An Indian family in Melbourne is desperately hoping for a positive outcome of their appeal to the Immigration Department they filed after a mother-daughter duo were denied permanent residency earlier this year.
80-year-old Florence Allen and her 50-year-old autistic daughter Sheryil Allen’s fate hangs in balance as the family awaits an outcome in their long-running visa saga.
Ms Allen and Sheryil moved to Australia in 2012, where all her family members have been living, some since 1991.
With no family left in India, Ms Allen’s daughter Jackie Vanderholt applied for her mother and autistic sister’s permanent residents’ visas.
However, the visa application was rejected due to the disability suffered by Sheryil, on the grounds that she will be a burden on taxpayers.
Assistant Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said it would not be in Public interest to intervene in this case.
The family was given an eight-week extension on October 3, and has since been given a further two-week extension after lodging a second appeal against the verdict with the immigration department, the Star Weekly reports.
An extension maybe granted by the immigration department if there is no verdict by the December 6 deadline.
However, the women may be forced to return to India if the appeal fails.
Ms Vanderholt said returning to India would mean her autistic sister would have be to sent to an institution as her mother would not be capable of caring for her on a long term basis.
"My autistic sister will require to be institutionalised. This would cause her great trauma, despair and inconsolable grief as she has never lived a life without her family and has no understanding of any other language other than English (being the language always spoken at home even in India)," she said.
Florence’s son, Elroy told Star Weekly, they had put an exhaustive appeal to the department, but the constant uncertainty of the process was taking its toll on the family.
“We’ve received a lot of support from ministers, the community, and reports from psychologists in India to support this appeal. It’s been very in depth,” Mr Allen said.
“It’s been a tough few months. My mother has been in hospital recently with cellulitis. She was on a heavy dose of antibiotics and the doctors say stress was a big contributor. I’m not sleeping much, the whole family is under a lot of strain.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned, but we haven’t heard anything from the department yet.”
The family has earlier claimed that they have no intention of claiming welfare for her mother or sister and will take care of their medical and other needs.
Ms Vanderholt's online petition to Minister Peter Dutton to allow her mother and sister to stay in Australia has over 66,000 signatures.
