At just 22, Rahma Aldeiri is on the cusp of graduating from Curtin University with a nursing degree, aspiring to become a critical care nurse. However, her dreams are jeopardised by her family’s ongoing visa issues. The Aldeiri family has resided in Australia for 14 years, living on temporary bridging visas and facing uncertainty about their future.
Originally from Jordan, the family came to Australia to visit Rahma’s grandmother, an Iraqi refugee. They applied for protection visas due to threats faced back home, but their applications were denied, leading to a lengthy legal battle that reached the Federal Court. Attempts to secure child visas for Rahma and her sisters also failed, and they almost faced deportation in 2020 due to a border closure amid the pandemic.
Despite their struggles, Rahma’s family has continued to build their lives in Australia, with her father working as a carpet layer and her mother as a learning support assistant. Rahma’s sisters have aspirations for university education, but international student fees are prohibitive.
Now, as Rahma prepares to apply for graduate programs, her visa status casts doubt on her future. She pleads for her family’s permanent residency, stating, “This is our home; why would we leave?” Their lawyer argues that they have fallen through the cracks of the system despite having a compelling case.