Woman stuck in Russia after Canadian permanent residency snafu is back home in Toronto
A Toronto woman stranded for nearly two months in Russia after her permanent residency was revoked by the Canadian government is finally back home in Toronto.
Gyulza Julia Yakobi touched down at Toronto's Pearson International Airport Tuesday evening, and embraced her daughter Nargis Hannah Yakobi, who came to greet her.
"I'm so happy, finally to be back," she said. "Until the time I came to the gate, I couldn't believe that I was here."
Her daughter Hannah said she is relieved to have her mother home.
"It's been tough for mom. It's been tough for everyone in our family," she said.
"I'm just glad I can hug her."
Told she hadn't lived in Canada long enough
Yakobi found herself stuck in Moscow after travelling there in late July — a trip she said she took to seek out private care for a medical condition.
Her permanent resident card expired last December, but she decided to make her trip anyway due to her illness. It was perhaps not the best move, her daughter told CBC News last month. But permanent residents with expired cards can obtain travel documents once abroad that allow them to return.
When Yakobi applied for the document in September, she learned she'd been stripped of her permanent residency status.
The Canadian Embassy in Moscow told her she hadn't lived in Canada long enough to be considered a permanent resident, arguing she'd spent just 65 days out of the last five years in Canada — far short of the 730-day minimum required for permanent residency.
Nargis Hannah Yakobi had earlier told CBC News her family submitted a hefty stack of documentation to the embassy to support her mother's claim. Her mother was finally approved for the permanent resident travel document on Oct. 6.
Even though Yakobi is back home, she said she "still[doesn't]know what was the reason" her residency status was revoked.
"Nobody said sorry," she added.
