A Scottish family who face being kicked out of Australia after moving their 10 years ago, are fighting to stay in the country and spending thousands of dollars in the process.
Mark Green, a skilled electrician, his wife Kelly and their daughter Rebecca relocated to Adelaide in 2012 when a solar power firm offered to sponsor Mark's visa if he came and worked for them.
He was given a three year visa and had planned to apply for permanent residency, but the firm went bust. Although Mark continued to get work he says the same thing happened to him seven times and each time he had to restart the family's application for residency.
The Australian government have now said the family - who previously lived in Prestwick, Ayrshire must leave the country by August 10 while they reapply, Edinburgh Live reports.
Mark said they are "absolutely gutted" at the prospect of being kicked out.
"This is our home. Our lives for the last 10 years have been here. We really don't want to come back to Scotland. It's just a better way of life here."
Mark, 44, told Edinburgh Live: "To be honest, we don’t know if we are coming or going at the minute.
"The stress and strain this is causing my family is indescribable.
"We are just absolutely devastated at the thought of having to leave Australia.
Mark said he "got a call out of the blue" ten years ago from a company in Australia called Great Solar and they asked if he wanted to work for them.
"They said they would pay for everything to bring my family out. We jumped at the chance. Turns out it was 'not so Great Solar' and it shut within 13 months. This is where the trouble began.
"Since then, this has happened to me time and time again."
The family say they have already spent around $150,000 (£84,000) on lawyer fees and visas. Mark said being forced to travel back to Scotland will cost them another $60,000 (£34,000).
Also, if the family decide to bring their beloved pet dog it will cost them another $35,000 (£19,000), which Mark said sadly he doesn't think will be feasible.
He added: "I'm working seven days just now to afford to come home in August. I’m really done in. All we want to do is start living life without worrying.
"I want my daughter to go to university, but because of this situation she can’t because she’s not allowed. She had to get work while her friends are all at university."
Rebecca, 18, works with her mum at a local bakery. Kelly has been employed at local business Vili's since she arrived in Australia. Her boss Mary told Australian news channel 'A Current Affair' that she couldn't be happier with Kelly's work ethic and said losing her would be a massive loss to her company.
She added: "I can't get enough retail and factory staff and if I lose a great worker like Kelly, it will affect my business."
Mark's current employer Hai, told the broadcaster he feels the same way, saying the Scotsman was 'essential' to his business.'
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs in Australia said: "We do not comment on individual cases."
