The family of Florence and Sheryil Allen are still holding out hope of a last-minute reprieve in their visa application, with just a week left until the deadline to leave Australia.
Florence, 80, and her daughter Sheryil, 50, were denied a permanent residency visa earlier this month due to Sheryil’s autism and the belief from the immigration department that she would be a future burden to the health system. However the family already provide full private medical care and insurance for both Florence and Sheryil, and say they don’t want any welfare money.
Their application for compassionate intervention from the assistant immigration minister was denied, meaning the pair have until October 3 to leave the country.
Florence’s son Elroy said the family had received support from across the country, but the toll of the looming deadline was starting to show in his family.
“The whole family is quite tense, it’s a very stressful time,” Mr Allen said.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received, many people have appealed to the minister, we’ve received many letters of support and the online petition continues to grow.”
The Change.org petition for Florence and Sheryil now has more than 55,000 signatories. The family has also received letters of support from federal MP Brendon O’Connor, the Victoria/Tasmania Uniting Church Synod, and the Anglo-Indian Associations of Australia.
While the family is praying for a reversal of fortune, it has begun planning for the logistics of caring for their aged mother and disabled sister if they return to India.
The Allens have no family remaining in India, and the siblings would be forced to take turns flying there to continue their care.
“It’s quite overwhelming to think of,” Mr Allen said.
“We’ll have to set up a home for my mother and sister, take it in turns to fly over, take time off work regularly, and also continue to support our own children here in Australia.
“My mother is 80, she can’t do all this herself. It’s killing us at the moment.”
