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New insult: Aust sends visa warning to dead man

The grieving widower of a British man who died while on holiday in Adelaide says he has received an email from Australian immigration authorities warning his dead husband has overstayed his visa.

May 05, 2016, updated May 05, 2016
David and Marco Bulmer-Rizzi. Photo: Facebook

David and Marco Bulmer-Rizzi. Photo: Facebook

David Bulmer-Rizzi died suddenly in Adelaide earlier this year, with his husband Marco later receiving an apology from Premier Jay Weatherill because authorities did not initially recognise the pair’s marriage on David’s death certificate.

Weatherill today expressed his sadness over the latest development.

Buzzfeed UK, which broke the original story, reported that the email had been sent to David’s inbox and read by Marco.

Marco Bulmer-Rizzi confirmed the story on Facebook saying the email was insulting and avoidable.

“I will not ever at any point in my life ignore a letter that states that David has overstayed his Visa,” he wrote. “Because it is not right. Because he didn’t. Because maybe he is not here, but I am and I will stand by him. Because I told them when we left Adelaide airport. Because this is insensitive and perfectly avoidable.

“The registar office that recorded David’s death knew that David was a foreign national. There has to be sensitivity when someone dies. Because the people left behind are not robots. They have just lost someone that they loved. So one could have assumed that the registrar office would let Immigration know that a foreign national had died.”

Bulmer-Rizzi said he feared the status of his marriage would again be questioned.

“Now I have to brace myself for what I can only fear will be another form I have to fill out where without doubt I will be challenged as to whether or not I am his husband. I have said this so many times already this week. I am not superhuman. I have just lost my soulmate.”

Weatherill said he was sad about the latest “disrespect” to Bulmer-Rizzi.

“It is sad that Mr Bulmer-Rizzi has once again felt disrespected by the Australian bureaucracy,” he said in a statement.

“I hope this matter is speedily resolved.”

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