Briton 'too thin' to be Australian

[UmmSqueakster 54]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21042006/356/brit...australian.html

A British woman, who weighs 6th 11lb and is 5ft 3ins tall, has been told she is too thin to become an Australian citizen.

Helen Evans is facing deportation after her low weight meant she failed a health check.

But a tribunal overturned the ruling and she has now been told she can stay in Australia pending a decision on her application for permanent residence.

Mrs Evans has spent three-and-a-half years fighting for the right to remain in Springfield, Brisbane, with

her Australian husband Steve and their young son.

She ran into problems after a routine health test for visa applicants because her body mass index (BMI) - calculated by comparing her weight with her height - was considered "extreme".

Mrs Evans said: "When they do the health checks, they do your height for weight, and if it comes out too low, obviously they don't take into consideration anything else. It's just if you don't match their figures, you're out, basically."

She said she was perfectly healthy and did not take any medication, adding: "From what we can work out, they're suggesting an eating disorder.

"But the only one they can work out is gluten-intolerance, which means I have had to change my diet to exclude all gluten products."

A spokesman for Australia's Department of Immigration said he could not comment on Mrs Evans' specific issues or the health test requirements.

He said: "Mrs Evans was asked to provide medical information on a number of occasions between October 2002 and July 2004, when her spouse application was refused.

"Whilst she provided part of the medical information by November 2003, a specialist opinion was required to address some of her health issues in order to make a complete health assessment.

"Despite numerous requests for complete information about her health issues, Mrs Evans failed to provide it and the department had no alternative but to refuse the application.

"The legislation requires that all permanent visa applications must satisfy health requirements."

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Does this mean obesity is also grounds for deportation in Australia?

[pax 0]

If you read the article, the problem is not that she is too thin, but rather that she was asked to provide additional information and did not. Just like ignoring an RFE here. Case closed.

Edited April 24, 2006 by pax

[Sister Fracas 5]

If you read the article, the problem is that she is not too thin, but rather that she was asked to provide additional information and did not. Just like ignoring an RFE here. Case closed.

[almaty 19]

she is a 1st class chopf##k..to ignore the rfe..

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

If you read the article, the problem is not that she is too thin, but rather that she was asked to provide additional information and did not. Just like ignoring an RFE here. Case closed.

Ignoring never works.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

If you read the article, the problem is not that she is too thin, but rather that she was asked to provide additional information and did not. Just like ignoring an RFE here. Case closed.

Shhhhhh, it looks more dramatic and grabs more headlines if we ignore that part

[Kajikit 65]

Does this mean obesity is also grounds for deportation in Australia?

Yes it can be, and I think it's terrible... they're terrified of anyone remotely unhealthy coming into the country and using their free medical care

[iceyspots 0]

see folks this is what happens when you don't reply to your RFE's..

[Jasman0717 9]

[Ban Hammer 13,332]

well i'll cross australia off my list then. they'll probably say i'm too hairy.

[almaty 19]

well i'll cross australia off my list then. they'll probably say i'm too hairy.

hairy is bad in oz?