: oci2.sf@mea.gov.in
Emergency Number : +1 415 483 6629 (You can try calling, but you will get the voice mail, and an auto SMS text message to send email)
The Consulate suggests all queries be sent by email

Self-Declaration Form

People travelling to India from other countries are required to fill up a self-declaration form upon arrival at the airport as a part of preventive measures announced by the government amid rising concerns over coronavirus infections. The form must be filled up in duplicate and handed over at immigration and heath counters at the airport for clearance to enter the country. While the forms are available at the airports and can be filled upon arrival, having a filled printout ready could save you a lot of time and the inconvenience of standing in queue. You could download the form here.

KAW Membership - Why Should I Join?

KAW Family Membership is only $30 per year and provides Member families with:

1. Discount at partnering business establishments
2. Free entry to all educative and selected cultural events
3. Discounted entry to mega Onasadya/program and selected shows
4. Eligibility to participate in more than 10 annual sports tournaments
5. Opportunity to network with professionals and fellow Malayali families
6. Connection to Kerala culture and tradition through KAW Malayalam classes
7. Opportunity to give back to the community through volunteering and charity initiatives
8. Platform to showcase your artistic talent in front of large audience at elite performance centers

Join KAW / Renew Membership today
Meet KAW 2020 Team here
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please reach out to secretary@kaow.org .