A Palestinian woman from East Jerusalem has been refused a UK visitor visa while her husband’s application was approved, forcing the couple to cancel plans to visit their son in London. Karim Abdallah, who has lived and worked legally in the UK since 2019, had invited his parents, Therese Abdallah, 69, and her husband, Ghassan Abdallah, to spend several weeks with him. Therese is a retired English teacher, while Ghassan works as a psychologist. Family Visit CancelledThe couple had previously travelled to the UK on academic visits without encountering visa difficulties. However, the Home Office rejected Therese’s latest application, saying officials were not convinced she was a genuine visitor who would leave the UK at the end of her stay. Ghassan’s application, submitted through the same process, was approved. Concerns Over Return HomeIn its refusal letter, the Home Office said Therese’s ties to the UK outweighed her connections to her home country and concluded it was not satisfied, "on the balance of probabilities", that she intended to leave after her visit. The decision came despite the couple applying together with the same invitation from Karim and his partner, who also provided evidence that they could financially support the visit. Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem occupy a distinctive legal position. They are not Israeli citizens but hold Israeli and Jordanian travel documents. Because Therese needed separate visas for both the UK and a family wedding in Ireland, she submitted one application using her Israeli travel document and another using her Jordanian document. Karim said his mother had previously been refused a UK visa in 2019 due to a technical issue involving a bank statement submitted in Hebrew. The latest refusal also informed Therese that she had no right to appeal or request an administrative review. Strong Family and Community LinksAccording to Karim, his mother has deep roots in East Jerusalem, where she was born and has lived all her life. Although he lives in the UK, his brother, an oncologist, remains in East Jerusalem with his wife, children and extended family. Karim said his mother would have no reason to remain in Britain, noting that spending too long outside East Jerusalem could jeopardise her residency status. He said he had lived lawfully in the UK for several years, worked, paid taxes and did not receive state benefits. He added that he had been looking forward to taking his parents to attractions including Kew Gardens and attending a family wedding in Ireland before the visa refusal disrupted their plans. Home Office ResponseA Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on the individual case but said all visa applications are assessed on their own merits and on the evidence submitted, including any previous visa refusals. Join the discussion? 25 July 2026
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