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David 
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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| Post subject: Syrian-born woman's visa to Australia revoked without reason |  |
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http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/24/british-syrian-born-woman-has-visa-revoked-without-explanation-before-flight-to-australia
| Quote: | Her family originally fled to Syria from Iraq in 1980 before seeking refuge in the UK in 1989 when she was four years old. She said: “I’m really disappointed because I’m a British citizen and I have lived here most of my life. I’m law-abiding and I lead a pretty normal Londoner’s life. I am not remotely religious.”
“I didn’t even know I needed a visa. I thought, well, I’m British, there’s the commonwealth, you don’t need one.”
To enter Australia, tourists have two options, an eVisitor visa which can be applied for directly from the Department of Immigration & Border Protection or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) which you can obtain via travel agents or airlines.
The two women, who were due to stay in Sydney until 1 January before joining friends in New Zealand for 17 days, had applied for the eVisitor visa from the same website. The only difference between them was that on the first page, Ramadani stated her birthplace as Syria. She was then directed to a much more complicated second page than her friend, who only had to give a few simple details before being granted a visa “almost immediately” according to Ramadani.
“I filled in my form first,” she said. “Mine was incredibly complicated. I had to give them my full employer’s details, every single member of my family, my friend’s details etc. I’ve never done an e-visa like that before. My friend called me and said that her form asked for none of those questions. I feel like it must just be due to my place of birth”
When no visa came through, she called the helpline and was told to try the ETA instead. After applying for that and receiving an email to say she was successful, she attempted to check-in to her flight before being told by the airline that there was a problem. She said: “I thought everything was OK but the airline said I wasn’t valid and then I got the email from the High Commission to say my visa had been revoked and that it had been issued in error.”
“I’m really angry because my holiday was meant to start [today]. It’s ruined it for my friend as well. We booked our tickets and accommodation three months ago and I’ve been saving up. I’ve had no time off this year and have worked really hard for this.
“You can’t marginalise people like this. To be brutally honest, all this is very off putting, and I’m beginning to think that out of principle I shouldn’t consider Australia as a holiday destination – especially that it is people of my background that are not welcome and are treated in this way.”
“I know my experience doesn’t compare – but it has made me think of their treatment of migrants and refugees, and foreign policy, and is making me think that out of principle I shouldn’t be contributing to Australia’s tourism.”
While there was some suggestion her visa may be returned, the Australian department of immigration and border protection did not respond by deadline, and as it stood on Thursday morning Ramadani remained unable to travel.
She told the Guardian on Thursday morning she had received an email asking for her employer’s details – information she said she has already provided – but nothing more.
Ramadani’s MP, Labour’s Steve Pound, said: “I’m horrified at the brute insensitivity of the Australian government who cancelled my constituent’s perfectly valid visa less than 24 hours before she was due to fly.
“I’m depressed that no-one is available to speak at the Australian high commission and I’m ashamed of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office where the phones ring without answer in the offices of the regional minister, Hugo Swire, and where the office of the foreign secretary promise action, do nothing, never call back and state that they are wholly unaware of this and the other two high profile visa refusals all over the press.
“But, above all, I weep for Zahra, who is as much a threat to Australia as a wombat and has been treated disgracefully. I can only hope that a last minute burst of activity from the previously inactive can save the day for a decent, hardworking British citizen who deserves far better.” |
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What'sinaname
Joined: 29 May 2010
Location: Living rent free
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All good.
Better to be safe than sorry. Obviously there was a reason for revoking the visa.
The system works.
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Fighting against the objectification of woman. |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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^ And so have said apologists for fascism and authoritarianism since the dawn of time. Wave away that troubling instance of discrimination or injustice; the people in charge know what they're doing.
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stui magpie 
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005
Location: In flagrante delicto
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Yep. The sytem works.
Maybe a mod can adjust the title of the thread and remove the "without reason"
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Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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What was the reason? She wasn't given one. Or do you think her birthplace was sufficient reason?
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All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005
Location: In flagrante delicto
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Wo got one side of the story from what seems like a self entitled prat. Would they tell her if she was on a watch list?
Whatever she submitted she failed the screening. Boo hoo.
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Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
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Morrigu 
Joined: 11 Aug 2001
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| David wrote: | | What was the reason? She wasn't given one. Or do you think her birthplace was sufficient reason? |
Yes she was - she had submitted 2 applications for 2 different visa types and the Immigration dept have said they need to clarify and resolve before she can travel - sounds fair to me.
