An American woman says her life had been put on hold, after waiting over five months for a UK visa.
Jacqueline Jarocki, 25, only received a visa last week, when the Cambrian News got in touch with the Home Office after she raised concerns over the delays.
Jacqueline moved from her home in Indiana, USA, to Aberystwyth in September 2018 to attend the town’s university with her now-husband, Alexander Morgan, 26.
Jacqueline was studying a Masters on a student visa, but went on to a worker visa after finding a job at the university.
On 20 December 2020, Jacqueline applied for a FLR(m) visa after marrying Alexander on 15 December.
Despite the process for a FLR(m) usually taking around six to eight weeks, Jacqueline was only told five months later, on 21 May, that her application had been accepted.
“I wanted to switch visas as only the FLR(m) visa will count towards my route for Indefinite Leave to Remain and citizenship process,” Jacqueline said.
Jacqueline has been unable to go to the USA to visit her mother, who has begun losing her eyesight after being diagnosed with Macular Degeneration in April, while her visa was being processed.
“My life has been on hold and my mother in the USA has recently been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, which is causing her to lose her sight.”
Jacqueline added: “The waiting has deteriorated my mental health and seeing the Home Office ignore later applications to take care of more recent applications is disheartening and makes me feel ignored.
“There are over 100 winter applicants who are still awaiting a response and they have just been told it is Covid-19 delays, but these delays did not impact the Home Office announcing Priority Visas again, something we are not able to apply for and gives people a response within 24 hours.
“If they are so backed up, how are they able to do this?”
Jacqueline said there are a “large number of other immigrants who are in a similar situation”.
Jacqueline and Alexander, from Pembrokeshire, met initially online in January 2018 before meeting for the first time in Indiana in August.
The pair came to study in Aberystwyth in September 2018 and have remained here since.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “Applications for marriage applications are now being processed within service standards.
“Covid-19 did cause some delays in cases last year and we apologise for the inconvenience this has caused to Ms Jarocki.
“Her application has now been granted.”