But when it was time to return to America, Mr. Shah had to make the trip alone. Weeks afterward, his family remained separated from him, barred from entering the United States by regulations and policies created after last year's Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

International travel for noncitizens has become more restricted because of increased security measures and background checks. For others, even U.S. citizens, leaving the country still seems too big a risk.

"It's like your life is on hold," Mr. Shaw said while sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Aiken, which he owns and runs. "I can't concentrate on my work. My family is not here like they should be."

Mr. Shah and his wife, Joanne, along with his daughters Nirvana, 9; Yasmin, 12; and Rakhee, 14, have been living in America since July 2001 on an L-1 work visa. The designation allows executive officers of foreign-owned companies in America to live here with their families.

When the Shah family made their overseas trip, they had recently renewed their visas with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The passports required final approval from the U.S. Embassy in London.

Mr. Shah mailed his before going and had been approved. The other passports could be approved once they arrived, or so they thought.

At the embassy, the Shah family was met by concrete barricades and guards armed with machine guns. No entrance was permitted.

The Shahs mailed their applications. Mr. Shah is still waiting for his family.

"I'm the first one to say, 'Have rules tighter than previously,"' the anxious father said. "This is ridiculous, though."

Since discovering that several of the 19 terrorists said to have carried out the Sept. 11 attacks entered the country illegally, U.S. officials have conducted background checks not previously done on all visa applicants.

The State Department has banned citizens of countries that sponsor terrorism from entering.

North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Iraq and Libya are on the list.

Dignitaries and their associates are the exception, but they, too, must undergo background checks and interviews.

According to a spokeswoman for the State Department, which handles visa applications, changes since Sept. 11 simply mean waiting a little longer than before.

"They're just taking their time to review all the cases," said Pamela Kokal, a State Department officer.

Paul Balducci is an Augusta attorney who handles immigration law. Typically, he helps clients who aren't U.S. citizens prove they are fit to enter the country.

He said he hasn't seen any increase in visa rejections since the attacks, just more time spent waiting for approval.

"They're still issuing green cards, and people are getting citizenship," he said. "These agencies are still working."

Amit Nanda, a 23-year-old student at Augusta State University, was set to return to his homeland of India this summer. Even though he earned his American citizenship more than a month ago, Mr. Nanda backed out of the trip.

"We still felt a little uncomfortable with airport security," Mr. Nanda said. "You hear in the news all the time just not enough is being done. That kind of puts a little scare in you. Even after Sept. 11, people were getting through with guns and knives."

During domestic travel earlier this year, Balasubha Dhandapani, a U.S. citizen from India, said she thought people of Middle Eastern appearance were being profiled.

"Every Indian-looking person got checked," said Ms. Dhandapani, a 19-year-old student at Augusta State. "Most of the Indians that were in front and back of me were checked.

"It just wasn't fair."

"It's like your life is on hold." - Kishan Shah, on waiting for his family's passports to be approved so they can join him in Aiken

Reach Josh Gelinas at (803) 279-6895 or josh.gelinas@augustachronicle.com.