Doctor's parents refused entry visas

A Pakistani doctor working in Ireland for more than 10 years has criticised the Department of Justice for refusing to allow his parents into the country for the birth of his first child.

Dr Ahmad Jamal, a registrar in emergency medicine at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, said immigration authorities refused them entry because they might overstay their proposed visit or seek illegal employment.

"I'm very frustrated. My wife is very embarrassed about it, because she has been to Pakistan with me several times, and her country is refusing my parents to come and see their grandchild," Dr Jamal said.

He said the Department's decision was insulting to his parents, Mr Aziz Jamal (71), a retired journalist, and Ms Sakia Jamal (65) from Lahore, who owned property and had a large extended family at home.

"My father was a retired journalist and he has travelled all around the world and has never been refused entry anywhere. I have worked here for more than 10 years, all the time in full-time employment. I have contributed tax and PRSI at the higher rate. I am willing to sponsor them or pay a bond if it makes things easier," Dr Jamal said.

Dr Jamal's wife is due to deliver the couple's first child in four days, but he fears that even a successful appeal will mean his parents' four-week visit would be substantially delayed.

The Department of Justice yesterday said it could not comment on individual cases, but such visas were typically refused because of a lack of supporting documentation.

A Department spokesman pointed out that the vast majority of all visa applications were approved. Last year, for example, out of 120,000 applications, just 20,000 were refused.

However, the vice-president of the Irish Medical Organisation, Dr Asim Ishtiaq, said he was aware of a growing number of cases of doctors' parents or relations being refused entry for brief visits. "Is there an apartheid policy here?" he asked.

He also criticised the Department of Justice's visa helpline, which, he said, was open for just two hours a day and was typically engaged.

A Department spokesman said there had been problems with the phonelines but these were being addressed and a new e-mail service, visamail@justice.ie, had been launched recently.