A FAMILY has been reunited in Goodwick after immigration rules forced them to spend months apart.

After spending 25 years in Malaysia, Mark and Jan Rummery decided to up sticks and move from Kuala Lumpur to Pembrokeshire, where Mark’s father lives in Haverfordwest.

The couple, who have been married for more than 20 years, have two sons; Trystan, who is studying for his A Levels at Pembrokeshire College and Samuel, a first year at Ysgol Bro Gwaun.

Mark and Jan decided they wanted to work for themselves and invested in the Ivy Bridge Guest House in Goodwick.

The family applied to come to the UK in January 2013, and they fully expected to be on the plane together. But immigration red tape and problems with visas meant they arrived at different times, with Trystan coming over to start college in June 2013, Mark in January this year and Samuel the following April. It was not until the end of July this year that Jan finally managed to enter the UK via southern Ireland.

The family hired a top lawyer in Cardiff who helped them fill out all the right forms and their case came before the Cardiff Immigration Office on October 20.

Mark said: “Even at the 11th hour we were told by a senior immigration officer that we had been ill-advised, filled in the wrong part of the form and still did not pass all the necessary criteria.”

After seven hours the family were told the news of Jan’s success.

“The relief we all felt was not the champagne-popping celebration type; it was a feeling of release from many months of anxiety, frustration and financial burden,” said Mark.

It has now been two weeks since Jan received her visa card and she has already begun expressing her talents of cooking up Western and Oriental dishes at the Ivy Bridge Guest House.

Jan said: “It’s a wonderful feeling to have the family back together and knowing we’re all going to stay together.

“It really has been a stressful time.

“In a way my heart was already here, but to be here now with my family is such a relief.”

Jan added: “Being a Christian has helped a lot, all of our friends here and at home have been praying for us.

“In a way the outcome was never really up to us. We know there is a God and he has the best plan for us.”

Mark and Jan now have ambitious plans for their guest house, including opening up a restaurant.

“We’ve had the Friendship Circle and Lions Club come to us and everybody is raving about Jan’s cooking,” said Mark.

“We are now looking forward to integrating into the community. Samuel has joined the local rugby team, sea cadets and has his sights set on playing in the brass band.”

Mark added: “We could not have stumbled across a nicer, friendlier community to set up back her in the UK after 25 years in Asia.”