A SHOCKED Gourock family are facing a race against time to save a fairytale wedding after the bride's visa was rejected.

Lorna Macmillan has hit out at the Home Office after officials questioned the motives of her son Craig and his fiancee, putting their £20,000 nuptials in jeopardy.

Craig, 28, who works and lives in Austrian capital Vienna for a global firm, was set to marry the love of his life, USA-born Sarah Castellano, in his home country later this month.

But her visa application was refused, on the grounds the government did not believe her case for coming to the UK was genuine.

The family have now turned to MP Ronnie Cowan to intervene.

Lorna, of Victoria Road, said: "Craig and Sarah are so in love, they have been together four years, and this is meant to be.

"Sarah's family are all coming over from the USA.

"Their dream is to get married in Scotland and they've been planning it since they got engaged two years ago.

"Sarah's never had a problem getting here before, she has visited us so many times and even lived in London as a student.

"I felt sick when the rejection letter came through.

"They are saying that she has not proved she has the funds or that she is leaving after 14 days.

"This is a girl who has two masters degrees and works for a global firm.

"There is no question that they are going back to Austria, they're both in full-time employment and want to build a life there.

"They will be staying with us while they are over here.

"My son proposed with my grandmother's ring, a family heirloom, and I wouldn't have given that over lightly.

"The Home Office even had the cheek to send her a customer satisfaction survey.

"They are a joke, but this is playing with people's lives."

Lorna, 58, who works for Danish shipping firm Maersk, and husband Gordon, a retired human resources executive, have called in lawyers to try and resolve the wrangle.

She said: "You have to wait until three months before the wedding before you can apply.

"The rejection letter came through on June 29 and you are not allowed to appeal and have to reapply.

"That can take more than 24 days and Sarah has still to get her passport back.

"She tried to pay to get it fast-tracked but wasn't able to do that either.

"It has cost them hundreds of pounds on the visa process alone."

Morton fan Craig met Sarah in a bar in Vienna, where he works as a manager for a multinational company Novomatic.

He fell in love with the 28-year-old, a content marketing manager for FoxEducation, and proposed in 2020 but their wedding plans were put on ice by the pandemic.

Their dream ceremony was set for August 27 at Stonefield Castle in Tarbert, Loch Fyne in front of 70 close family and friends.

But they were stunned when Sarah was told in a bombshell letter: 'I am not satisfied that you have accurately presented your circumstances or intentions in wishing to enter the United Kingdom, or that you have sufficient funds to cover the cost of your trip.

'This undermines the credibility of your application to the extent that I am not satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor or intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit.'

Sarah, a dual USA and Colombian national, tried to put a brave face on as she went for a bridal dress fitting.

She said: "All my family are coming over from the USA.

"My guests, even my wedding dress will be in Scotland, but I won't be there and the Home Office still have my passport.

"I feel like I'm being discriminated against.

"I am allowed to visit the country, stay in it for a year, study here but I am not allowed to get married here.

"My parents were legal immigrants to the USA and worked hard all their lives.

"I worked so hard to get a job and travel and feel I am being judged.

"Craig is the most genuine man I have ever met and I love him with all my heart and we want to be together."

MP Mr Cowan's office is working round the clock on the case.

He said: "This is an incredible situation for the family to be dealing with so close to the wedding, I can only imagine the anxiety and stress they are going through.

"My staff have made repeated efforts to resolve this and will continue to do so.

"I have raised the issue directly with the Home Office in London.

"Although we have managed to get the case accelerated, we still find ourselves in this appalling situation of limbo.

"The family should be free to concentrate on all the fine detail of what should be a joyous occasion.

"I again call on the Home Office to expedite this case as a matter of urgency.

"It should have been dealt with much more quickly."

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”