Karen Aghzzaf, 70, met husband Brahim, 46, on Facebook in 2015 and wed him two years later – but the couple are yet to live together, as Brahim has twice been denied a spouse visa
A gran who married a Moroccan man 24 years her junior after meeting him on Facebook is still unable to live with him after he was twice denied a UK visa for failing his English tests.
Karen Aghzzaf, 70, from Castleford, Yorkshire, connected with her husband Brahim, 46, on the social media site in July 2015. The pair “instantly hit it off” despite Brahim living in Khemisset, Morocco, 2,107 miles away. The mum-of-two and gran-of-three says people initially “thought he was with me for my money or citizenship” – due to their 24-year age gap. Brahim is only five years older than Karen’s oldest son Dominic, 41, and 14 years older than her other son, Jordan.
Karen flew to Marrakesh in July 2016, where she met Brahim in person for the first time. The pair married in November 2017 – but the couple have not yet lived together as Brahim twice failed the English language test required to obtain a spouse visa in the UK – which the pair blame on his dyslexia.
Karen, a retiree, who now lives in Blackpool, Lancashire, said: “I’m not stupid – Brahim wants to work, he wants to take care of me, and I deserve to have my husband living with me. We’re trying to get the Home Office to make an exception for Brahim – because of his dyslexia. But he’s lost so much confidence because of all this. initially, we did talk about me moving to Morocco – but I don’t think I could do it.”
Karen, who has three grandchildren aged four, 12 and 15, says Brahim gets along with her sons “like a house on fire.” The couple bonded over their shared love of Spain when first connecting online, which led to Brahim inviting Karen to Morocco for the first time. She booked a £600 hotel in Marrakesh and spent £300 on flights from Manchester Airport.
“He made a lot of me, when we met in person,” Karen said. “It felt like something different – an adventure. He was just so nice and thoughtful.” Karen returned to visit Brahim and his family just five months later, and in May 2017, after two years of dating, Brahim proposed and the couple wed at a registry office in Ouarzazate, Morocco, in November 2017.
After that they set out to obtain a spouse visa so he could move to Castleford. Karen added: “It was a bloody carry-on in itself just to get married – so much paperwork – and we even had to speak to the British Embassy. But we thought there would be less red tape once we were actually married. At first, Brahim wanted us to move closer to him, near to the Atlas Mountains – but I love my home, I couldn’t have done that.”
On January 17, 2021, Brahim sat the English language test in order to get his visa, but failed. He was asked to resit the test on July 18, 2021, and failed again – which meant the visa couldn’t be granted. Karen claims she has appealed to the Home Office, citing Brahim’s dyslexia diagnosis – and showed them his doctors’ notes.
Eight years into their marriage, the couple are still no closer to moving in together. “I was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in July 2019, shortly after I last saw Brahim in-person,” Karen said. “I do feel like it’s a race against time because I’m really suffering with it. To be honest, I want my husband here to help me get through it – and he’s struggling too, being without me.”
Brahim said: “I feel so lost – and so much loneliness. I really miss her and I just want to be with her. We haven’t seen each other for over five years – in all that time, we’ve not been together and it’s really hard for me. I’m just waiting for the day that I can see her again, live with her and spend the rest of my life with her.”
The Home Office has been approached for comment.