By Paul Dobbyn
TOWNSVILLE nurse Maria Sevilla has cause to smile following reports that she and 10-year-old son Tyrone will not be sent back to the Philippines.
But Ms Sevilla said the celebrations won’t start until she gets official confirmation.
“I don’t want to jump the gun,” she said.
“I spoke to my parish priest Fr Dave (Lancini) at Mass on Sunday to explain my situation and to clear up any confusion.
“I have yet to receive official confirmation from the Ministerial Intervention Unit (of the Immigration Department).
“Also we will still have to have the usual immigration checks – on character, police checks and so on.”
Ms Sevilla and her son were on the verge of being sent back to their home country after her skilled visa application was rejected on the grounds her autistic son would be a burden to taxpayers.
A 4000-page petition was presented to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s Brisbane office last month asking for him to intervene.
The latest developments in the Townsville nurse’s five-year ordeal came on the weekend when Mr Dutton decided to overturn the deportation orders.
Ms Sevilla said she had learnt of the decision through the media like everyone else.
For now, it’s a waiting game until official confirmation and that much-longed-for permanent residency visa arrives.
“I will most likely laminate the official paper when I get it, keep it on display and show it off to everyone,” Ms Sevilla said.
“It will be great to be able to wake up in the morning and not worry about whether we can stay in Townsville or not.
“It will be so wonderful to have people ask us questions like: how are you going today … rather than how is your visa going?
“We are so lucky that we have a lot of people supporting us like the nurses’ union, my church, my colleagues and family.”
And Tyrone?
“He’s a happy little boy as always without a worry in the world,” his mother said.
A spokesman for Mr Dutton said: “The Minister has agreed to intervene to grant Ms Sevilla and her son Tyrone permanent visas, subject to standard immigration checks and the receipt of required documentation.”
“This process should be concluded in coming weeks,” he said.
