Mum-of-Four May Be Deported After Ex Secretly Applies For Children’s Visas

Mother-of-four Ivonne Henriquez is experiencing a living nightmare at the moment after it came to light that her estranged partner had organised to have his children’s visas extended without getting the permission of their mother.

While the children are allowed to remain in Australia, Henriquez’s visa has lapsed and she may be deported.

The saga began in 2008 when Ivonne Henriquez moved to Australia from the United States with her partner and their four children. Her husband was a U.S. citizen, while Ivonne is originally from Venezuela but had fled from there to live in America. Their four children, aged between 6 and 11, were distraught when three years ago, their parents decided to split up, but a shared custody arrangement was agreed on.

However, Ivonne was shocked to learn when her visa lapsed in October 10th of this year that her ex-partner had arranged for the children’s visas to be extended without her knowledge. This means that although her four kids are free to stay in Australia, Ivonne may be deported if she cannot get on another visa.

Ivonne, 41, has built a life for herself and her four children in Australia, running a successful karate studio on Sydney’s North Shore for some time. She has been granted a bridging visa until her case is heard before family court, but if her case is not successful, she will be sent back to Venezuela.

“I am so worried about being separated from my babies,” she said recently in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. “I think about it every second of the day. I can’t sleep at night. I won’t rest until I have cleared this up.”

It is clear that Ivonne is a dedicated mum, who has always worked hard to make sure she was able to support her kids when they were in her care. However, she is struggling now to keep it together. The visa she is on is assessed on a monthly basis, with no guarantee of extension. This has made it difficult for her to find a home or a stable job. Ivonne is worried that as she cannot show she has any stability in her life, the judge will grant her partner sole custody.

Despite the betrayal, Ivonne has not requested sole custody from the judge. She believes that the children have a right to see their father, and that the joint custody arrangement has worked for the family for years. All the children understand the importance of having both mum and dad in their lives.

Friends of Ivonne are working now to raise funds for the struggling mum to help her with getting stability into her life, as well as to fight the legal battle that her partner is threatening. Others are calling on immigration minister Peter Dutton to review the case, including another mother from the children’s school, Jo Stendiford who said it was ‘concerning’ that Ivonne’s ex was able to submit an application for his children without consent being given from both parents.

A petition has been started for Ivonne’s cause, and she has been in discussions with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to figure out what her next move might be. She has informed them she intends to apply for a permanent visa to stay in Australia, but as yet is not sure what road she can take to achieve this.