A 104-year-old Chinese woman was allowed to ask Australian Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone to intervene to allow her to stay in Australia after losing an appeal for an aged parent visa Tuesday.

Cui Yu Hu came to Melbourne, capital of the state of Victoria, to visit her adopted daughter 10 years ago. But when her 12-month visitor's visa expired, no airline would fly the then 95-year-old back to China.

She stayed in Australia on a bridging visa in stead of an aged parent visa, which the Australian Immigration Department refused to issue her.

Hu lost an appeal against that decision on Tuesday, Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported.

But a spokesman for the immigration minister said Hu's family could ask for the minister to intervene in the matter.

"Should a ministerial intervention request be lodged it will be given proper consideration," he said.

Hu's friends said she has no home in China and nobody can look after her.