July 28, 2007 - Mohamed Haneef is allowed to leave Australia and would get his work visa reinstated as per Lawyer Peter Russo, who will fly with him to India today. Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews confirmed it. However, the govt. is determined not to reinstate Haneefa’s work visa. 

"He seems to be the only person in Australia who still thinks Dr Haneef is guilty of something," Mr Russo said in a statement.
 
Mr Andrews, who cancelled Dr Haneef's work visa on July 16 when a Brisbane magistrate granted the doctor bail, said today the visa remained cancelled.

His passport would be returned to him but his visa remained cancelled, Mr Andrews said.

He said the Commonwealth Solicitor-General, who had reviewed the decision to cancel the visa, believed that Dr Haneef's appeal against the cancellation would fail.

"Accordingly I do not propose to change my decision and the commonwealth will continue to resist this appeal in the Federal Court.''

Mr Russo has lodged an appeal against the decision to cancel the visa in the Brisbane Federal Court, with a hearing scheduled to take place on August 8. However, Haneef’s lawyer is confident that  he would be able to get Haneef’s work visa reinstated.

 Mr Russo said Dr Haneef's legal team was disappointed that he was prevented from publicly thanking Australians who supported him during his detention.

"This has been a severely traumatic time for him, made worse by the fact that his wife has just had their first child, a baby Dr Haneef has not even seen yet. His mother is also ill and he wants to be there with her.''