An Indonesian couple is on the brink of collapse as they try to bring their Australian-born son into the country after he was refused entry because of his disability.
Lily Lumintang, 43, and her partner have been fighting to bring Jonathan Down Under for four years.
Jonathan, now 14, was born with cerebral palsy and was denied residency because his condition was deemed too costly for taxpayers.
Her son has been left in the care of Ms Lumintang’s father and mother-in-law while the couple attempt to appeal the decision.
Ms Lumintang, 43, cannot visit her son because she is on a bridging visa, the conditions of which prohibit applicants from re-entering Australia if they leave.
She was recently dealt another devastating blow following the death of her father, and was forced to make an impossible choice: stay here and fight for her son or return to Indonesia for the funeral and risk never returning to Australia.
“I cannot leave the country for a member of my family, otherwise the future of the whole family would be destroyed,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
“It would break my heart to leave Australia. We have community ties here – church, friends and employers.
Jonathan, 14 (pictured right), was recently cared for by his grandparents in Indonesia, but the family (left) suffered a devastating blow when his grandfather died.
‘We both work full time and our entire support system is here.’
Ms Lumintang arrived in Australia from Indonesia on a student visa in mid-2009 to study for a Master of Accounting.
She gave birth to Jonathan in 2010 and he lived in Australia for a couple of years before being sent back to Indonesia in 2012 so Lumintang could focus on her studies and set up a home.
After graduating and landing a full-time job, the construction company he worked for offered him sponsorship to obtain permanent residency in 2016.
As part of the ENS visa, Ms. Lumintang could apply for permanent residency for herself and her family after a certain period of time.
Ms Lumintang and her partner provided the necessary documentation to the Australian government in 2019, but the Covid pandemic slowed the process and their application was ultimately rejected in November 2021.
Jonathan was able to come to Australia for just three weeks during this period on a holiday visa.
“My son did not go through (the visa application process) because of the significant costs,” Ms. Lumintang said.
Jonathan (pictured as a child) failed the Australian government’s health requirement because of his cerebral palsy. If one family member is refused a permanent residency application, they are all refused. The Lumintangs face an uncertain future
‘They said it would cost $1.2 million over 10 years because of things like the NDIS and special education.’
‘On a family visa, if one person is denied entry, everyone is denied entry.’
Ms Lumintang filed an immediate appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, but was not contacted until this year.
However, the family’s request was rejected again in June and authorities informed them that Jonathan would now cost taxpayers $2.3 million.
The family was given 35 days to leave Australia unless they applied for ministerial intervention, which Ms Lumingtang did.
“We have been told that the process will take between six and twelve months,” he said.
“It’s devastating. We have to stay here until Jonathan can come here.
“We don’t know how long it will last, but the bridging visa is our only option.”
The couple also applied for Jonathan’s citizenship in May 2021, but it was rejected three months later.
Ms Lumintang said the family’s income will be drastically reduced if they are forced to return to Indonesia.
Despite being born in Australia, Jonathan’s citizenship application was rejected because he had spent too much time overseas, but part of this was due to Covid and not being able to return to Australia (pictured, Jonathan at a younger age).
“It’s difficult to find work there. There is an age limit and local experience in that field is required, which I don’t have,” he said.
Ms Lumintang said she feels “under pressure” and that the family is “on the verge of collapse”.
“It’s hard. Last year Jonathan ended up waiting for us outside the house because he thought we would come back to look for him,” she said.
‘I was sad.’
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