Newlyweds Reunited After Immigration Delays

Friday, March 23rd 2007, 2:14 pm

By: News On 6

Thereâ€™s a happy ending for Owasso newlyweds forced to spend more than a year apart after the bride was stuck in Baghdad. Hassan Ahmed, already an American citizen and his Iraqi wife Huda have spent 14 long months trying to get Huda a Visa to come to her new home in Owasso. The News On 6's Heather Lewin has been following the story since the Iraqi-American first learned he had to leave his new wife behind. She reports Huda lived in a volatile Baghdad neighborhood, and every day here in America her new husband feared for her life.

Hassan Ahmed says he knew right away he and Huda were a perfect match. Connected by their families in Baghdad the two carried on a telephone romance for months, then finally met and married in Amman, Jordan, they had only two weeks together then they were separated.

"It was very difficult because she was crying and I was very sad," said groom Hassan Ahmed.

They were told they'd only be apart a few months, and then the U.S. government refused to consider her application for a Visa. Fearing for her life in Baghdad, Hassan checked on her every day. More than a year went by, and then the news finally came.

"When her security check was done, she picked up the phone and called me at work and said, they called me from the embassy, they want my passport!"

Hassan flew immediately to Jordan to finally bring his bride home.

"She was overwhelmed, I was overwhelmed, because I knew my wife was here finally, it was a wonderful feeling," Ahmed said.

Huda, who is very eager to learn English, says Tulsa is beautiful, safe and quiet, exactly what she'd hoped for.

"Right the first second she said I want to go to the mall, so I took her to Woodland Hills mall on Sunday," said Ahmed.

Showing her around her new home is a dream come true, a moment the two felt like would never come.

"But it was worth it, to stay together and be patient and finally she's here," he said.

Hassan says Senator Jim Inhofe helped bring Huda to her new home. He says he understands and appreciates the extra security since 9/11, but it was so hard to know his wife was in danger in Baghdad and there was nothing he could do.

Related Stories:

6/2/2006 Baghdad Bride Waits For Visa

9/28/2006 Man Headed To Jordan To Be With His Iraqi Bride