A dying student may not be able to say goodbye to his family after their applications for visitor visas to Australia was rejected by the Immigration Department.
The 24-year-old Pakistani national was diagnosed with advanced skin cancer after arriving in Melbourne on a student visa, and has just weeks to live.
Abby Dinham reports.
Pakistani student Hassan Asif, who has been in Melbourne since last year, was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer eleven months ago.
"I was really devastated, first of all, I didn't believe it. And I was like, really shocked that it was like that."
On the advice of his parents, he decided to stay in Australia for treatment.
But after months of medication, doctors told Hassan his body wasn't responding.
"My family was really shocked about it. Because they wanted me to get a life here, in Australia, to work and to study, and this happened -- and they're shocked."
Now, his dreams of returning to Pakistan as an architect with an Australian degree are dashed.
"I wanted to create a difference. I wanted to make a name in the world for myself, and that's it. My dreams were to study architecture."
The Melbourne City Mission is providing assistance to Hassan.
The agency's Director of Homelessness Sherri Bruinhout describes him as a joy to be around, and a man trying to stay positive despite his terminal condition.
"His prognosis is not good. His treatment has stopped and he's now receiving palliative treatment. Our best prognosis is that he has weeks left."
The disease progressed rapidly and his deteriorating health means Hassan is too sick to fly home to be with family.
An emergency air ambulance would cost more than a $100,000 dollars.
He's been living in a youth homeless shelter with the Melbourne City Mission providing palliative care.
Ms Bruinhout says the Mission has offered to fund his mother's trip to Australia so she can be by her son's side.
"Hassan's family aren't here to trick Australians to have a new life. They've got a great life in Pakistan, that they don't want to leave. They've got good jobs, they've got houses, they've got businesses, they've got extended family. They're not looking to come to Australia to live. They're looking to come to Australia so they can hold their son's life when he passes away."
In a statement, the Immigration department says it has considered the compassionate nature of the family's visa application, but was not satisfied they would comply with the associated conditions.
The Department says they include the applicant's incentive to return, financial situation and family members' ability to support themselves while in Australia.
Ms Bruinhout says if the decision were to be reversed, the Mission would immediately book the return flights from Pakistan for Hassan's mother.
Hassan is pleading with the federal government to allow his family to travel to Australia.
"In this time, I want to be with my family, my mother and my brother, this means a lot to me. So please, grant the visa."
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