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Ailments lengthen visit -- illegallyBy WES ALLISON © St. Petersburg Times, published December 14, 2000 ST. PETERSBURG -- Anna and Christos Moskou came to St. Petersburg to check out their daughter's exciting new life in a strange land. They are finding the immigration system too strange for their liking. The Moskous' daughter, Nicole Moskou, is fighting to keep Anna Moskou in the United States while her mom recovers from gall bladder surgery and a host of other medical complications that could make it dangerous for her to leave. Mrs. Moskou's doctor says she should not travel, but the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service says there is no legal mechanism for allowing her to stay. The INS required Mr. Moskou, 66, to leave the country Wednesday. Nicole Moskou, 27, moved here in June and enrolled in St. Petersburg Junior College, where she is studying to become a teacher. Her response has been very American: to call the newspaper, contact her local congressman's office, hire a lawyer. Anna and Christos Moskou were admitted into the United States in August without a visa on the condition they stay just 90 days, part of an agreement with European nations. During their trip, however, Mrs. Moskou became ill and needed gall bladder surgery. She has since been plagued by complications, medical records indicate. The INS granted a monthlong extension to the Moskous in November, but their request for another extension was denied by local INS officials last week and their time here expired Wednesday. INS spokesman Rodney Germain said there's no legal provision for extending the stay beyond another month, but local officials may have some leeway. Jeff Wolder, officer-in-charge of the INS Tampa bureau, said late Wednesday that he has asked the Moskous for an evaluation of Mrs. Moskou's health from another doctor and an indication of how much time she needs to recover. He can then consider the request. Nicole Moskou expressed frustration about what she claims has been a lack of communication by INS since last week's denial of the extension. And she worries her mother, now here illegally, will be forced back to Sweden prematurely or not allowed to return again. "They came just to visit me, and all these bad things happened. It's ridiculous that it has gotten to this point," she said Wednesday. Her parents never intended to stay this long, she said. "All that we're asking is a couple weeks or a month or so until a physician said, "Okay, it is safe to go home.' "
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