Castlemaine dad Andrea Tindiani given bridging visa to appeal his visa case

An Italian father who wants to stay in Castlemaine to help raise his son has had a reprieve in his fight against being deported.

A stay of execution has been granted for an Italian father who was facing imminent deportation and being barred from Australia for three years.

Andrea Tindiani desperately wants to stay in the country to co-parent his Australian born son Marley, who he shares with his former partner.

Mr Tindiani has been at the centre of a high-profile immigration case that will determine whether he will be allowed to remain at his home in Castlemaine close to his son, or forced to return to his birthplace.

Italian national Andrea Tindiani is appealing to the Immigration Minister to allow him to stay in Australia to be close to his son Marley. Picture: Supplied

Mr Tindiani appealed to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to intervene in his case last month after all other avenues for a residency visa failed.

A few days ago he was granted a temporary three month bridging visa.

“It is with a hopeful spirit that I welcomed the news and continue working on collecting evidence to support my case,” Mr Tindiani said.

An online fundraising campaign has attracted more than $11,000 to help pay the legal expenses of his immigration case.

Mr Tindiani now hopes supporters will email the minister in favour of his application to stay in Australia.

The Italian citizen first arrived in Australia on a working holiday visa in 2012 and the following year received sponsorship through work.

He and his former partner welcomed their son Marley in 2014, before the pair separated.

Mr Tindiani was made redundant in a workplace restructure in 2016 and lost his work-sponsor.

He has since been employed but has not been able to secure another sponsor and has held a series of temporary visas.

“There is no visa for my situation,” he said.

“There are employment visas, student visas, partner visas but not one for parents in my position.”

The Immigration Department and minister have stated they will not comment on individual cases.