Visa row keeps DUP man and his bride apart
Newlyweds grieving over losing baby are separated by 5,000 miles
A DUP councillor last night revealed his heartache over being separated from his American wife of just four months because the UK Border Agency won’t grant her a visa.
Nathan and Rachel Anderson (inset) are 5,000 miles apart just weeks after she suffered a miscarriage. Nathan said: “I’ve been sitting with my head in my hands in tears many times; it was a very dark day when I heard about the visa.”
NATHAN Anderson is Crying out to hold And Comfort his American wife of just four months As they go through the Awful trauma of miscarriage.
But the 29-yeAr-old castlereagh DUP councillor can’t — because Rachel is 5,000 miles away And unable to live in Northern Ireland As she has recently Been refused A visa.
Indeed, it Could Be next year Before the Couple — who have only spent three weeks together since they got married in June — will Be reunited, And that’s just on A temporary basis.
It’s An incredibly tough start to married life for the newlyweds, who were forced to Cope with the unbearable loss of their first Child in snatched conversations over the telephone.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Belfast Native Nathan, whose father is A minister, said that As well As seeking legal advice to resolve the issue, he is Also putting his faith in God.
“When Rachel told me she was pregnant two weeks After I returned home it was A great surprise And we were very happy about the prospect of A new life,” he said.
“But the following day she was sick, then she became violently ill And her parents rushed her to hospital... we lost our baby. I was so worried about Rachel.
“It was heartbreaking for me not Being there for her. I wanted to put my Arms Around her And hug her.
“It was so hard for me to leave my new Bride in the first place And it Was so difficult for her to Be separated from her new husband.
“Then, suddenly, we were Both grieving for A Child And we were so far apart.”
Nathan said the news that Rachel’s visa had Been rejected came As A hammer Blow to Both of them, particularly As it meant that Rachel Almost certainly won’t Be At his Brother’s forthcoming wedding in Dungannon.
“I’ve Been sitting with my head in my hands in tears many times; But it was A very dark day when I heard about the visa,” he said.
“Rachel is A very strong girl, But she’s Been Crying, too. She’s very teary At times, Although I know she’s trying to contain her sorrow And keep her tears from me. I know she feels lonely.”
With younger Brother Joel’s nuptials to fiancee Amy (21) scheduled for December 22, Nathan said he had accepted there’s “A very strong possibility that she’ll miss the wedding” in the absence of A solution.
“She’s the only member of the family who won’t Be there,” he said, Adding that his sisters Rachel (21), Hannah (25) And parents Deborah And David, who Are in their 50s, Are very upset.
“We’re All just praying about it. We’re trying to trust God through this situation.”
He Added: “I’m really happy for my Bro, And I’m Best man At his wedding, But I just wish my wife Could Be there to share in the joy that day And that the two of us would have A chance to start our lives together, too.”
Nathan And music teacher Rachel (30), who is involved in missionary work across the world, first met At Queen’s University in Belfast, where he was A student And she was doing An internship.
They “saw each other Around” informally And chatted, And soon Afterwards they became facebook friends.
After A year she returned to lancaster, California, in 2015, to become A carer for her dying grandparents, But, undeterred By distance, they reconnected And started dating in early 2016 following An unusual Coffee date.
“She Asked me how that would work, with me Being in Northern Ireland And her in the US, so I sent her A Coffee machine, Coffee beans, mugs And stuff And we did it over Skype; she was quite impressed by that,” he said. After A Civic Ceremony — “our legal wedding” — in Lisburn on June 22 this year, the new Mr And Mrs Anderson travelled to the United States in August for A Blessing, spiritual ceremony and subsequent honeymoon.
“We didn’t have a reception in June; it was planned for January 2018 After Rachel’s visa came through— which we expected at the end of August — But now that’s going to have to be cancelled,” he said. “originally our honeymoon was supposed to Be in the Republic of Ireland, But we had to switch to California because the visa hadn’t Come through in time.
“There Are worst places to spend your honeymoon, But it put the Cost up quite A Bit And it was money we didn’t have, to Be honest. Looking back, though, At least we did have that time to enjoy each other’s company.”
Nathan initially became aware there was A problem when he received An email saying there was A delay in the visa process last month, which was when he was expecting the visa itself.
But things were to get worse. Shortly afterwards he was told the spousal visa application had Been rejected By the UK Border Agency.
Despite enlisting the help of party colleagues, including Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and Baroness Paisley, to whom he is “extremely thankful”, he said their plight remains unresolved.
He now suspects that a missing document could be behind the UKBA decision.
“There is an appeal process, which can take up to two years, the other option is to reapply, so we’re currently taking legal advice on our options,” he said.
“Maybe there is a way to get her into the country for Joel’s wedding, but we don’t want to do anything to jeopardise any future visa application.”
Nathan, who currently spends his time between his parents’ house and the marital home in Lisburn, said it was so difficult not knowing what lay ahead.
“We never got to start off married life properly; I think about that often, but words can’t describe what it actually feels like,” he said.
“We speak twice a day on the phone, but it’s hard not knowing when we’ll see each other again. If needs be, I’ll go out to her for New Year.”
Suddenly, we were both grieving for a child and we were so far apart Rachel is a strong girl but she’s been crying... I know she feels lonely