A HEARTBROKEN family have spoken of how tough immigration policies have put 4,000 miles between a mother and her young son.

Five years ago, Newport-born Suhail fell in love with his eventual wife Riza while on holiday in Pakistan.

The couple - whose surnames have been withheld to protect their identities - married and within a year had a son, Umair, with the hope that the entire family would settle in Wales where he would have a “better future and education”.

But even though Risa is married to Suhail, she has been turned down for a visa on two occasions which has had “devastating” consequences for the young family.

For three years, mother and son have become a so-called “Skype family” who resort to internet video calls as their only mode of communication.

“You go on Skype and he thinks its just a video,” said Suhail.

“She cries then because obviously she’s not seeing the baby and the baby’s not really paying attention to her because he don’t really know who she is.”

To qualify for the spouse’s visa, Suhail has to prove that he earns at least £18,600 a year – more than the minimum wage – while Risa has to pass an English language test.

For the first application Risa had failed the English language test, but her family believe she was turned down a second time because too much time had elapsed while Suhail was between jobs.

While the family have the means to support Risa, the rules state that only Suhail’s income can be taken into account.

“I didn’t really think it would be this hard,” he said.

“It’s come to a stage where you’re just struggling so much and there’s only so much you can do. It’s just a waiting game.”

Risa was forced to watch from afar as her son celebrated his first birthday in Newport, and the ongoing separation is causing her stress, says her mother-in-law, Irena.

She said: “She says she cries every day because he’s not around. It is painful. Children should always come first.”

A report by the Children’s Commission says that similar cases are causing “serious irreparable mental damage” to children.

It will be further aggravated by the fact that the UK Government are proposing to increase the £18,600 earnings threshold for the spouse’s visa.

This story is one of three that are featured in the BBC documentary ‘Strangers in a Strange Land’, which explores the reality of immigrants attempting to build a new life in Wales.

It will be shown on Monday June 26 on BBC One Wales at 10.40pm.