A collage image of the Belgian Embassy in Nairobi. IMAGE : Belgium Embassy in Nairobi ,KENYA
In Summary:
- A Kenyan lawyer battling cancer has issued a legal demand to the Belgian government over the withholding of her husband’s passport, preventing him from accompanying their family to Belgium.
- The lawyer, currently receiving treatment in Belgium, paid for an express visa service for her husband and children but alleges the government declined to issue the visa despite the request.
In a dramatic turn of events, a Kenyan lawyer undergoing cancer treatment in Belgium has taken legal action against the Belgian government over visa issuance delays.
The lawyer, through her legal representatives, has issued a demand letter to the Belgian Embassy, accusing the authorities of withholding her husband’s passport and denying him a visa to join her and their children in the European nation.
According to the demand letter, a copy of which Topnews.co.ke has seen, the lawyer had paid for an express visa service to expedite the process of reuniting her family in Belgium, where she is currently domiciled and receiving treatment.
However, despite the request and payment, the Belgian government allegedly declined to issue the visa to her husband.
The letter further elaborates that while the couple’s children have been granted Schengen visas, they cannot travel to Belgium as they are minors and require their father’s accompaniment.
“While the children have had their Schengen visas processed and ready to travel on previous travels to Europe, they are unable to make the journey, as they are minors of tender years and require the company of their father for the journey,” the letter reads in part.
The family’s predicament has also disrupted the children’s education, as they have already been pulled out of school, losing valuable learning time while the visa processes remain pending.
At the time of publishing this article, the Belgian government had yet to respond to the demand letter or issue an official statement regarding the matter.