The immigration department has refused to review a decision to deny visas to the family of a Pakistani student who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and has only weeks to live.
The 25-year-old, Hassan Asif, is being cared for by a homeless charity, Melbourne City Mission.
The charity has urged the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, to overturn the department’s decision and grant a visa to Asif’s mother and brother on compassionate grounds.
In a statement, Melbourne City Mission said Asif had no other family in Australia and it was “unconscionable that this young man – who has family – be allowed to die without a loved one by his side”.
Sherri Bruinhout, Melbourne City Mission’s homelessness and justice services director, told the Herald Sun Asif was “absolutely devastated” to find out his mother and brother had been denied visas.
“His last wish is to have somebody hold his hand at the very end.”
Asif was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in April, and although he initially had intended to return to Pakistan, he was too ill to fly. He had been studying architecture at Victoria University.
A spokesperson for the immigration department told ABC that it had considered the compassionate nature of the request, but it would not be reviewing its decision. However, the department urged the family to lodge a new application.
“When deciding if an applicant intends a genuine temporary stay in Australia, the decision-maker must take into account relevant considerations such as the applicant’s personal circumstances, incentive to return home, financial situation and ability to support themselves while in Australia,” the spokesperson told the ABC.
“The likelihood of an applicant overstaying or seeking to remain permanently in Australia is also a matter that must be assessed. Particularly in compassionate circumstances, a decision-maker takes all of the facts of a particular case into consideration.”
