James and Peggie Bradley were faced with the threat of being deported back to Britain because James had failed a medical examination

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

A 92-year-old English second world war veteran and his wife have been granted permanent residency in Australia following a decade of uncertainty.

After 10 years in Sydney, James and Peggie Bradley were faced with the threat of being deported back to Britain because James had failed a medical examination and was refused an aged parent visa.

After an administrative tribunal upheld the original ruling, the Bradley family had escalated their case to the office of the immigration minister for ministerial

British second world war veteran, 92, facing deportation from Australia Read more

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection confirmed to Guardian Australia on Wednesday afternoon that Alex Hawke, the assistant minister for immigration and border protection, had “made the decision to intervene” and grant both James and Peggie permanent residency.

The Bradley family was notified around the same time. Their daughter, Sharon Bradley, said it was “fantastic” news – and “incredibly sudden”.

“We did not anticipate it would be this quick.”

Supporting documentation requested by the department had been due on Wednesday, but it was not known when a decision was due.

Sharon said James, who has early onset dementia, was emotional at the news.

“He’s struggling to articulate how he feels. He’s really happy. Already I can see that heavy burden has been lifted off his shoulders … I honestly think he’s feeling better physically because this crushing sense of uncertainty has been lifted.”

As for Peggie, Sharon said, “Mum just keeps saying ‘I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it’.”

The decision concludes a decade-long process for the couple, who applied for permanent residency under the aged parent visa scheme after arriving in Sydney in 2007.



The visa allows older parents live in Australia if their child is a citizen or permanent resident, but can take up to 30 years to be granted.

After seven years on the waiting list, the Bradleys were told they were approaching the front of the queue. But James Bradley, then in his late 80s and less mobile following a fall, failed his second medical examination and was refused a visa.

That decision was upheld by an administrative tribunal. As James and Peggie had made a joint application, both faced being deported back to England but were hopeful that global media attention they had received since Sunday would help make their case with the minister.



Asked if the assistant minister would like to comment on his decision by Guardian Australia, a spokeswoman for the DIBP said he was “not required to explain his decisions on any case” under the Migration Act 1958.

Sharon Bradley said she and her family were “incredibly grateful” to Hawke for the speed with which he made his decision. “But also the fact that, finally, a sense of decency and compassion and humanity has been brought to bear on the case.

“We’re just incredibly grateful to him and at the same time feeling sorry for the other families that are still in the queue.

“I hope they get to have a night like ours.”