'I just want to see him': Mum gets visa, now needs to get to Melbourne
A Chinese mother whose son is on life support in a Melbourne hospital says she is overjoyed to be given an emergency visa and says she "just wants to see him".
Xing Lan Ren's son, 22-year-old Xiao Li, has been in the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition since his car collided with a truck on January 27. He was declared brain dead on Monday.
Xiao Li came to Australia last May on a working-holiday visa.
On Friday afternoon, acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said the government had granted Ms Ren a visa in what was its first exception to the blanket ban on foreign nationals coming from China due to "overwhelming compassionate and other considerations".
Mr Tudge said government officials were now liaising with Ms Ren to bring her to Australia as soon as possible. A friend of her son said she is expecting to arrive in Melbourne on Sunday morning.
"Xiao Li’s mother has been granted that tourist visa, so she will be coming to Australia," Mr Tudge said.
"Typically we ask people to quarantine themselves for 14 days after arriving in Australia [due to coronavirus fears].
Xing Lan Ren, the mother of Xiao Li, said she is appreciative of hospital workers and the government as she prepares to fly to Melbourne.
"In this instance we’re going to work very closely with her to ensure that she can nevertheless see her son and properly take care of the funeral arrangements and other issues which she needs to deal with."
Andy Yuan, a friend of Mr Li in Melbourne who has been regularly speaking with his mother, said Ms Ren "appreciates everybody who helped her son".
"She said she knows everybody tried their best to save him," Mr Yuan told The Age.
"She’s very thankful for all the doctors, nurses and social workers, giving great help to Xiao. They are really taking care of him, although we all know his damage is too big so he cannot survive. But everybody appreciates the help of the hospital."
Mr Yuan said Mr Li's mother, who is also a widow, on Thursday granted permission for her son's organs to be donated, which doctors said would help 10 Australians.
Ms Ren applied for an Australian visa on January 29, paying a total of $1145 to fast-track her application with a normal response time of two business days.
Less than 72 hours later, on February 1, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the minimum 14-day ban on foreign nationals travelling from mainland China.
It will be Ms Ren's first international trip, after she acquired her first passport last week to apply for the visa.
Mr Li, 22, was declared brain dead on Monday.
A group of Mr Li's friends had been advocating for Australia to issue an exemption to the travel ban, and Mr Yuan said they were elated.
"I can't believe it, it's such great news. I feel so happy that Xiao's mum will come to see her son," he told The Age.
Ms Ren, a labourer, borrowed the money for her visa application from a relative.
Mr Tudge said it was unclear how she will reach Melbourne from her home in Qingdao, about 1000 kilometres east of Wuhan, the virus epicentre.
Mr Li's friends, however, on Friday indicated she will fly on a commercial flight from Qingdao, in Shandong province.
Shandong province has recorded 379 cases of coronavirus, with no fatalities so far.
Mr Tudge said when the travel ban was imposed on February 1, the Australian Border Force Commissioner was given the power to grant exemptions in individual cases.
“Obviously the balance here … was the desire for her to be able to come out here to see her son and cater for his funeral arrangements while at the same time not jeopardising the broader health of the Australian population,” he said.
“We can manage this, though.”
The government has indicated the travel ban would likely be extended beyond February 15 and coronavirus symptoms can stay hidden for up to 14 days.
However, Mr Tudge said Ms Ren’s arrival would be “very carefully” managed.
The minister denied Ms Ren’s visa would set a precedent for other Chinese visitors, and said he was not aware of any other requests on compassionate grounds.
“Every individual case will be dealt with on [its] merits,” he said.
It was also confirmed on Friday that Mr Li is covered by Victorian road insurance, meaning he has unlimited medical and hospital cover.
Ms Ren can also claim up to about $24,000 in visiting expenses and almost $16,000 in funeral expenses.
Mr Tudge revealed about 8.30am on Friday that the government was considering granting the exemption, before it was granted about 12.30pm.