Kenyan Mother Appeals to Stay in Australia With Six-Year-Old Son

A Kenyan mother in northern New South Wales is seeking special consideration to remain in Australia with her six-year-old son, who is an Australian citizen.

Leah Wambui Sore arrived in Australia on a visitor visa in January to spend time with her son, Thanasi Kuzeff. Her visa is due to expire on 1 December, leaving her without a lawful way to remain unless immigration authorities grant her another option.

Sore has applied for a Contributory Parent visa, but the lengthy processing period has left the family uncertain about their future. Thanasi, who was born in Kenya and moved permanently to Australia in 2024, has struggled to understand why his mother may have to leave.

“Because I really love her and I don’t really want her to leave,” he said.

Sore said allowing her son to move to Australia was a difficult decision that she made in the hope of securing better opportunities for him. She now fears the decision could lead to another prolonged separation.

“All I’m asking for is to look at this case differently and allow Thanasi to grow with both mum and dad and family around,” she said.

Her partner, Daniel Kuzeff, has also called for greater consideration of the needs of young children in immigration cases.

“His childhood is happening now,” Kuzeff said. “I just hope there can be some thought about this type of situation, that there is a pathway when a young Australian child is involved.”

The family has spent about AUD50,000 pursuing the Contributory Parent visa, which they believed was the most suitable option. However, processing times are estimated to be as long as 15 years, leaving the family facing an immediate challenge before Sore's current visa expires.

Australia's migration programme provides 185,000 permanent places each year, with 28 per cent allocated to family visas. About 7,000 places are reserved for parent visas, which have some of the longest processing times in the migration system.

Immigration experts say the delays reflect the government's need to balance family reunification with other migration priorities, including skilled migration. Professor Mary Crock of the University of Sydney has said cases such as Sore's illustrate the difficulties that can arise when immigration rules affect families with young children.

The Department of Home Affairs has acknowledged the importance of family unity and the interests of Australian citizen children. However, a departmental spokesperson said decision-makers must comply with legislation and consider each case individually. For Sore, the approaching visa expiry date means she may have to leave her son without knowing when she will be able to return.

“How do you explain to a six-year-old boy that you’re packing your bags and you don’t know when you are going to be back?” she asked.

The family is now seeking a solution that would allow Sore to remain in Australia while her parent visa application is processed.