Only in Denmark

URL: http://www.nordjyske.dk/artikel/10/5/29/3793246/3/familie%20rives%20i%20stykker%20af%20staten

A father from Frederikshavn is again denied residence permit.

Two young children born in Denmark, a Danish girlfriend and a steady job. It is not enough to get a residence permit in Denmark. It was decided last Tuesday afternoon when 29-year-old Shaun Anthony Mitchell’s application for residency was denied by the Integration Minister Birthe Ronn Hornbech.

“I feel absolutely terrible right now. It is one big chaos of emotions”, says Shaun’s girlfriend and mother of his two children, Mette Klein Sorensen.

Shaun Mitchell appealed the rejection he received from the Immigration Service last December for his residence permit application.

Back then the Immigration Service assessed that the couple had closer links with Australia, Shaun homeland, than to Denmark. This despite the fact that both couples’ children were born in Denmark, Danish citizens and Mette Klein Jorgensen is currently studying to be teacher in Denmark.

Completely crushed

The couple was optimistic enough to hope for better news. Therefore it was extra painful to receive the news because the letter’s first line did the other six sides equally valid.

“I feel completely shattered. I howled my eyes out after I had read it”, says Mette Klein Jorgensen.

The letter basically said that integration ministry did not find reason to go against the Immigration Service’s decision. It wakes despair in the frederikshavnske home.

“It is a disgusting system. One is just a case, not an actual human one”, says Mette Klein Jorgensen.

Will move to Australia

On Februar 28 Shaun Mitchell will leave the country. The possibility for change in decision is small. Mette Klein Jorgensen therefore sees no choice but to take her two year old son Daniel and newborns with Patrick on the other side of the globe.

“Daniel took it terribly hard to be away from his father for long time last time. He shall never suffer again, “says 31-year-old Mette.

“It’s crazy that they would rather kick all three of us out than giving Shaun permit”.

Mette and Shaun have been victims of some complex rules that were introduced when the Immigration Act was tightened in autumn 2010.

The Couple: “Terrible bureaucracy“

Mette gets money support from the government to take his ongoing training as a teacher, because she developed severe eczema in her previous job as a dental assistant. The support means that Shaun and Mette could not apply for family reunification for marriage couple. Shaun applied instead to be family reunited to his son Daniel and it was a lot harder.

Immigration Service wrote in their initial refusal that a child must be 6-7 years before it has a connection to the country, which means that refusal to the resident parent’s spouse will have serious consequences for the child.

“It’s a terrible bureaucracy to treat people that way. It makes me ashamed of being a Dane,” Mette Klein says.

Will fight on

Mette and Shaun met for about three years ago when Mette was working in Australia.
The two had only been together a few months when Mette found out she was pregnant upon her return.

They were both wanted to start a family in Denmark and Mette are not willing to give up the dream of raising his children in his homeland.

“Right now I feel just terrible – a whole hotchpotch of emotions. But deep down I still have a faith that we will succeed. We have to fight on, “she says