British great-grandmother, 93, is given 28 days to leave Australia

A British great-grandmother has been given 28 days to leave Australia or risk arrest despite her family warning she could die on the journey back.

Mollie Manley, 93, moved to Australia 11 years ago from Somerset, England to be closer to her family. 

She failed to obtain a permanent residency visa and is now being deported back to Britain, leaving behind three grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She has no living relatives outside of Australia, and her family are concerned for her health should she be left on her own.    

Mollie’s son-in-law Robert Rowe has written to the Home Affairs Office pleading for them to reconsider their decision and reiterated that the flight alone posed a severe risk to Ms Manley’s health and wellbeing

Mrs Oliver said it was heartbreaking to think of Ms Manley being isolated from her family on the other side of the world in the last years of her life

Mrs Oliver said it was heartbreaking to think of Ms Manley being isolated from her family on the other side of the world in the last years of her life

Her son-in-law Robert Rowe told SBS the letter informing them of her deportation arrived on Monday.

‘She’s been here 11 years, but she failed the medical on health grounds, she’s gone blind in that time and old… yesterday, I received a letter by email stating that they cancelled her visa application and she has 28 days to leave the country,’ he said. 

‘We have 21 days to appeal the decision, but she may not last that long. She is very frail; we may suspect she may die. But if she survives then we will appeal the decision.’ 

He said should she be forced back onto the flight, she wouldn’t survive the plane trip. 

Frail great-grandmother Mollie Manley (pictured with her great-grandchildren) is being deported back to Britain where she has no family after it was decided she was too much of a burden on the health system

Frail great-grandmother Mollie Manley (pictured with her great-grandchildren) is being deported back to Britain where she has no family after it was decided she was too much of a burden on the health system

Ms Manley recently suffered a minor stroke and her family feared the worst and gathered at her bedside to say their last goodbyes. 

Her granddaughter Lauren Oliver brings Ms Manley’s three great-grandchildren, Logan, 9, Evan, 7, and Jasmine, 3, to visit her every week from their home in Perth, and told Daily Mail Australia the family were shattered by the news. 

‘We are so devastated. We love her so much and the thought that she could be sent back after 11 years is so heartbreaking,’ she previously said. 

What is an Australian aged parent visa? 

An aged parent visa allows parents to stay in Australia permanently with their children – who must in turn be Australian citizens or have a permit for permanent residence. 

The applicant must also prove that at least half their children are Australian citizens, and that they have more children living in Australia than any other country. 

Successful applicants can then live in Australia and receive subsidised healthcare and some social security payments. 

However, the health criteria state that an applicant must be free from disease and must be free of any condition which would cost the health sector more than $40,000 in total. 

If the cost is likely to be more then the visa can be refused. 

The visas are either contributory or non-contributory. Applicants for non-contributory visas often have to wait for several years for their application to be processed, but the fee that has to be paid is much lower.

‘She would have no one and would die alone, here she has her only child, my mother, her son-in-law, my dad, three grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.’  

Ms Manley was informed on May 12 that her application for an aged parent visa was rejected because she does not fit the criteria due to her poor health.

The health criteria state that an applicant must be free from disease and must be free of any condition which would cost the health sector more than $40,000 (£22,000) in total. 

Ms Manley’s full-time care would cost about $145,000 (£80,000) for the next three years. 

‘We are desperately hoping that they can show our family and Mollie just a little bit of compassion and allow her to stay with us,’ Mrs Oliver said. 

Mrs Oliver said she still hasn’t been able to tell Ms Manley she is set for deportation, but said she thinks she is aware.

‘We haven’t told our children or Mollie at this stage. I don’t think Mollie would be able to hear this news, it would upset her too much. 

‘We don’t believe that she would survive the flight home even she is that frail,’ she said.

‘We just want people to know that to us she means the world. We love her so much and just want to make her final days full of joy and happiness, which she gets from her family.’ 

Her granddaughter, Lauren Oliver (pictured), brings Ms Manley's three great-grandchildren to visit her every week and told Daily Mail Australia the family were devastated

Her granddaughter, Lauren Oliver (pictured), brings Ms Manley’s three great-grandchildren to visit her every week and told Daily Mail Australia the family were devastated

'She would have no one and would die alone, here she has her only child, my mother, her son-in-Law, my dad, three grandchildren and nine great grandchildren,' Mrs Oliver said (pictured - Mollie with her extended family in Australia including Robert Rowe - centre back)

‘She would have no one and would die alone, here she has her only child, my mother, her son-in-Law, my dad, three grandchildren and nine great grandchildren,’ Mrs Oliver said (pictured – Mollie with her extended family in Australia including Robert Rowe – centre back)

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk