Australia’s immigration system is one complicated and complex beast, and has failed many families who are in dire need to stay in Australia – just take a look at all the refugee and asylum detention centres.
The Jestingor family originally from the Philippines are one of these families who were almost left high and dry by the system. They originally lodged their permanent residency application in 2015 but was denied in 2016 due to her youngest daughter Patricia’s medical condition. She has autism and is blind. Many visa and PR applications in Australia get denied due to health reasons, and this family almost became one of these casualties.
Rezy Jestingor (via SBS News)
Finally after 6 years of fighting the system they have been granted the PR status as of February 10 this year. The Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews made a ministerial intervention to approve it after reviewing their appeal.
Here is more of the story (via SBS News):
After their church pastor in Queanbeyan launched an online campaign on Change.org to gather support for the family, many groups and random people approached them and offered assistance with their appeal.
“The online campaign reached the right people who helped us. We began to believe again,” Joey shared.
The Home Affairs office finally contacted them through their solicitors after a couple of months since the appeal was lodged. The office requested for the family to undergo another medical examination and provide police clearances where each of the family members resided in the last 10 years.
The Queanbeyan based family are happy as pie that they can finally progress with their life, and they are thankful to their lawyers, church and community for helping them pull through.
Images via SBS News
To read the original article, please go to: Filipino family granted permanent residency after ministerial intervention