British couple who faced deportation from Australia over MS diagnosis granted visa to stay after last-ditch appeal
Exclusive: A British couple that feared they would be deported in a matter of days have been granted a last-minute right to stay in Australia.
Earlier this week, nine.com.au reported that Rob O'Leary and Jessica Mathers had made a last-ditch appeal to Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke for a joint permanent visa.
They had previously been rejected as Mathers was deemed an 'economic burden' to Australia due to her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.
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British couple Rob O'Leary and Jessica Mathers have been granted permanent residency after a five-year visa battle. Instagram/@mathersjessica_
Now they've received the news they've spent the last five years fighting for: O'Leary and Mathers have been granted permanent residency.
"This morning, we received the life-changing news we've been hoping for - our visa has been granted," they said in a statement.
"This marks the end of a five-year-long, emotional road - and the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
"We're so grateful that our contributions have been recognised, and that we can finally move forward with clarity and security."
The Sydney-based couple were contacted by their local MP Allegra Spender with the good news on Thursday morning. She told them that Burke had confirmed the last-minute decision to grant their visas to her.
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Mathers and O'Leary had previously filed a joint application for permanent residency but were rejected in 2022 due to Mathers' MS diagnosis.
The marketing project manager and DJ, who was diagnosed at the end of 2020, had been deemed an economic burden to Australia.
In its ruling, the Department of Home Affairs said Mathers exceeded the "significant cost threshold", which calculates the cost of care for an individual over 10 years and triggers deportation if it exceeds $86,000.
Mathers and O'Leary took the issue to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in 2023 and didn't receive a response until May 2025.
Though their appeal was unsuccessful, their case was referred to Burke, who had the power to personally intervene and grant them permanent residency.
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Mathers was was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the end of 2020 and was subsequentlydeemed an economic burden to Australia. Instagram/@
On Thursday morning, Mathers and O'Leary learned he had done just that.
The couple called his decision "life-changing" in a post on Change.org, where a petition they started attracted more than 27,000 signatures.
"There are so many things we've put on hold - just in case we had to leave," they said.
"But now, with this door wide open, we feel more focused and excited than ever to build our future in the country we love."
They are looking forward to "new beginnings, big dreams, and a bright future ahead".
A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs told 9news that the department cannot comment on individual cases.
"All non-citizens who wish to enter or remain in Australia must satisfy the requirements of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) and Migration Regulations 1994, including identity, health, security and character requirements," the spokesperson added.
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