Wagga family's plea for help to secure dad Pacifique Mudacumura a partner visa

Pacifique Mudacumura was born in Rwanda and met his partner, Carly Shepherd in 2015 when the pair were both in China for different reasons.

With mutual friends keeping them connected, the pair eventually fell in love but had to make their relationship work long-distance when they were forced to return to their home countries.

Mr Mudacumura returned home to support his family and continue his studies, while a pregnant Miss Shepherd returned home to her loved ones, wanting her children to be born in Australia.

In 2017, the couple welcomed their now six-year-old twins Serena and Jayden, who were born in Wagga.

Apart from being able to see his children the day after they were born, Mr Mudacumura has separated from his family for six years.

"It has been hard because I missed most of the early years of my children's lives," he said.

"They're mixed children, so they need both of their parents to be connected to both cultures, and then of course I miss my partner.

"I think to myself every day how I can reunite with them."

First, it was the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of the Australian border that kept them apart longer than initially planned.

When the borders finally opened, Mr Mudacumura applied for a partner visa to live in Australia permanently, but it was declined.

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Instead, he was able to get a family visit visa that allows him to stay in Wagga for three months at a time.

While visiting, he is restricted from gaining employment and has to finance trips from country to country.

The family visit visa will expire in February 2024.

Miss Shepherd said the journey has been tough, with the pair having to jump through hoops just to ensure Mr Mudacumura was there to see his children being born.

"He tried to get a visa to come to see the children being born but he had to end up watching the birth via Skype because they approved it late," she said.

Mr Mudacumura has to had to take the same approach so he could celebrate his children's and wife's birthdays and any other big milestones families typically get to mark together.

"It has been harder than I ever could have imagined," Miss Shepherd said.

"No one could have predicted a worldwide shutdown, but now to have to get him through so many hoops to get him here is so hard.

"The earlier stages were really hard, I couldn't work because I had the twins and I missed having him with me.

"It was also hard in that the kids couldn't have a proper relationship with their father."

The family is doing all they can to secure a partner visa, but with almost $18,000 needed to complete the process - to cover legal fees and the application fees - it is another struggle keeping the family apart.

"The partner visa costs more than $8000 alone and it's not refundable, so if they don't approve it you don't get that money back," Mr Mudacumura said.

"Then I have immigration lawyer fees and the cheapest one we have found so far is $4500 plus additional fees that may arise."

Mr Mudacumura was working full-time in Rwanda but earning only $300 a month and, as the eldest child and losing his dad to genocide, had the responsibility of caring for his mother and younger siblings.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with the visa costs and additional expenses like relationship registration, parentage DNA testing, medical requirements and the constant visits between countries.

Donations can be made online at gofund.me/9c168f86

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