They haven't said she can never visit just that she can't visit until the appropriate visa is obtained.
There are a lot of reasons why a country including Australia denies entry to people - character, insufficient funds, evidence of intention to work on a tourist visa.
I have seen heaps of people in heaps of countries refused permission to travel at immigration at airports for all manner of reasons - and guess what most seem to be related to the person not having the required documentation.
This case of course is obviously just plain discrimination 
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“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” |
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Wokko 
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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| lol, The Guardian dog whistling their leftist readers. Anything that ever goes wrong for a Muslim must be RACIST. |
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Wokko
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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| Wokko wrote: | | lol, The Guardian dog whistling their leftist readers. Anything that ever goes wrong for a Muslim must be RACIST. |
Not that it matters, but she's not a Muslim.
To those dismissing this story, would it bother you if it emerged that we were denying entry on the grounds of country of origin?
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All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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Wokko
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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| David wrote: | | Wokko wrote: | | lol, The Guardian dog whistling their leftist readers. Anything that ever goes wrong for a Muslim must be RACIST. |
Not that it matters, but she's not a Muslim.
To those dismissing this story, would it bother you if it emerged that we were denying entry on the grounds of country of origin? |
You do realise we're at war with that country (not the legitimate regime, but a self declared region of said country). I'm sure during every war in history there is hightened security around letting in people who have ties to belligerents.
And why do you say she's not Muslim? The article mentions Muslims and the only thing pointing to something else is "I'm not remotely religious", even if SHE isn't, the article is still dog whistling along the lines I mentioned; trying to find racism or 'bigotry' or 'ignorance' wherever possible and get as offended as possible. |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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All I can say is, perhaps you need to have actually experienced being on the end of this kind of discrimination to understand how serious it is. The British Labour MP gets it; let's see how our politicians respond to questions about this story.
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All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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| David wrote: | | All I can say is, perhaps you need to have actually experienced being on the end of this kind of discrimination to understand how serious it is. The British Labour MP gets it; let's see how our politicians respond to questions about this story. |
how do you know? have you been? i thought you'd never left australia? Ah, wont they let you??   
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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Morrigu
Joined: 11 Aug 2001
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| David wrote: | | All I can say is, perhaps you need to have actually experienced being on the end of this kind of discrimination to understand how serious it is. The British Labour MP gets it; let's see how our politicians respond to questions about this story. |
Since when is not completing your visa application correctly and ensuring that you haven't stuffed it up by applying for 2 different visa types before you arrive at the airport to travel discrimination????
"I asked what was wrong. I got a reply saying it was issued in error and it needed further time for processing." THAT is not refusal based on where she was born that was she stuffed it up as she had applied for 2 different Visa types which flagged in the system - as it would for anyone who did the same REGARDLESS of where they were born!
" When contacted, a spokesperson from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection said "the individual has made two separate applications for two different visas to enter Australia".
"In such circumstances the department needs to resolve the different visa applications," the statement said.
"The department is in contact with the individual applicant and is working to resolve the application."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-24/syrian-born-british-woman-denied-entry-to-australia/7053838
We had to redo our Visa application for East Africa as we had neglected to put a full stop after the tour company name ( I kid you not!) that we had arranged to transport us from Kisoro to the mountains to see the Gorillas. We had to do this before we left as we needed apart from a mountain of other documents a letter of invitation to visit - immigration officials around the world are absolute sticklers!!!!
You it seems are determined to be outraged on the basis of her opinion that her birth place was why she has denied entry - at least get it right - she has not been refused entry - she was refused entry AT THE TIME she had planned because she didn't have a valid visa - end of!!
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“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” |
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3.14159 
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
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| Quote: | “I’m really angry because my holiday was meant to start [today]. It’s ruined it for my friend as well.
We booked our tickets and accommodation three months ago and I’ve been saving up. I’ve had no time off this year and have worked really hard for this.
“I didn’t even know I needed a visa. I thought, well, I’m British, there’s the commonwealth, you don’t need one.” |
News Flash, clueless 30 year-olds holiday trip to Australia ruined!
(another pommie that doesn't realize Australia is a Sovereign nation, no longer a the Dominion of the UK and that applying for a visa isn't the same as posting on FarceBook!)
I'm outraged and I blame the British school system!
Last edited by 3.14159 on Sat Dec 26, 2015 8:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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