Dad misses toddler's birthday, Christmas and first steps due to lengthy visa delays
They met while they were still in high school, married two years later and had a child.
But the promise of a dream life together was threatened by lengthy immigration delays that kept Rahul Sharma, 25, away from his young family for more than 18 months.
Liz Sharma is desperate to see her husband again, especially for their 19-month-old daughter, Alia, who can only keep in touch with her dad online.
INZ visa services manager Michael Carley said the department "acknowledges that it has taken longer than it should have to assess this application and apologises for the delay".
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The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
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