Penvisuth (Neung) Supol and her children Manansupa (Mild), 17, Sariyaporn (Meu), 15, and Maythus (Max), 14, were overjoyed at the news after it seemed they’d be kicked out of Bendigo last year.

The Advertiser reported on their plight last October, after Bendigo people decided to rally behind their bid for residency.

“We’re just over the moon,” Mrs Supol said yesterday.

“We’re so happy the wait is over.”

The department detained the family for a fortnight in April last year, moving Mrs Supol and her children to a Melbourne flat on her birthday after they were found to be living unlawfully in Bendigo.

Federal Labor MP for Bendigo Steve Gibbons met Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans to plead the family’s case and the Supols received strong support from FCG Legal solicitors Sam Campbell and Judy Sublet.

"You just feel so up and down and uncertain when you don’t know everything,” Mrs Supol said.

Mild, who is completing year 12 this year at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, said she was glad the family’s ordeal was over.

“I’m just so relieved,” she said.

“It’s been pretty distressing.”

Weeroona College was instrumental in the push to save the Supols in October, telling students their classmates Meu and Max were in danger of being sent back to Thailand.

Meu will complete her secondary education at BSSC next year.