SBS Breach of human rights': Family finally reunited after 28-month wait for partner visa

'Breach of human rights': Family finally reunited after 28-month wait for partner visa Amy Alhashimi and her husband Karrar pictured with their son Mohammad and niece Harley-Rose. Amy Alhashimi and her husband Karrar with their son Mohammad and niece Harley-Rose. Source: Supplied After more than two years of waiting for an Australian partner visa, Amy Alhashimi's husband has finally been able to join her and their son in Queensland. For the past 28 months, Amy Alhashimi says she has lived her life hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Amy has been waiting for more than two years for an Australian offshore partner visa to be approved for her husband, Karrar, who is originally from Iraq. It has meant she has been raising their young son Mohammad (Mo) Ali on her own in Gympie, Queensland, for most of his life. "Half of me has always believed that, yes, it will happen. But the other half has always felt it wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't," the 37-year-old told SBS News. "I've known legally and rationally that we should have had that visa by now. Because of that, I've always had hope that it would come very soon." Amy Alhashimi with her husband Karrar and son Mohammad. Couples separated for years are calling for change in Australia's partner visa system SBS News first spoke to Amy in August 2020, along with other Australians who were calling on the federal government to make the offshore partner visa processing system fairer and more transparent. They were desperate to know when they would be reunited with their partners. That moment came for Amy last month when she received a call from her migration agent saying Karrar's visa had been approved. She says the feeling was hard to put into words. "I was in shock. I thought to myself, 'does this mean I can start planning for my future? Can I start thinking about plans for my husband? Is my son going to see his father again?'" ‘The most amazing birthday present’ The 33-year-old's permanent residency visa (subclass 100) was approved on 14 December. Within 10 days, he was on a flight from Baghdad - narrowly avoiding a ban on flights from Iraq to at least eight countries, including Australia - and arrived in Brisbane on Christmas Eve. After completing 14 days in hotel quarantine over Christmas and New Year's Eve, Karrar was reunited with Amy and his son Mo earlier this month, on his wife's birthday. “It was the most amazing birthday present ever to go and collect Karrar,” she said. “It was the most beautiful thing ever,” Karrar added. “It was a special moment for me to see my family, and finally I’m with them.” But their path to being together hasn’t been easy. Meeting on Manus Island The couple first met at the Manus Island detention centre where Amy was working in welfare and Karrar was detained for four years after fleeing Iraq fearing political persecution. After returning to Australia, Amy kept in touch with Karrar and would go on to visit him several times in Papua New Guinea before they got married. But Karrar would soon need to go back to his homeland. “It has been really hard - a lot of suffering,” Karrar said.