A West Lothian couple’s fairytale ‘love at first sight’ marriage was thrown into turmoil due to an excruciating 11-month visa delay. Bride Rebekka Arioua-Hill, 25, exchanged vows with her husband Alaeddine Arioua, 29, hailing from Algeria in May 2023. The couple, residing in East Calder, initially connected online via an Instagram dwarfism awareness page in 2017. After years of texting and video calls, they finally met in Algeria in 2022, where Al proposed. Rebekka then brought Al back to Scotland, and they sealed their love in marriage last year.
However, their blissful beginning in Scotland took a distressing turn as Al’s visa expiration loomed. A spousal visa extension application was submitted to grant Al an additional 30 months, yet the newlyweds endured a drawn-out 11-month wait for approval. This left Al unable to work or access disability benefits, plunging the couple into uncertainty, as reported by Edinburgh Live.
Rebekka shared their ordeal, mentioning the challenges they faced as they navigated the visa process. Al’s biometrics confirmation appointment was scheduled in November 2023, post the initial visa expiry, with the couple waiting anxiously for the visa until recently. The couple’s persistence eventually bore fruit when the Home Office granted Al’s visa on October 11, following months of uncertainty and distress.
While relieved at the positive outcome, Rebekka and Al expressed concerns about the potential recurrence of stress when they reapply for the visa in 30 months. Rebekka voiced her worries about undergoing a similar waiting period and the need to seek external assistance again.
In response to the delay, a Home Office spokesperson issued an apology upon approving the visa. Despite the couple’s happiness at the visa’s approval, the prospect of reliving the ordeal in the future remains a source of concern. Rebekka expressed gratitude towards Edinburgh Live for their support and hopes for a smoother process in the future.