A trainee NHS doctor has hit out at the government after her mum and two sisters' UK visitor visa application was denied.
Sabreen Elbakri has branded the Home Office decision as "unfair" after learning of the decision. The mum-of-two was looking forward to welcoming her family to Glasgow after they were forced to flee their home in Khartoum, in Sudan.
The North African nation is embroiled in a violent conflict between two rival groups - the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It's been reported that over 600 civilians have died and more than five thousand injured.
Primary school head teacher, Aruna, 57, and her two daughters Ramya and Shima, aged 17 and 27, are one of many families who have been displaced.
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They are currently staying in a rented house in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following a 36-hour journey - via coach and ferry - to get there.
Now, their hopes of reuniting with Sabreen in Newton Mearns have been shattered after a six-month visa was refused.
Sabreen and her husband both work for the NHS and have indefinite leave to remain. They have two daughters who are British citizens.
She told Glasgow Live: "They are sad and feel alone, they have got nowhere else to go. The majority of Khartoum has been occupied by the RSF forces and it’s quite unsafe for everyone to be there right now.
"My mum owned a primary school and nursery there and she has lost it, it was her source of income.
"My sister Shima was accepted by the University of Dundee, but is unable to go because my mum’s funds are currently held in Sudan.
"I am the only immediate family they have got who is working and has got an income. They (Home Office) said they are not sure whether they would go back to Sudan or somewhere else after their visitor visa has finished.
"I wrote a cover letter saying I would be financially supporting them and they would help me in turn with child care."
Glasgow Live has seen a letter from the Home Office, setting out the reasons why the visa was refused, which states the government is not satisfied that the applicants are "seeking entry as a visitor and that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit."
Sabreen added: "It’s extremely important for my family to be here with us. Both my husband and I are NHS doctors and have two young children.
"If my family came and lived with me, I would be able to return to work earlier and finish my training.
"When the war happened in Ukraine there was a lot of support and the people who were living here were able to bring their families but the same isn’t reciprocated for people from Sudan, I think it’s very unfair.
"We are not looking to get any money from the government, we will be financially supporting them. I am very angry at the Home Office, the policies and the way everything has been handled.
"I work for the NHS and am giving to society. We worked throughout covid and have given back as much as we can so expect some sort of good will or better treatment than this.
"All we want is for them to come to the country and stay with us."
The Home Office said the evacuation of Sudan was only open to British nationals and their eligible family members, with a later exemption for NHS clinicians, adding that everyone applying for a visa is expected to follow the government’s guidelines.
A spokesperson added: “The UK carried out by far the longest and largest evacuation of any western country from Sudan, bringing 2,450 people to safety. Preventing a humanitarian emergency in Sudan is our focus right now and we are working with international partners and the United Nations to bring an end to fighting.
“While we do not routinely comment on individual cases, each visa application is assessed on its individual merits and in line with the Immigration Rules.”
If you are a Sudanese national and wish to come to the UK but do not have a valid UK visa, you will require a visa to enter. You should use the Check if you need a visa tool on GOV.UK to identify which visa you need.
Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. Further details are available here.
Shima has launched a fundraiser to pay for a deposit for her student visa after reportedly being accepted at The University of Dundee. Support the GoFundMe page here.
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