A migrant worker in Victoria doesn't know when he'll see his wife again after she missed her chance to return to Australia by a matter of hours.
Mexican nationals Su-Lyn Cardenas and her husband, Jose Celada, have been living in Warragul since 2017 on skilled migrant visas and have applied for permanent residency.
Ms Cardenas travelled to Mexico on March 1 to visit her elderly parents while Mr Celada, who works as a data analyst for an internet service provider, stayed behind.
Ms Cardenas was supposed to return at the end of March but decided to cut her trip short as countries began shutting their borders.
The couple bought a ticket for a flight which departed Mexico on March 19 and landed in Australia on March 21 at 9am — 12 hours after the border closed to non-citizens.
Deteriorating situation
More than 208,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Mexico since the outbreak began, with almost 26,000 lives lost as of June 26.
Earlier this month Mexico attempted to relax some restrictions, but Mexico City, where Ms Cardenas is, remains at the highest alert level.
"It's very stressful the situation because I can't do anything," she said.
"I just go to the supermarket and back home again.
"I just want to go back home with my husband."
Appeals to government
Australia's border restrictions mean only citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family are able to enter the country.
The couple has made five requests for an exemption from the rules on compassionate grounds.
"Five times they have answered that she doesn't meet the criteria," Mr Celada said.
"But there is no criteria published, so we don't really know what she's missing from the criteria."
The couple even offered to pay for Ms Cardenas' hotel quarantine to ensure there was no burden on the taxpayer.
Residency could be jeopardised
The ABC approached the Department of Home Affairs for details about the criteria for special consideration and Ms Cardenas' case, but has not received a response.
The couple lodged their application for permanent residency at the start of the year and will move onto a bridging visa when their current arrangements expire in January.
"But she has to be in Australia in order to get the bridging visa," Mr Celada said.
"So if she's not here by January next year, I don't know what's going to happen."
He is now investigating whether it is possible to speed up his permanent resident application.
'Not a one-off'
The Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria chair, Eddie Micallef, said Ms Cardenas' situation was "certainly not a one-off".
"They're caught up in a situation that's beyond their control and their family have been disconnected because of that," he said.
"There certainly should be special consideration."
He recommended the couple approach their local MP, Russell Broadbent, to see if he could make representations on their behalf to Victorian Immigration Minister David Coleman.
Mr Broadbent declined an interview request, but agreed to make representations to Immigration Minister David Coleman after speaking to Mr Celada.
